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What does it take to move to Germany? Processing, cost, job offer and permanent residence

3 pathways verified against an official source. Start with a pathway, or open the published rules below to compare requirements.

A place to explore the rules, not an eligibility decision.

Choose a route to explore

Verified pathways

3 published records

Explore the points tables

Estimate against the official table: What score do I need for the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)?

Go into the detail

Compare the published requirements.

How we verify

Open a topic to see the recorded values, conditions and sources. Unchecked information stays distinct from information that the source does not publish.

Processing times, fees and residence outcomes

How long do these Germany routes take, what do they cost, and do they lead to permanent residence?

  • Germany student visa: Student residence permit

    Germany

    Residency
    Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
    Job offer
    Not published on the page we read
    Education
    The page states no education minimum
    Points
    No threshold published
    Application fee
    EUR 75
    Funds
    From EUR 11,904
    Processing time
    No commitment to a processing time

    Source: Federal Government (Make it in Germany) · verified 2026-08-15

  • Germany job search visa: Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)

    Germany

    Residency
    Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
    Job offer
    Not required
    Education
    Option 1 accepts a fully recognised vocational or academic qualification, including a German non-academic vocational qualification. Option 2 requires a state-recognised vocational or academic qualification (vocational training at least two years), not specifically a bachelor's degree. Previous stored value 'bachelor' was too narrow and has been removed.
    Points
    At least 6
    Application fee
    EUR 75
    Funds
    From EUR 1,091
    Processing time
    No commitment to a processing time

    Source: Federal Government (Make it in Germany) · verified 2026-08-15

  • Germany work visa: EU Blue Card

    Germany

    Residency
    Temporary on grant; permanent residence is a later application after 21 months
    Job offer
    Required
    Education
    German academic qualification or a foreign academic qualification comparable to a German one. Without a traditional degree, a tertiary qualification of at least three years at ISCED/EQF level 6 may suffice. IT specialists can qualify with professional experience instead. 'bachelor' is the closest stored enum to an academic qualification; it is not the only accepted path.
    Points
    No threshold published
    Application fee
    EUR 75
    Funds
    Not yet checked
    Processing time
    No commitment to a processing time

    Source: Federal Government (Make it in Germany) · verified 2026-08-15

What language evidence and skills assessment does Germany name?

  • Language evidence: CEFR certificate from an ALTE-certified or otherwise recognised provider (Goethe-Institut for German; IELTS or TOEFL are named for English on the Opportunity Card)
  • Credential assessment: anabin result, ZAB Statement of Comparability, or recognition notice (Anerkennung)

Verified 2026-09-21 against Federal Government (Make it in Germany).

Facts on this page come from those records — not from unsourced scores or blurbs.

Every cell is a sourced value or an explicit statement that nothing is stored. Amounts stay in the published currency.

Routes by residence outcome

Which Germany routes lead to permanent residence later?

Which Germany routes do not lead to permanent residence on their own?

Job offer requirements

Do I need a job offer for these Germany routes?

The authority states a job offer is required

A job offer is required for these routes.

The authority states a job offer is not required

The authority states a job offer is not required.

Not published on the page we read

We looked. Not published on the pages we read.

Education requirements

What education do these Germany routes require?

The authority accepts more than one education qualification

The authority accepts more than one way to meet this requirement. The wording on each row is the record's own.

The page states no education minimum

The page states no education minimum

Proof of funds

What funds do these Germany routes require?

The authority publishes a funds figure

These records store a funds amount with its basis and the authority's own note.

Not yet checked

We have not yet checked this field against the official source. That is not a finding that the page we read does not carry a rule.

Information gaps and their sources

Not published on the pages we read

Union of the absences recorded on this destination's routes. Each row quotes the reason stored on that record.

Processing time

  • Germany student visa: Student residence permit

    Federal Foreign Office: 'Applications for visas entitling the holder to a longer stay may take several months to process, depending on the purpose of the stay.' German national-visa page: if the foreigners authority must consent, 'kann das Verfahren bis zu drei Monaten, gelegentlich auch länger, dauern'. Times vary by mission. No fixed month range is stored.

    Source: Federal Foreign Office · verified 2026-08-15

  • Germany job search visa: Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)

    Same national-visa rule as other long-stay visas: may take several months; if foreigners-authority consent is needed, 'bis zu drei Monaten, gelegentlich auch länger'. Varies by mission. No fixed month range is stored.

    Source: Federal Foreign Office · verified 2026-08-15

  • Germany work visa: EU Blue Card

    National visas 'may take several months'. Employment visas often do not need foreigners-authority consent, which the German page says can speed the process. No fixed month range is stored.

    Source: Federal Foreign Office · verified 2026-08-15

Minimum language level

  • Germany student visa: Student residence permit

    Official wording is 'usually level B2' when the programme requires it, not the app enum 'intermediate'. The enum has been removed; see languageRequirement.

    Not yet verified against an official source

Compare across countries: all comparisons · Why no one commits to a processing time · Years to permanent residence · Immigrate without a job offer · Points tests compared · Application fees by country · Proof of funds by country · Work visa salary minimums · Age limits by country · Language requirements by country · Student visas and permanent residence · Temporary visas compared

Not yet verified

These names appear in searches. We have not checked them against an official source, so this page states no fees, timelines, or settlement outcomes for them.

View 1 unverified route

  • Germany — Skilled Worker Residence Permit

    Unverified

    A German residence title for skilled employment with recognised vocational training or a degree.

    Not yet verified against an official source