February 2025

National Visa for

job search “Opportunity Card”
[Section 20a + 20b Residence Act]

General Information
The Opportunity Card improves your chances of making contact with German employers and
finding qualified employment in Germany. Candidates from non-EU countries can enter Germany
to look for a suitable job. The Opportunity Card is issued to candidates recognized as skilled
workers or those who score at least six points using the points system. Proof of a permanent
employment contract is not required. Opportunity Cards are issued for a maximum of one year.
The card allows you to look for gainful employment in Germany, i.e., you can seek employment or
become self-employed.
While you are looking for gainful employment, you are allowed to have one or more part-time
jobs, totaling 20 hours a week. You can also do job trials for a maximum of two weeks per
employer as part of your job search. The aim of the job trial must be either to obtain qualified
employment, an apprenticeship or a qualification program.
You can find out more information about the Opportunity Card and about living and working in
Germany at www.make-it-in-germany.com. The website also offers a Self-Check.

Visa application checklist

Please use the following checklist to make sure that your documents are complete.
Please submit the documents listed below in according order.
Please do not staple any documents.
Incomplete documentation may result in the rejection of your application.
Original Copy
required required

  Fully completed and signed application and signed declaration

  One (1) recent biometric passport photo (see specimen photos)
  Signed passport meeting the following requirements:
a. Its validity must exceed the duration of the intended stay in Germany by at
least 3 months
b. It must contain at least 2 blank pages
c. It must have been issued (not extended!) within the past 10 years
  Residence permit in the U.S., e.g., Visa, Green Card, U.S. passport
  Proof of address:
a. valid driver’s license and
b. lease and
c. utility bill

→ more information on following page(s)

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 February 2025

Original Copy
required required

  Qualification
To receive an Opportunity Card, you must either be a skilled worker (Option 1) or
have at least six points on the points system in addition to a successfully
completed vocational or academic training (Option 2).

Option 1
You have a foreign professional or academic qualification that is fully recognised in
Germany. Alternatively, you obtained your university degree or professional
qualification in Germany.

Please submit:
→ Vocational training certificate or
→ German university degree or
→ Foreign university degree fulfilling information below
(recognition of the qualification)
If your university degree does not state the courses you studied, please also
submit your transcript.

Proof of recognition of the qualification (university degree)

→ Printout from the anabin database on the qualification and on the institution or
if the qualification is not assessed as “entspricht” (comparable) or “gleichwertig”
(equivalent) and/or the institution is not classified as “H+”

→ Statement of Comparability by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) or

In the case of regulated professions in which permission is required to exercise the

profession, for example, doctors, engineers; complete list is available from the
Federal Employment Agency or the European Commission)

→ Permission to exercise a profession issued by the authority responsible for

recognising qualifications or assurance of permission to exercise a profession
(e.g. for medical professions: decision of the licensing authority in the federal
territory, i.e. assurance of permission to exercise a profession and/or issuing of
medical licence)

More information on recognition: www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de

→ more information on following page(s)

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Original Copy
required required

  Qualification

Option 2
You score a minimum of six (6) points in the points system in addition to meeting
the following requirements:

a. You have successfully completed vocational or academic training. It is

important that the qualification is recognised by the country in which you
obtained it. In addition, your vocational qualification must have required at
least two years of vocational training.

Please submit:
→ Vocational training certificate or
→ Foreign university degree recognised by the country in which you obtained it
If your university degree does not state the courses you studied, please also
submit your transcript.

b. Proof of language proficiency: You either have German language skills of at

least level A1 as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages (CEFR) or English language skills of at least level B2 (CEFR).

Please note that no proof of English language skills is required for English native
speakers.

The points system applies to you, i.e., if you are unable to demonstrate that you
have a German qualification or that your foreign qualification has been fully
recognised. To learn more about how to obtain points on the point system please
use the Self-Check.
  Proof of adequate financial means

For both Option 1 and Option 2, you must have sufficient financial resources to
fund your job search in Germany. Proof of financial means for at least one year in
the amount of 1,091.00 EUR / month and a total of 13,092.00 EUR must be
submitted with the application with either:

a. Blocked account
b. Account statements of the last three months stating your name and address
c. Formal obligation letter (“Verpflichtungserklärung”) according to Sec. 66 to 68
of the German Residence Act covering the entire duration of stay, signed by a
person living in Germany at the local competent office in Germany. The formal
obligation can only be accepted as an adequate proof of finance
with the remark “nachgewiesen.”
d. Work contract for a part-time job in Germany (up to 20 hours per week)

→ more information on following page(s)

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  Proof of adequate health insurance coverage

Health insurance coverage is required at the time of entry into the Schengen area
and for the entire intended stay in Germany.

Visa application fees

Processing fee:
Payable in cash and/or by visa/Mastercard
(please verify with the competent German mission prior to your appointment)

Conversion into USD is made based on the exchange rate at the time of the application.

Completeness of application
The application is complete:
☐ Yes ☐ No, the documents/information indicated above are lacking.
Declaration when application is not complete:
I have been informed that my application is not complete. I am aware that submitting an
incomplete application can lead to the application being rejected.
I would like to submit my application nevertheless.

_____________________________ place, date, signature

This information sheet has been prepared with utmost care. It is intended to provide a point of reference to our clients
but may not be fully applicable to every individual case. If you have further, more specific questions which are not
answered by the information contained here nor on our website www.germany.info/visa, please contact the German
Embassy/Consulate General serving your U.S. home state.