EU Blue Card for Germany: who can get it and how to apply
You have a university degree and a job offer from Germany? What the EU Blue Card needs, how to apply from abroad, and when a lawyer helps.
Last checked: November 1, 2026
What the Blue Card is
The EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) is a residence permit for people with a university degree who have a qualified job in Germany. For graduates from outside the EU it is often the fastest way to work in Germany.
Your spouse and children can come with you, and you can get permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) sooner than with most other permits, even sooner if you learn German.
What you usually need
- A university degree that is recognised in Germany or comparable to a German degree. You can look it up in the anabin database.
- A job offer or contract in Germany that fits your qualification.
- A gross salary of at least the yearly minimum. The minimum changes every January. It is lower for jobs where workers are missing and for people who graduated in the last three years.
- For a regulated profession, for example as a doctor, a licence to practise it in Germany.
- IT specialists can sometimes get the Blue Card without a degree, with at least three years of relevant experience.
How to apply from abroad
- Get the job offer and check your degree.
- Apply for a national visa at the German embassy or consulate in your country. In many countries this works online through the Consular Services Portal.
- If you want it faster, your employer can start the fast-track procedure (beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren) at the Ausländerbehörde in Germany. It costs a fee, but the embassy appointment and decision usually come much sooner.
- After you arrive, register your address (Anmeldung) and get the Blue Card from the Ausländerbehörde before your visa ends.
Where people get stuck
- The salary in the contract is just below the minimum, or the job does not fit the degree.
- The degree is not listed in anabin, or it is rated differently than expected.
- Long waiting times for an embassy appointment.
- Changing employer in the first 12 months: you must report it to the Ausländerbehörde, which can refuse it.
How a lawyer in Germany helps
A lawyer licensed in Germany can check before you apply whether your degree, job and salary fit, prepare your documents, talk to the Ausländerbehörde and your employer, and act if the visa is refused. All of this works by video and messages while you are still at home.
Questions people ask
Do I need to speak German for the Blue Card?
No. The Blue Card itself does not require German. It helps in daily life, and it gets you permanent residence sooner.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Your spouse and children under 18 can usually come with you or later. Your spouse does not need to show German before coming, and may work in Germany.
What is the minimum salary this year?
It is set every year. Check the current figures on Make it in Germany, or ask a lawyer before you sign a contract.
Official information
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and every case is different: a lawyer checks yours.