# German visas and residencies Canonical URL: https://relovisa.co/german-visas-and-residency [Book with Relovisa on Tobira](https://tobira.ai/@relovisa) We handle the whole German case end to end, for professionals, freelancers and families. A German job offer, a job search from inside Germany, or your own freelance clients: each one has its own route toward permanent residence and citizenship, the Opportunity Card once you move on to a work or Blue Card permit. ## Who this is for - A German contract from €50,700 opens the Blue Card and the 21-month route - Live in Germany for a year while you find the job - Your own clients can carry the case, with no employer at all ## Prices and packages ### EU Blue Card From €3,990 For qualified employees with a German contract. ### Opportunity Card From €3,990 For qualified people who do not have an offer yet. ### Freelance Visa From €3,990 For self-employed professionals with their own clients. ## Routes and timelines ### EU Blue Card For qualified employees with a German contract. For highly qualified employees whose contract clears the salary floor. Shortage roles are IT, engineering, medicine, mathematics and the natural sciences, plus recent graduates. IT specialists can qualify on three years of experience instead of a degree. - Salary: €50,700, or €45,934.20 in shortage roles - Employer: German contract, or a payroll company - Time to issue: 2 to 6 months - Permanent residence: 21 months with B1 - Relovisa fee: From €3,990 ### Opportunity Card For qualified people who do not have an offer yet. For qualified applicants without an offer. You live in Germany for up to a year, work part time while you look, and switch to a Blue Card as soon as you sign a qualifying contract. - Money you show: €13,092, or €1,091 a month - What you prove: A recognised degree, or 6+ points - Validity: Up to 12 months - Next step: Switch to a Blue Card in-country - Relovisa fee: From €3,990 ### Freelance Visa For self-employed professionals with their own clients. For self-employed professionals working for their own clients: IT consultants, designers, architects, journalists, doctors, artists, translators, marketing and media specialists. You need a letter from at least one German client, and a plan for the practice. - Money you show: €11,904 blocked account - Clients: A letter from at least one German client - Also needed: A plan for the practice - Initial permit: 3 years - Relovisa fee: From €3,990 ## Steps and timing Your case manager, with licensed lawyers where the case needs them, handles all the paperwork. No more dealing with bureaucracy. You give us the facts once, and you always know what stage the case is at. ### 1. Read the work situation We check the degree, the experience, the offer, the clients and the funds you can actually document. ### 2. Choose the route A specialist reads the case, with a licensed lawyer where it needs one, names the problems in it and builds the roadmap. We test Blue Card, Opportunity Card and Freelance Visa against your evidence and name the one worth building. ### 3. Prepare the file With minimal input from you: recognition, certificates, translations, insurance and forms, checked twice before anything is submitted. ### 4. Submit and manage We book the appointment, submit, talk to the consulate and the immigration office, and track the decision. ### 5. Bureaucratic tasks solved We guide the city registration, tax numbers and residence permit once you land; housing search is an add-on where agreed. ## FAQ ### How quickly can I get a Blue Card? Plan 2 to 6 months from the start of the file to the permit, depending on your consulate. Once the visa is issued you enter Germany and start work straight away. With B1 German you can apply for permanent residence after 21 months. ### What are the financial requirements for these visas? Blue Card: a gross salary of at least €50,700 a year, or €45,934.20 in shortage roles (IT, engineering, medicine, mathematics, the natural sciences, and anyone who graduated in the last three years). Freelance Visa: €11,904 in a blocked account for the main applicant, plus roughly €5,952 per child, which varies by local immigration office. Opportunity Card: €13,092 in a blocked account for one year, or €1,091 a month in proven income. ### Do I need a German job offer? Not always. A German contract is the direct way onto the Blue Card. If your employer has no German entity, a payroll company can employ you locally at your employer's instruction, which makes the Blue Card possible. If you have no employer at all, the Opportunity Card gives you a year in Germany to find one. ### Which professions qualify for the Freelance Visa? Self-employed work in IT and software, architecture and design, marketing and consulting, media and the creative industries, plus regulated professions such as doctors and translators. You show verified qualifications, experience and at least one German client. ### What if my degree is not recognised? The Opportunity Card can still be scored on points instead of a recognised degree. The points count your age, your work experience, your language skills and your connection to Germany. You show alternative proof of your qualifications and the €13,092 in a blocked account. On the Blue Card, IT specialists can qualify on three years of relevant experience in the last seven, with no diploma at all. ### Can my family come with me? On the Blue Card and freelance routes, yes. Your spouse and children apply with you and get residence, and your spouse can work. On the freelance route you show roughly €5,952 more per child, and the exact amount depends on your local immigration office. The Opportunity Card is a job-search permit, so the family usually joins after you move to a work permit or a Blue Card. ### What does permanent residence give me? An unrestricted right to live and work in Germany, freedom to change employer or start your own company, free movement inside the European Union, and a route to German citizenship. ### Can I get permanent residence on a Blue Card while working as a freelancer? No. The Blue Card is only for qualified professionals with a German employment contract. If you want to work for your own clients, the Freelance Visa is the route, and it has its own path to permanent residence after 3 years. ## Booking [Book a consultation or contact Relovisa](https://tobira.ai/@relovisa). Booking requires your explicit agreement. Contact sharing requires separate consent.