Below is a compilation of the Frequently Asked Questions and their answers regarding the German Work Visa taken from the Discord community of “Germany Is Calling” where Jobseekers from India interact with our experts from Germany. You can join the Discord community here.
Q. How much time does it take to get a German work visa?
It usually takes at least 4 weeks to get the visa processing done once you appear for the German work visa interview. This also varies from consulate to consulate and also from the visa application center and the city.
For more information and official guidance, please contact your nearest VFS Global office.
Update: As of Dec 2023, The German government announced that the visa processing for Applications from India will take less than a week.
Q. What support is needed from the Employer for the visa processing?
For the visa processing from India, you might need the following support from your Employer in Germany:
- Get the signed Employment contract from your future employer in Germany. The contract could be sent via email as a soft copy / Digitally signed. Please make sure that you sign the contract before appearing for the visa interview.
- Get the Declaration regarding a contract of employment” (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis): Your future employer can fill out this form and send it to you so that you can take it with you on the day of your visa application. Here is the official form
- Get the ZAV document. This is a pre-approval document or supporting document required for your VISA process. (Required only if you are not eligible for a Blue card).
Q. What is a ZAV letter?
This is a document that officially confirms that the Employer tried to find a candidate for this job role in Germany but couldn’t get one. For this reason, the employer is hiring you from outside of Germany.
This is a mandatory document if you are not eligible for a Blue card.
With the implementation of the Skilled Immigration Act, the ZAV letter is not mandatory anymore for a Blue card application. Please refer to the official website here for further details.
It helps you to reduce your visa processing time.
Please refer here for more details on ZAV.
Q. Do I need a visa consultant to apply for a German work visa?
The answer is a big No. You can get all the required information from the official website of the German consulate in India and you can always ask your doubts in the Discord community free of cost.
Your questions and doubts will be answered by real people and experts who went through the visa application process themselves.
Q. What should be done if there is a mismatch in the name on my Degree certificate and Passport?
Usually, minor mismatches like a missing middle name or a slight difference in the spelling don’t matter most of the time.
If you have the time and resources to get the documents updated and have the correct name everywhere, then go for it as that would be the best solution.
Please note that affidavits like One and the same person won’t work and are not accepted by the consulate during the visa process.
Q. Which travel insurance should I take for the Germany work visa application?
There is an official list of approved travel insurance companies from the German consulate on their website.
You can take travel insurance for 180 days or so from one of these approved companies.
I took TATA AIG insurance back in 2019.
Once you reach Germany, please apply for public/private health insurance as soon as possible.
Q. What is a type D visa?
Type D visa is an alias for a National long-stay visa. This is required if you are going to stay in Germany for more than 90 days.
Your work visa is a type D visa and it allows you to travel to all the Schengen countries within the European Union.
Q. How long should we stay in one company after getting a Blue card?
When you apply for a German work visa from India, you are required to submit your job contract from your future employer.
Your visa is linked to the employer you will be working for.
Once you reach Germany and get your physical Blue card, you also get a Green colored sheet called Zusatzblatt which refers to the name of your current employer in Germany.
Ideally, you should continue to work for your current employer for 18 months as per the Blue card agreement.
But, you are also free to change the employer at any time. You have to inform Aüslanderbehörde (foreigners office) when you change the job.
Though you wish to Change the job it’s up to Aüslander Behörde whether to approve/reject your job change.
Update: As of November 18, 2023, a Blue card holder can switch jobs after 1 year
Source
Q. What is the minimum qualification required to get a German work visa?
There is no requirement as such. But, in general, you should have a degree from a recognized university. This is one of the documents needed while applying for a German work visa.
Q. Can I get a blue card directly from India?
When you apply for a Blue card from India, you usually get a temporary work permit which is valid for 6 months from the date of your employment contract start date.
Once you land in Germany and get the city registration done, you can apply for a blue card/work permit depending on the salary you have been offered.
Q. Is a rental agreement mandatory for a work visa application?
No. You can book temporary accommodation for your initial stay in Germany using services like Airbnb for an initial couple of weeks.
As soon as you land in Germany, you should start looking for a long-term apartment as finding an apartment in Germany is a bit hard.
Q. Is it mandatory to register an address in the city where you work?
While registering, you need to provide a copy of your rental contract and a filled form together with your landlord.
They don’t ask for your employment details. So, theoretically, you should be able to register anywhere in Germany irrespective of where your office is located.
Q. Is it possible to get a work permit from India for a Contractual job?
If you have a valid job contract, you should be able to process the visa from India.
In the visa application form, you have a field to specify the contract end date. That must be relevant in this case.
Q. What are the documents needed by VFS for the Germany work visa application?
Please refer to the official checklist on the website of the German consulate.
Here is a screenshot of the work visa documents checklist from VFS Delhi (Submitted by a GIC group member)
Q. What should be the intended travel date?
The intended travel date should be at least 2 days before your actual employment contract start date.
Please make sure that the intended travel date is the same as your flight ticket date. Your visa start date depends on your travel date.
Q. Do we need to provide a flight booking for a blue card visa at the embassy?
No
Q. Do we need to submit the Graduation certificate or is the provisional certificate enough?
Member 1: I have only submitted my provisional & mark sheet and VFS accepted it. As I haven’t received my degree from University yet.
Member 2: Provisional should be fine as long as the university is listed as H+ on the Anabin website.
Q. Is the 12th original mark sheet mandatory to show for blue card visa appointments?
Only the graduation certificate or provisional certificate from the university is required.
The 12th mark sheet is not needed.
Q. Should I apply for a dependent visa along with the work visa?
It is best to apply for a dependent visa for your dependents along with a work visa.
It is much faster (for dependents) compared to a separate Family Reunion Visa.
Q. Do I need a ZAV letter even if I am eligible for a Blue card?
Though you are eligible for a blue card, your employer can still provide you with the ZAV approval letter to speed up your visa approval process in India.
Do you have further questions?
Join our community of job seekers and expats from Germany. You can ask your doubts and get suggestions on topics related to getting a job in Germany and several other related topics.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only. We strongly advise readers to conduct their due diligence or consult with a professional legal or immigration consultant before taking any action based on the content of this post. "Germany Is Calling" or the author of this post does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the information provided.
The information here is misleading. After skilled immigration act, the ZAV doesn’t conduct the priority check anymore i.e. check if any other person is available to do your job from the EU of Germany
Hi Smit
You are right.
I’ve updated the post accordingly.
Thanks for the feedback.
Is physical copy of the contract mandatory for visa interview? I have digital copy which is signed as well. What if it didn’t reach till the day of my visa appointment date? What can be done in this situation, please suggest
Yes, a physical copy is mandatory. if you do not have the original contract with you, you can also print the signed soft copy of the contract and present it on the day of your appointment.
Hello,
Regarding travel insurance can we take it for 180 days starting from the date of tentative travel? Do we need any additional documents for insurance?
Thanks