General information

A highly qualified and correspondently paid skilled worker can apply for a visa to work acc. to § 18g AufenthG.

This includes:

1. Skilled workers with a gross salary of over € 50,700 per year or € 4,225 per month (2026) who can provide evidence of a completed university degree or tertiary education program that is recognized as equivalent,
2. OR skilled workers with a gross salary of over € 45,934.20 per year or € 3,827.85 per month (2026) who have completed a university degree that is recognized as equivalent and work, for example, as a natural scientist, mathematician, engineer, doctor, ICT specialist or manager. You can find a final list of occupations here,
3. OR IT specialists and IT managers with a gross salary of over € 45,934.20 per year or € 3,827.85 per month (2026) who have at least three years of professional experience in the field of information and communication technology within the last seven years before applying for a Blue Card visa,
4. OR skilled workers with a gross salary of over € 45,934.20 per year or € 3,827.85 per month (2026) who, as career starters, have acquired their university degree or tertiary educational qualification that is recognized as equivalent no more than three years before applying for a Blue Card visa.

Please submit the following documents for your application, one original of each in paper format A4: (Exception: For Fast Track Applications, you can submit a copy of German documents instead of an original.)

• Your valid passport
• Your legalized birth certificate (if it is a Cambodian birth certificate: authenticated by the Cambodian Foreign Ministry and legalized by the German Embassy).
• One print-out of your duly filled and signed application form
• Two biometrical passport photos, one of which glued to the application form
• Visa fee 75 Euro, payable in cash in USD
• Pre-approval from the competent German employment authority OR pre-approval for the accelerated procedure for skilled workers of the competent foreigners authority (if available)
• The following declaration form filled and signed by your employer: Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis
• Certificate of Recognition of the competent German state authority (for IT specialists: only if available):
  • KMK ZAB recognition with confirmation of equivalence to a German university degree
  • OR both Anabin excerpts on equivalency of the university (H+) AND of the degree (equivalent to the German university degree).
• IT specialists: curriculum vitae AND proof of work experience, e.g. job references, certificates of former employment, training certificates, etc.
• Employment contract stating your monthly salary and work hours
• Proof of health insurance coverage
  • Certificate of the German statutory health insurance with indicated confirmation of the validity of the health insurance cover from entry coverage from the date of entry
  • OR a certificate from a private health insurance company with indicated confirmation of the validity of the health insurance coverage from the date of entry, if the type and scope of health insurance coverage corresponds to that of a statutory health insurance,
  • OR an incoming health insurance for the period between the arrival and start of employment subject to social security contributions, if the type and scope of health insurance coverage corresponds to that of a statutory health insurance.

Your application must be submitted personally at the German Embassy. If you are applying together with your family (spouse, children), please note that a separate appointment registration is required for each person. Once you have obtained all the necessary documents, please register for an appointment here.

You can also apply for an online application here. Once the online application is complete and pre-checked, you will be able to make an appointment to submit your biometrics and the applications of your family to the embassy.

Please note:

Incomplete applications will be decided by the Embassy based on the documents that were submitted, and may be rejected.

To speed up the process, we recommend having your employer apply for a pre-approval from the competent German employment authority (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) and to submit your visa application together with the pre-approval letter.
Alternatively, your employer in Germany can also submit an application for you in accordance with § 81a AufenthG (accelerated procedure for skilled workers) at the competent foreigners authority and then send you the preliminary approval of the foreigners authority (Fast Track Application).
You can also apply without a pre-approval of German authorities. Approval will then be obtained during the visa process.

The Service Centre for Professional Recognition can assist you in your professional recognition procedure. For further information, please see here.

You can apply for recognition via the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). The ZAB issues certificate evaluations for university degrees from all countries in the world. A free online assessment of your university (assessment as H+) and your degree (assessment as equivalent to the German bachelor's or master's degree) may also be listed in the Anabin database, in which case additional recognition via the ZAB is not necessary.

Foreign documents which were neither issued in Germany nor other EU Member states must be legalized or have an apostille.

Documents that are not in German or English language need to be translated by a recognized translator. For further information, please see here.

Please note that the Embassy can request further documents.