r/ImmigrationGermany

hello everyone,

as mentionned, i got my PR application approuved under the 21 monthes blue card holder path (been in germany since 11 years, payed into pension since i was a student and has both Bsc and Msc from a german university)

what was strange is that during my appointment for bimoteric data, the case worker there handed me paper that i signed stating that, 6 monthes after collecting my NE-Card, if i change work or adress, I need to inform them
i was so pissed off, i never heard of such conditions that they track your situation after handing in the NE-Card.

the case worker didn't give me a copy so i don't exactly know what's written there

anyone went into a similar situation or has more infos about this?

thanks

cheeres,

Hello everyone.

I have submitted my Niederlassungserlaubnis application to Munich's Ausländerbehörde on 29 Dec, 2025. Up until today, I have not received any updates or appointments from them.

They have actually mentioned on their website that the process could take up to 9 months, but for a particular reason I'm in a hurry and would like to get my PR as soon as possible. My employment situation is shaky at the moment and I worry I might get laid off before I get any appointments from the authority and then not only I won't get my permanent residency, I will also be required to find a new job within a specific time frame before I'm ordered to leave the country, and that frightens me because the job market is currently absolutely horrible.

I was thinking I could file an Untätigkeitsklage under § 75 VwGO against the Munich Ausländerbehörde to basically force them to make a decision on my application. I will be doing this myself through the official online court portal because I don't want to spend money on lawyer fees.

I would appreciate it if you could share any tips or insight you have on this matter. Do you think I'm doing the right thing? Should I necessarily do it with a lawyer or is it OK if I start the process alone? Is it even generally a good idea to go down this path? Any implications you think I should be aware of?

Thank you very much for your help and advice.

Hi everyone!

I'm currently learning German and I'm interested in Germany. In the future, I might study or work there.

Which German city would you recommend, and why?

I'm looking for a city with:

* Good career opportunities

* High salaries

* Safety

* Good work-life balance

* Good universities

* Friendly people

*Good Healthcare

* Mild summers (I don't like very hot weather)

Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hi all I’m a US citizen working here in Berlin with a full time job and a blue card. I’m not a permanent resident but I want to look into making money on the side through online content creation while working my full time job and still keeping my blue card so I can apply for permanent residency - how can I do this?

Honestly still pinching myself. Married, 6 years in Berlin (5 years working).

Full breakdown below:

The German part first - because it took longer than the citizenship itself. I started from A2 (knew basic A1) and went with Speakeasy [intensive evening]. Five months to B1 - not glamorous, but doable (my motive was citizenship not to learn converse a lot).

For the exam I went with TELC. I booked digital test in Speakeasy - 3 weeks in advance and got a slot fine (East one has more slots). If you need it within 2 weeks they charge extra. Book early.

The application - no appointment, just upload the details (exactly what is asked)No queueing for an appointment slot, no showing up in person. I submitted everything on March 17 and waited.

Timeline:

• March 17 - Online application submitted
• April 15 - First email from the Behörde for Appointment
• April 24 - Naturalization - It's basically nothing: show up, sign the oath, pay the fees, take a photo if you want. No language assessment, no surprise checks. Genuinely 15 minutes.
• April 28 - Passport in hand (took the express process +32 EURs)

Passport tip: Book at Frankfurter Allee 3. Got a slot on the same day as the Naturalization process (keep 2 hour gap) and you just need the certificate and biometric photo (got it from DM ~6EURs) And it's by far the smoothest Bürgeramt in the city.

Happy to answer questions as this group has been a great support!

Viel Erfolg! 🇩🇪

My husband and I, both immigrants, lived in Germany from 2021 to 2023 before moving to Poland. One of the main reasons for the move was that Poland offers lower taxes for IT specialists, a faster pace of life, better customer service, and, overall, feels livelier and more vibrant.
However, it seems that the mood in Poland has recently shifted toward stronger anti-immigrant sentiment, greater support for deportations even for relatively minor offenses, and increased xenophobia. As Ukrainian nationals, we find this quite concerning.
As a result, we have started considering a move back to Germany. However, whenever I watch YouTube videos or Instagram content about Germany, I see a lot of negativity. Social media seems saturated with people criticizing the country, expressing dissatisfaction with life there, moving elsewhere, and complaining about bureaucracy, slow processes, high taxes, declining safety, and a general sense of stagnation.
So my question is: Is Germany really an unpleasant place to live because of bureaucracy, economic slowdowns, high taxes, a culture of strict rule-following, and a perceived lack of dynamism? Or is the current wave of criticism simply a social media trend that amplifies negative experiences?

P.S. for those who ask if we had witnessed any of these drawbacks when we lived there - yes, we did, but please bear in mind that we were there and the war started and we were generally really depressed and could not see any positive sides, plus we were in small Bavarian town at that time and now we are thinking of Berlin.

And a side question, if you could recommend staying in Poland or leaving for Germany - what would it be?

I am currently living and working in Nuremberg on an EU Blue Card. I am preparing to apply for a family reunion visa to bring my family over to join me.

According to federal guidelines, Blue Card holders are exempt from the "sufficient living space" (apartment square footage) requirement for spouse and minor child reunification. However, I have heard mixed stories online that the local Ausländerbehörde in Nuremberg sometimes still asks for a rental contract or expects a specific apartment size out of habit.

Has anyone here recently gone through the family reunification process in Nuremberg while on a Blue Card?

1. Did they strictly enforce any minimum square meter rules for your apartment?
2. Did you just provide a standard Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation) or did they demand a full lease showing the size?

Any recent experiences or advice on how the Nuremberg office handles this would be highly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice on the best approach for my permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) application.

I currently live in Kühlungsborn (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), where the responsible Ausländerbehörde is Bad Doberan. I'll be moving to Berlin in September for a new job.

My EU Blue Card became valid on 11 March 2025, so I'll become eligible for permanent residence after 21 months, on 11 December 2026. By August, I'll have my B1 certificate and the result of my Einbürgerungstest.

I contacted my current Ausländerbehörde to explain that I'd be moving before I actually become eligible. They replied in writing that they're happy to accept and process my application before I move. They told me to submit the application in August once I have my B1 certificate and Einbürgerungstest result, even though the earliest they could grant the permit would be after I reach the 21-month mark in December.

My question is: would you still submit the application through Bad Doberan, or wait and apply in Berlin after moving?

I'm mainly wondering whether:

• keeping the application with Bad Doberan is likely to be faster since they've already agreed to handle it (the MV service portal estimates 6 to 8 weeks to process application, which I can also ask them verbally/via email to see what the ABH thinks also)? and/or
• moving to Berlin before a decision might potentially require the file to be transferred anyway, making it better to apply directly in Berlin? I've seen another case on Reddit where someone applied in Düsseldorf but then moved to Berlin.

Has anyone had experience with an application continuing to be processed by the original Ausländerbehörde after moving to another city, or with a file transfer during a pending PR application?

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to check if anyone else is in the same boat.
My timeline:
VFS Hyderabad
Chennai Consulate
Biometrics: 17 April 2026
BSBI Berlin (Master’s)
Course started on 6 June, so I’m attending online classes for now.
It’s 1 July today, and my application is still under process. I’ve contacted VFS, the consulate, and BVA, but the status hasn’t changed yet.
Is anyone who applied around mid-April (especially through Chennai) still waiting? Or if you already got your visa, how long did it take?
The waiting is getting pretty frustrating, so it’d be nice to know I’m not the only one. 😅

Hi,
My background:
I am 32, single Male from India.
I hold a degree in Material Science Engineering from a UK University and have an approximate 10 years of working experience in the same field, but different departments.

I’m thinking of applying for a Chancenkarte and move to Germany.

My concerns:

1. Is it too late now to move? Are job opportunities good for people with a degree in that field with no German work experience?
2. I’m not fluent in German, but I can learn and thinking of learning it.
3. Is it easy to convert the visa to a Blue Card within one year?
4. Should I confirm a job before applying for the visa or should I do vice versa?

Any suggestions will help me a lot.

Thank you.

Hallo everyone.. I'm applying for a German family reunification visa at the German Consulate in India (Kolkata)The checklist doesn't mention a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) and it also doesn't say whether the invitation letter from my German husband should be the original or if a scanned copy is enough. I've seen mixed answers online.Some say a PCC is required while others say it isn't. Has anyone recently applied in Kolkata? What did you submit?

I recently got a side gig contract job that pays me around 15 dollars an hour. This is for a startup and there’s just lots of work. I can bill them for a maximum of 8 hours per day, irrespective of how much work I do.

While I have worked in many startups full time in the past, I’ve never worked in them as a contractor.

The thing with this contract work is you need to fill timesheets and justify every 30 minute window on what you did.🥲

I worked a full 7 hours today. And that translates to about 105 dollars/10K rupees.

I was doing this alongside my main job which takes just 2-4 hours a day but pays bomb.

The thing about full time jobs is that you get paid to live and breathe. Whether work is happening, not happening, production is alive or unalived, creating a button is taking 1 hour or 1 month, nothing matters.

But in these hourly contracts, you can’t play them. They play you.

For the first time in my 5 year career, I have sat all day and did real work. If feel like I have been violated in exchange for peanuts.

I have just sent a mail to the company that this is not my cup of tea, and that I am resigning.

Hello everyone,

I am a masters student in Berlin. I am basically almost done with my masters degree. I just need to register my thesis and submit it at the end of the current semester around August end.

On friday i got a full time offer at a Startup here itself in Berlin. And now i would like to apply for a Bluecard or Skilled worker visa. Since i haven't completed my masters i coupd get it done on basis of my Bachelors from my country ( which is a recognized University on Anabin).

My problem is the following: the startup wanted someone to start soon on July 1. I got it changed to July 15 so i can apply for the Change of Purpose visa at the LEA. But what if i dont get an appointment before the 15 of July ? Lets say the company is not willing to give me another starting date ? the HR has no prior experience dealing with a student to Working visa situation so far. How can i navigate this situation ?

has anyone experienced this before ? I would appreciate any suggestions and your thoughts on this. Thank you !

Who I am: Production/Mechanical Engineer from India, 4+ years experience, targeting Germany.

-----

Visa 1 — EU Blue Card (Employment as Academic / Skilled Worker with Job Contract)

I had a job contract and applied for the EU Blue Card under the “Employment as Academic” category. This requires a recognized degree and a salary meeting the minimum threshold — **€50,700/year gross (2026 standard rate).**

**What went wrong:**

My job title was “Production Engineer.” This is a **regulated profession in Baden-Württemberg** — the state has specific rules around who can officially carry the title “Engineer.”

The consulate flagged this through two document requests, both submitted at **VFS Mumbai** (there is no interview at VFS Mumbai — only biometrics are conducted there; document submissions go through the counter):

**VFS Submission 1:** Consulate asked to remove “Engineer” from job title. Changed to Production Coordinator. Submitted at VFS Mumbai. Trip 1.

**VFS Submission 2:** Consulate asked for updated employment contract with new title + detailed job description from employer. Submitted at VFS Mumbai. Trip 2.

**Day 55 — Rejection.**

Reason: **Salary below threshold.** Something they could have flagged on Day 1 but never raised in either document round.

**Key lesson:** The consulate processes your full file but can reject you for a reason they never asked about. There is no warning. Read your rejection letter carefully — it tells you exactly what was and wasn’t found defective. **Keep this rejection letter. You will need it.**

-----

Name Mismatch — Solve This Before Applying

My name appeared differently across documents — passport, degree, and transcripts did not all match exactly.

The German consulate requires proof that all name variations refer to the same person.

**How I solved it:**

1. **Affidavit** — sworn statement on stamp paper before a notary declaring both name versions and confirming they refer to the same person
2. **Gazette Notification** — official publication in the Government of India Gazette, which is the legally recognized permanent proof of name in India

If you have any name mismatch across your documents — even a minor spelling variation — get both of these prepared before applying. The consulate will not assume it is the same person.

-----

## Visa 2 — Chancenkarte §20a (Opportunity Card)

**Two pathways — most people only know one:**

**Points System:** If your degree is not recognized in Germany, score at least 6 points from work experience, language skills, age, etc.

**Direct Route (no points needed):** If your degree is already recognized in Germany via the **anabin database (H+ status)**, you qualify automatically under §20a(3). No points calculation at all.

My degree was anabin H+. I took the direct route.

Also — none of my Blue Card rejection reasons applied to §20a. No salary threshold. No employer. No regulated profession issue. Clean application.

-----

## If You Are Applying a Second Time — Do This

**This is mandatory and most candidates miss it:**

- Include your **previous rejection letter** as a document in your application package
- When filling the **CSP portal (digital.diplo.de)**, there is a field asking if you have previously applied for a German visa — **tick YES**
- In the short reason field, briefly state the reason: e.g., *“Previous application for Employment as Academic (Blue Card) rejected due to salary below required threshold. Current application is under a different visa category (§20a) to which that reason does not apply.”*

Being upfront about a prior rejection and clearly explaining why it is irrelevant to the current application is far better than the consulate discovering it without context.

-----

## My Complete Document List — Chancenkarte §20a

**Application forms:**

- VIDEX online visa application form (printed and signed)
- Declaration form

**Identity & travel:**

- Passport (original + copy of all pages)
- Biometric passport photos

**Financial proof:**

- Blocked amount confirmation (German blocked account)
- Bank statement
- Salary slips — current employer (3 months)

**Insurance & accommodation:**

- Travel/health insurance certificate ( block account includes dr.Walter insurance which is sufficient for visa)
- Accommodation confirmation in Germany (Booking.com accepted) can book a dummy 1 month free booking also

**Language:**

- German language course enrollment certificate (A1) not needed for direct path but can add some weight to your application.

**Motivation & job search:**

- **Motivation Letter (ML / Motivationsschreiben)** — explaining why you want to work in Germany, your career goals, and why you are a suitable candidate
- **Job Search Plan (JP)** — structured plan showing how you intend to find employment in Germany: target roles, industries, regions, companies, and timeline
- Job applications summary — I submitted 20 real acknowledgement emails from German companies.

**Qualifications:**

- Bachelor’s degree certificate
- All transcripts — complete, no gaps across any semester
- Diploma certificates (all years/semesters)
- 10th and 12th certificates
- Anabin printout confirming your university and degree have H+ status
- **Offline Mode Certificate from your university** — the German consulate explicitly lists this requirement on their official checklist. Your university must certify that your degree was conducted in offline/in-person mode. Get this as a separate certificate if it is not stated on your transcript.

**Name proof (if applicable):**

- Affidavit (notarized)
- Gazette Notification (Government of India)

**Experience:**

- Experience letters from all previous employers
- Salary slips

**For second-time applicants:**

- Previous rejection letter (mandatory)

**CV:**

- CV in German format

-----
Mumbai VFS timeline

**18 days total from biometrics to approval.**

**Day 16 pattern:** On both my Blue Card and Chancenkarte applications, the first substantive update arrived on Day 16 post-biometrics. Watch that date.

**CSP portal lag:** After both VFS dispatch emails arrived on June 26, the CSP portal still showed “Decision pending.” This is normal. The emails are ground truth. The portal is a lagging indicator — do not panic.

-----

## Summary for Candidates

- For Blue Card as academic: verify salary meets **€50,700/year** before signing your contract
- “Production Engineer” and similar titles may be regulated in your target German state — check before applying
- Fix name mismatches with affidavit + gazette notification before applying for anything
- Check anabin — if your degree is H+, you skip the Chancenkarte points system entirely
- Get the offline mode certificate from your university — it is on the official consulate checklist
- Write a proper Motivation Letter and Job Search Plan — these are required documents, not optional extras
- If reapplying after a rejection: include rejection letter + tick the prior visa field in CSP + briefly state the reason and why it doesn’t apply to the new application

Good luck. Happy to answer questions in the comments. 🇩🇪

I came to Germany is 2023 for my masters. I completed my masters in Computer Science last year in April and since then I am on job seekers visa. I am looking for a full time job since then but given the current job market I have been unsuccessful in my job search. I am working part time since then. Now my job seekers visa is going to end soon and I am looking for ways to extend my visa. Any suggestions?

EDIT: I looked into applying for chancenkarte and it needs blocked account for 1 year

Hi everyone,
I applied for German citizenship at LEA Berlin (S3) on 02.01.2025 and still have not received a decision after almost 1.5 years.

A bit about me:
- §32 until im 18, now holding §34
- Came to Germany in 2018 at age 13 with my mother.
- Completed Realschulabschluss and Fachhochschulreife (Fachabi).
- Completed one year of FSJ as part of my Fachabi path.
- Currently enrolled as a university student.
- Living with my family in a house
- No personal income at the moment, since I am studying.
- No legal problems

During the process, LEA asked me twice to submit additional documents. I submitted everything requested, including the FDGO/Loyalitätserklärung, documents about my FSJ, my Immatrikulationsbescheinigung, current residence permit, Kindergeldbescheid, and other supporting documents about my situation and integration.
My last document submission was on 06.05.2026. I also sent a status inquiry on 27.05.2026, but received no reply.

I have also heard of similar cases in Berlin being completed within only a few months, so I am wondering why mine is taking this long.
Is this still normal for LEA Berlin? Does this sound like the final stage, or should I consider legal advice / Untätigkeitsklage at some point?
Thanks for any experiences or advice.

Hello everyone,

I am an IT Instructor from the Philippines planning my relocation to Germany (specifically to the Bremen/Lower Saxony region, near Schwarme/Syke). I luckily have a local sponsor in Germany who is fully willing and capable of signing a Verpflichtungserklärung (Formal Obligation Letter) to cover my financial requirements, so I can bypass the traditional Blocked Account.

I hold a Master of Computer Science (MCS) and have 5+ years of experience teaching IT at the university level, alongside building practical systems (Flutter apps, IoT setups, AI/hardware integration for environmental projects).
Aside from my tech background, I am a massive cycling and bike-building enthusiast (currently riding a custom T800 carbon mountain bike and a retro threadless commuter build). One of the huge reasons I fell in love with Bremen while researching online is its legendary status as Germany's most bike-friendly city—the 700+ km of protected lanes, the bicycle zones, and routes like the Blocklandrunde or riding along the Weser river look absolute paradise to me. I fully plan to make cycling my primary way of exploring and commuting!

I am currently weighing two distinct pathways to make this move happen, and I would love some insight, reality checks, or suggestions on both:

Path A: The Language Acquisition Visa (VHS route)

The Plan: Apply for a National Visa for Language Acquisition to study intensive German (A1 upwards, min 18 hours/week) at a public Volkshochschule.
Where: I'm currently looking at vhs Nienburg or vhs Delmenhorst due to proximity to my accommodation address in Schwarme.
Questions: How strictly does the German Embassy in Manila look at language visa applications for someone who already holds a Master's degree? Will they view it as a regression, or is a strong professional motivation letter (explaining that I need German fluency to enter the German IT corporate sector) usually enough?

Path B: A Specialized Second Master's Degree (English-taught)
The Plan: Since I already have a general Computer Science Master's, I know applying for another general CS degree will trigger rejection for duplication or visa red flags. Instead, I’m targeting specialized "bridge" degrees that connect software to hardware/AI.
Where: I am rushing an application for the M.Sc. in Electronics Engineering at Hochschule Bremen (HSB) since their international deadline is July 15. Long-term backups for next year include M.Sc. Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems at Uni Bremen or Socio-Technical Systems at Uni Oldenburg.

Questions:

1. For those who transitioned from a computer science/IT background into an Electronics Engineering Master's at a Fachhochschule (like HSB), how heavy is the hardware/math gap if my background is mostly software?
2. How smoothly does the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) process a Verpflichtungserklärung for a university student visa versus a language school visa?
   I would highly appreciate any advice on the timeline, the tech programs, or how realistic it is to commute via a mix of cycling and regional trains (RS1/RS2 lines via Syke or Achim) from the Schwarme area into Bremen city center daily.

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in Berlin on an Opportunity Card and recently received a full-time job offer starting 1st July. However, I will begin part-time in July and switch to full-time from 1st August. Because of this, I applied yesterday for my work permit / Blue Card conversion.

At the same time, my employer submitted a request to the Berlin Business Immigration Service (BIS) today using my transaction number, hoping to use the accelerated skilled worker procedure (§81a AufenthG).

However, BIS replied as follows:

“The accelerated skilled worker procedure according to § 81a AufenthG only applies to entries from abroad if you as an employer wish to employ a skilled worker from a third country.

If the skilled worker is already in Germany, the accelerated skilled worker procedure is not an option.

Therefore, registering with the BIS for this reason would not fulfill the intended purpose.”

I had read in several posts that employer involvement with BIS can speed up the process, so this response was unexpected and confusing.

My questions are:

• Is there any other way to speed up my work permit / Blue Card processing in Berlin in this situation?
• Can this be escalated via LEA (Ausländerbehörde), or is there an option to request urgent processing due to a fixed job start date?
• Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and what actually helped in practice?

Hello, I am planning to go to Germany in this November. So, I submitted all my documents through the CSP Portal on 24th of April under the language course/study category. Since then, my application status has been " Under Preliminary Review" . There is no update at all.

Is there anything else I must do? or is it normal to wait this long? I am really worried cuz I am handling the entire application process on my own.

I really appreciate any advice or information.

Thank you in advance.

Hi everyone,
I’m an Indian citizen originally from Uttar Pradesh. I currently live and work in Oman on a valid residence permit.
I’m planning to apply for a Master’s program in Germany for the Winter 2027 intake.

My plan is:
Continue working in Oman until I receive my admission letter.
Return to India after getting the admission.
Submit my German student visa application from India.

My questions are:
1-Since I currently reside in Oman but will be physically in India at the time of application, can I apply for the German student visa through VFS Delhi?
2-Does my current residence in Oman affect my eligibility to apply from India?
3-I have heard about a “last 6 months residency rule.” Does that apply in my case?

If anyone has been in a similar situation (Indian citizen working in the Gulf and then applying from India for Germany), I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience.
Thanks in advance!