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Germany Visa Process

3 min read

Complete guide to the Germany visa process including EU Blue Card, Work Permit with ZAV, and Standard Work Permit routes.

Germany Visa Process

Germany is Europe's largest economy and offers excellent opportunities for international workers. Workium supports three main visa routes.

Available Packages

EU Blue Card: EUR 2,500
Work Permit with ZAV: EUR 2,100
Standard Work Permit: EUR 1,700
Language Support Add-on: EUR 399

EU Blue Card Process (Premium Route)

The EU Blue Card is Germany's fast-track visa for highly qualified professionals. It offers the best path to permanent residency.

Requirements:

Recognised university degree (minimum 3-year programme, must be recognised in Germany or equivalent)
Job offer or employment contract with a German employer
Minimum annual salary of EUR 48,300 (or EUR 43,759 for shortage occupations like IT, engineering, healthcare)
The job must match your qualifications

Step-by-Step Process:

1Profile Assessment (Week 1): We verify your degree recognition and eligibility for the Blue Card.
2Credential Evaluation (Week 1-3): If needed, we guide you through getting your degree recognised through anabin or the KMK process.
3Job Matching (Week 2-8): Our team connects you with German employers looking for international talent, focusing on industries that match your qualifications.
4Employment Contract (1-2 weeks after match): You sign an employment contract meeting the salary threshold.
5Visa Application at Embassy (1 week): You apply for a national visa (Type D) at the German embassy in your country.
6Embassy Processing (4-12 weeks): The embassy forwards your application to the Foreigners Authority (Auslanderbehorde) in Germany.
7Visa Issuance: You receive your visa and travel to Germany.
8Residence Permit (Within 3 months of arrival): Register locally and convert your visa to a Blue Card residence permit.

Blue Card Benefits:

Permanent residency after 21 months (with B1 German) or 33 months (without)
Family reunification with immediate work rights for spouse
Freedom to change employers after 12 months
Travel within the EU Schengen area
Path to German citizenship after 6-8 years

Work Permit with ZAV Process

The ZAV (Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung) is the Central Placement Office. This route involves ZAV pre-approval.

1ZAV Application: Employer applies to ZAV for approval to hire a non-EU worker
2Labour Market Test: ZAV checks that no EU citizen is available for the position
3Approval (2-6 weeks): ZAV issues approval
4Visa Application: You apply at the German embassy with ZAV approval
5Processing and Travel: Same as Blue Card from this point

Standard Work Permit

For positions that do not require ZAV approval or Blue Card qualification:

1Employer secures the position and employment contract
2Visa application at the German embassy
3Processing by the Foreigners Authority
4Travel and registration in Germany

Government Fees (Paid Separately):

National visa application: EUR 75
Residence permit issuance: EUR 100-110
Blue Card issuance: EUR 100

Language Support

Our EUR 399 Language Support package includes:

Online German language courses
Exam preparation materials
Guidance on A1-B1 certification
Integration course information

For the full Germany page, visit https://workium.co.uk/relocate/germany

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