What is the German opportunity card (Chancenkarte)?

By Nicolas Bouliane

The opportunity card (Chancenkarte) is a National Visa. It allows you to come to Germany to look for a job. It mostly replaces the job seeker visa.

With an opportunity card, you can…

  • Come to Germany to look for a job
  • Stay in Germany for up to 12 months
  • Work for up to 20 hours per week1

You must apply for an opportunity card at the Ausländerbehörde, or at the German embassy or consulate in your home country. After you find a job, you must convert your opportunity card to a work visa or a Blue Card.

The opportunity card does not allow self-employment, but you can convert it to a freelance visa.2

How to apply for an opportunity card

Sources and footnotes

  1. §20a Abs. 2 AufenthG ⤴

  2. Red Tape Translation (December 2024), Frankfurt am Main (December 2024) ⤴