General information

This scheme is aimed at qualified academic professionals employed in a position according to their qualification. As of November 2023, the scheme has facilitated applications for professionals in more bottleneck occupations, young professionals and certain non-academic IT professionals. 

Please note that there are also other options to take up employment in Germany. 

The EU Blue Card visa category requires you 

1. to hold a German, a recognised or a comparable foreign academic degree or equivalent tertiary qualification. 
2. that the qualification must be relevant for your intended emploment.
   If you hold a non German academic degree, please check whether both your degree and the awarding academic institution are listed as comparable in the official Anabin database. If the degree (Hochschulabluss) is not listed as "entspricht" (comparable) or "gleichwertig" (equivalent) and the institution (Institution) is not classified as "H+": please have the degree formally assessed through a "Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications" issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). Any equivalent foreign tertiary qualification must have been formally recognized. 
3. to have a contract of employment in Germany appropriate to your qualifications
4. to have a minimum gross salary of 45.300 EUR (3.775 EUR per month/as of 2024) or in MINT (employment in the fields of mathematics, IT, natural sciences and technology) professions and health professions of 41.041,80 EUR (as of 2024)
5. to have sufficient health insurance cover under German law

Bottleneck professions (Engpassberufe)

Academic professionals employed in a bottleneck profession (see list here) qualify for an EU Blue Card with a remuneration starting at 41.041,80 EUR gross per annum / 3.420,15 EUR gross per month (2024; subject to chance). 

New entrants to the labour market

The lower salary of 41.041,80 EUR gross per annum / 3.420,15 EUR gross per month (2024, subject to change) also applies to new entrants to the labour market: if you obtained your last degree or equivalent qualification less than three years ago, you also qualify for an EU Blue Card. 

IT professionals without formal qualification

IT professionals without a formal qualification, but having worked in IT for at least three of the past seven years and with professional experience at university level may also qualify for an EU Blue Card.

Visa free travel

Citizens of Japan, Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as well as EU citizens may apply to the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) for their residence permit for work purposes after arrival in Germany and without having obtained a visa prior to travelling to Germany. Please note that you need to register your new residence (Anmeldung) with the authorities (Meldebehörde) within two weeks of having moved in and apply to the local immigraiton office (Ausländerbehörde) for your residence permit within the first 90 days of your stay in Germany.

Please note that you may only take up employment once you have been issued a residence permit explicitly authorising such employment. The citizens of above mentioned countries may therefore also choose to apply for a visa prior to travel, effectively permitting employment from the first day of visa validity. 

All other nationalities require a visa prior to travel to Germany. 

How to apply for EU Blue Card Visa

If the above mentioned conditions apply, you have two options to apply for the EU Blue Card Visa

Option 1: Apply for a visa online (submitting the documents online first before the appointment)

You can easily apply for your visa online via the foreign portal of the Federal Foreign Office. We will support you in preparing the documents by checking them in advance. You can view the status of your application online at any time.  

This is how the online application works: 

Step 1: Complete your application form online and upload your documents. 

Step 2: Submit your application. Your details and documents will be checked for completeness. You will receive online feedback. If your application is complete, you will receive a link to book your appointment. 

Step 3: Use the link you receive to book an appointment online at your diplomatic mission abroad. 

Step 4: Attend your appointment on site. During this appointment, your identity will be checked and your biometric data (fingerprints and photo) recorded. You can then pay the fee. 

Step 5: Track your application status online.

 If you apply online, please do not book an appointment via our appointment system. You will get a separate link for booking the appointment during step 3 by e-mail!

APPLY ONLINE NOW

Option 2: Apply in person and submit documents directly (no pre-evaluation)

Please book an appointment at the competent mission in Japan. 

If you choose to apply online (option 1), please do not book an appointment via the following link. 

Appointment at the Embassy in Tokyo

Appointment at the Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe

Processing time for both options will be approximately two weeks, provided you submit all necessary documents.

Required documents for the in-person application 

Please do not staple the documents and remove all stickers or attachments!

Please prepare all of the following documents in the given order. Incomplete documentation may result in the rejection of your application.

• One (1) completely filled out and signedvisa application form. Please use the VIDEX website to fill out the application online. Please ensure to print out and submit all pages of the application form, including the barcodes. Sign (according to the signature in your passport) the form on pages 5 and 6. 
• One (1) signed declaration of accuracy of information and consent for returning passport by mail
• Two (2) original passport pictures 35 x 45 mm, biometric standard, white background, no older than 6 months
  digitally altered passport photos cannot be accepted, print-outs on paper are not accepted 
  Resolution 600 dpi/sharp and clear photo 
  Please stick one of the passport photos on the space provided in the application form
• Valid passport (original) and one copy of the identity page and, if applicable, of the signature page
  We will keep the passport during the evaluation of your visa application. If you require the passport after application and during the processing procedure, please submit an informal written justification (English/German) at the time of application and your passport will be returned to you. However, your passport must be sent in upon our request. 
  Passport must
  • be valid for at least 15 months longer than the intended day of entry in Germany
  • have at least two empty pages
  • have been issued within the last 10 years
• If applicable: copies of previous national visa/permit of stay in Germany
• Japanese residence card (original and one copy of both sides)
  For Japanese citizens: proof of address in Japan (registration certificate or electricity bill, etc.)
• Proof of Health insurance upon day of entry to Germany (Confirmation of health insurance cover by the German Public Health insurance, if employment health insurance starts later than the day of entry to Germany a Schengen travel health insurance for the time being can be provided ) - copy sufficient
• Return-envelope with your address in Japan
  For applicants at the German Embassy in Tokyo:
  Letter pack Plus (520 yen) - self addressed
  Only the return of the passport by post is possible
  For applicants at the German Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe: 
  If you wish to receive your passport in return by mail, you can return it by takkyubin cash on delivery. In this case, please enclose a self-addressed return DIN A4 envelope.
• Employment contract/binding job offer from your future employer in Germany (containing gross annual salary, working house, workplace, duration of work, etc.) - original and one copy
• Employer's declaration (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis) - to be completed and signed by your employer in Germany (downloard here)
  
• If applicable: Job description (one print out in English or German)
• Academic degree or tertiary qualification (original and one copy)
  We will need to see the original degree certificate/qualification or a copy either notarised by a notary public or certified by the issuing institution. Any original will be returned to you. Any document in a language other than German, English or French needs to be translated into one of these languages by a certified or sworn translator. The degree must correspond to the future occupation. We reserve the right to request an apostille/legalization of the foreign document if necessary. 
• Proof of comparability (not necessary if it is a German degree)
  Print outs from the official Anabin database showing that both the qualification as well as the academic institution are listed as comparable - one (1) copy each
  OR "Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications", issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) - original and one (1) copy
  OR formal recognition of the tertiary qualification
• If applicable: IT professionals without formal qualification
  We will need to see evidence of your full employment history during the last 7 years, including reference letters outlining the duration of the employment and the exact areas of responsibilities held.
• Academic/professional curriculum vitae (in English/German language) - one (1) copy sufficient
• If available: pre-approval by the Federal Employment Agency (one (1) copy sufficient).
• Visa fee 

Please note that the German Embassy Tokyo / the Consulate General Osaka-Kobe reserves the right to ask for additional documents at any time during processing. Submission of the above mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa is granted.

Processing time

In this visa category, most applications are typically processed within 2 weeks. This also applices to accompanying family members. 
Although we will provide you with a file number, please understand that we cannot respond to questions regarding the status of your visa application. Should we have any questions or should we require additional documentation to process your application, we will contact you. 

Additional information

This page 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, please contact the German Embassy / the Consulate General serving your prefecture. The German missions in Japan cannot accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained in this page.