If you're considering moving to Germany, it's a good idea to understand the differences between the German residence titles. This post focuses on the two employment-based residence titles: the Residence Permit and the EU Blue Card. So what's the difference? Let's break it down. Curious about other German residence titles? Check out our Guide to German visas.
German Residence Titles
Temporary German Residence Permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis)
The Temporary Residence Permit, or more commonly, the German Residence Permit, is the most common type of residence title given to expats who want to live and work in Germany. You may also hear it referred to as the German Employment Visa, the German Employment Work Visa, or the Aufenthaltserlaubnis.
Temporary is a bit of a weird word—but don't worry, it's just to differentiate it from the Permanent Residence Permit, or Settlement Permit, which allows you to stay in Germany indefinitely.
Requirements
To apply, you need to prepare documents to bring to the immigration authorities, including:
- Signed Work Contract or Job Offer - a signed contract is better, but a job offer with complete details on your title, contract stipulations, and salary may suffice
- City Registration (Anmeldebescheinigung) - proving you have a German address and place to live
- German Health Insurance - foreign insurance policies are not usually accepted in Germany, so you must prove you have a policy with a German insurance provider
- Proof/Certificates of Education - while not always required, we highly recommend bringing official proof of your university education
- German Bank Account - while also not always required, proof of a German bank account and sufficient funds therein may be required, depending on the salary of your employment contract
- Other Standard Items - as with many other official documents in Germany, you’ll need to share your valid passport from your home country, and you’ll need a biometric photo for the visa (these can be taken at main train stations or often at the visa office directly).
Once your documents are prepared, you can schedule an appointment at your city’s Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde). The average processing time is between 8-12 weeks, and the standard validity is three years, after which you can request extensions.
EU Blue Card (Blau Karte)
The EU Blue Card offers the same rights to work, along with a number of additional benefits. Some of the most attractive perks of the EU Blue Card are:
- the ability to travel freely within the EU
- the option to relocate family members and spouses
- faster and easier transfer to a permanent settlement permit
- access to the same social programs as citizens, including education, healthcare and travel
Requirements
Due to its benefits, the EU Blue Card is highly sought after, but it doesn’t come as easily as the Temporary Residence Permit. The list of required documents includes:
- Specialist or Master’s Degree - higher education is required for the EU Blue card, and you must be able to prove a Master’s Degree or equivalent
- 5 Years Work Experience - since the EU Blue Card is intended to bring skilled workers to the EU, proof of an adequate amount of experience is required in place of a qualifying educational degree. Five years is the minimum.
- Minimum Salary - (as of January 2023) you must prove a minimum annual salary of €58,400 for non-shortage occupations and €45,552 for shortage occupations
- Signed Work Contract or Job Offer - a signed contract is better, but a job offer with complete details on your title, contract stipulations, and salary may suffice
- City Registration (Anmeldebescheinigung) - proving you have a German address and place to live
- German Health Insurance - foreign insurance policies are not usually accepted in Germany, so you must prove you have a policy with a German insurance provider
- German Bank Account - while also not always required, proof of a German bank account and sufficient funds therein may be required, depending on the salary of your employment contract
- Other Standard Items - as with many other official documents in Germany, you’ll need to share your valid passport from your home country, and you’ll need a biometric photo for the visa (these can be taken at main train stations or often at the visa office directly).
Once you’ve prepared your documents, you can make an appointment at your local Immigration Office. The processing time is typically 8–12 weeks, and the standard validity is three years, after which you can request extensions.
What are the main differences between German Residence Permit and Blue Card?
The main differences between the two lie in the rights for your spouse to work in Germany, the right to work in another EU state, and, since the Blue Card is focused on specialized knowledge, a governmental “double-check” to make sure there are no German workers qualified to do the job.
Final tips
We recommend that you come to your appointment early and fully prepared - the officials at these offices have little patience for unprepared applicants.
Something to keep in mind: 324,636 national visas were issued in 2019 but 268,856 were rejected; if you aren’t well-prepared, you may end up without a visa. If in doubt, follow the visa flow in your (free!) Worldify account. 🔵
