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The motive of this step-by-step guide is to give clarity to the whole Germany work visa process. Furthermore, this article is more beneficial for people who previously have a job offer or work contract from Germany. Job-seeking visa candidates can also utilize this guide. They have to substitute a job offer/contract with a blocked account.

Germany work visa application process:

Secure a job in Germany and receive an offer letter

The job offer or contract letter is one of the major requirements to get the Germany work visa. You cannot get a work visa from the German Embassy without this job offer letter/contract.

You can apply for jobs in Germany on different online job portals. The most famous German job portal is Indeed, Stepstone, Monster, and Glassdoor, etc. You can also apply directly to job portals of German companies. Make a CV and cover letter, apply for jobs and get an offer letter and contract.

Get an appointment date

Schedule your work visa appointment online as soon as you get the job contract or job offer from your German employer. You need your passport number and email address to schedule this appointment. German Embassy Islamabad and Consulate Karachi have a different schedule of appointment availability so schedule your appointment accordingly. Please keep in mind, appointments in this category are only possible for those applicants who have a confirmed job offer.

Get biometric pictures

Get 8 biometric photographs made as per the sizing requirements listed on the German mission’s website.

Certify your educational documents

Arrange your original educational certificates and degrees in chronological order.

• Matriculation certificate
• Intermediate certificate
• Bachelor degree & transcript
• Master degree & transcript
• PhD degrees & transcript

Immediately go for attestation after arranging all your certificates and degrees. Attest your matriculation and intermediate certificates from secondary & higher secondary boards and IBCC. You don’t need to attest photocopies of these certificates.

Get attested to your bachelor, master, and PhD degrees (depends on your qualification) from HEC. I would suggest getting 2 sets of attested photocopies of all degrees from HEC. One for sending to Anabin/ZAB and other you can keep with you as a backup for any kind of later use.

Apply for an equivalence certificate

be mindful of the fact, if you apply for a visa that required a Blue-Card then you have to prove the equivalence of your foreign university degree to a German university degree.

For this, you have to submit an Anabin-extract (print-out) that must exactly match your degree and university. You can get it from the anabin website. In case of your degree and university not preset in anabin list then you have to submit a statement of comparability that you can get from KMK website.

You need the following documents to get a ‘KMK statement of comparability’.

• Attested photocopies of Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees and transcripts.
• German translation if your degrees or certificates are not in English language.
• Your employment contract/job offer letter
• Your identity document (passport or identity card).
• If you changed your name then official proof of a possible change of name (if not shown on the identification document).

Beware and don’t send original documents to KMK, you have to send only attested photocopies.

• Go to the KMK website after getting attested photocopies of educational documents and fill in the online form.
• If you tick the blue card option while filling the application for the equivalence certificate then you will receive the equvialence certificate within a week of payment.
• Pay the fee of 200 EUR (paid by the employer in work visa cases).
• Print the application form after filling it out online.
• Attach the following documents with a printout of application form:
  • A signed copy of the work contract
  • HEC attested copies of degree and transcripts
  • Un-attested copies of Matric and Intermediate certificates
  • Passport photocopy
• Put all documents in one envelope and send them by courier to Anabin’s address.

An original equivalent certificate may get delivered late but a soft copy of the certificate will be received by email within a week of payment of dues. Take a color print of this soft copy and attach 2 photocopies of this color print with both visa application sets.

Important: Equivalence certificate is the most important document for jobs related visas and needed in most cases especially if you don’t have a German degree. If your university and degree are already listed on the Anabin website, even then this equivalence certificate will be helpful for you. Especially when you will qualify for the Blue-Card in future. Blue card is offered to only those people who earn more than 50,000 euros salary per annum.

Arrange accommodation

Get temporary accommodation in Germany and take a print out its booking. Mostly an employer arranges this for an employee. So you must ask your employer before booking accommodation by yourself.

Download and fill important documents

• Download ‘work visa application FORM’ from the German embassy website. Fill in, take a print and sign it.
• Download, fill in and sign the ‘Applicant Declaration’.
• Also, download ‘Information provided to applicants pursuant to Section 54 (2) 8 in conjunction with Section 53 of the Residence Act)’ document and sign it.
• Download and fill in the list of children in case you are married.

Arrange other documents

• Print your CV.
• In the case of previous work experience, use experience letters that must include the contact details of the HR department of the companies.
• Job offer/contract letter. If you are applying for a job-seeking visa then arrange a blocked account.
• Proof of your language skills according to job requirements.
• Birth certificate and proof of personal status (marriage certificate, birth certificates children, list of children). In case you are also applying visa of your family along with your visa. If you are applying alone then forget about this section. If you are single then skip all marriage-related documents.
• Print of appointment email confirmation, take 3 print outs (1 for showing at the entrance, 2 for your visa file).
• Confirmation of travel health insurance.

Arrangement of documents in a file (checklist)

If you desire to keep the process simple then you have to follow the visa application process in the sequence and as mentioned here. Arrange your documents using the document checklist mentioned below. Prepare 2 sets of each document according to the checklist and keep the originals separate.

1. Application form
2. Biometric picture
3. Work contract/Job offer letter
4. Consent from the Federal Agency for Work – (“Vorabzustimmung”) – (if applicable)
5. Your curriculum vitae
6. Educational documents with equivalent certificate (in chronological order)
7. Passport copies page 1 and 2
8. ID card copy
9. Valid travel health insurance
10. Information about any previous visa refusals
11. Applicants declaration
12. Information provided to applicants in accordance with Section 54 (2) 8 in conjunction with Section 53 of the Residence Act)
13. Copy of appointment confirmation email (only for Islamabad embassy)

Suppose you apply for a visa as a specialty cook please provide three sets of A4 size photocopies. Please also bring 50,000 PKR in 5000 notes for the necessary document verification.

Visa interview and submission of documents

Reach the embassy/consulate well before your appointment time and always expect a good crowd of people already there. Once you reached there, stay relax, follow their instructions, and look ready and prepared. Give an interview and submit your documents.

Useful tips for Germany work visa:

• DO NOT use any staples with any document, only use paper clips.
• Fill in all the documents with the utmost care and use a computer to fill in all the fields except the signature field. Then sign the print outs.
• Throughout filling out all your visa documents, use ONLY this date format: dd/mm/yyyy.
• The German Embassy Islamabad is always flooded with the number of applicants every day. So they really try to process each one quickly. If you are well-prepared then you’re actually assisting them as well and thus you can get done with the whole process within 2 hours from your arrival at the diplomatic enclave Islamabad.
• Use only A4 size paper for all prints and copies.

FAQs about Germany work visa: