The EU Blue Card playbook

The EU Blue Card is the fastest visa route into Germany for skilled tech workers. If you have a university degree and an offer that clears the salary threshold, you clear the hard criteria. What usually slows people down is document prep.

Who qualifies

• Bachelor's or higher from a recognized institution (5+ years relevant experience works as a substitute since 2023)
• Binding job offer from a German employer
• Gross annual salary ≥ €45,300 for shortage occupations (IT, engineering, medicine, math) or ≥ €58,400 for everything else
• Valid passport with 6+ months remaining

The six documents that matter

• Employment contract (original + German translation)
• University degree + academic transcripts, apostilled
• Proof of anabin recognition (most common slowdown)
• Passport-sized biometric photos
• Health insurance coverage letter (valid from day 1 of entry)
• Proof of address in Germany (accommodation contract)

The timeline

Week 0: Sign contract. Start anabin check and pull apostilled transcripts in parallel (they take weeks to arrive from abroad). Week 4: Book consulate appointment — Berlin / Frankfurt / Hamburg slots fill 6+ weeks out. Week 6: Submit. Week 8–10: Approval. Entry with D-visa. First 14 days: register address (Anmeldung) and convert D-visa to residence permit.

Common pitfalls

• Transcripts without apostille — rejected instantly
• Health insurance scheduled to start after entry — should cover from entry day
• Salary below the threshold because bonus is variable — base alone must clear the bar
• Missing Anmeldung appointment — blocks residence permit conversion

After approval: the first month

Register your address within 14 days of move-in at the Bürgeramt. This is required to open a bank account, get your tax ID, and convert your D-visa to a residence permit. Wi-Fi, a SIM, and a bank appointment — in that order — will unblock everything else.

Glimmora walks each of these steps for you with deadline reminders, document validation, and a partner lawyer for edge cases. Start your plan to get the full checklist calibrated to your situation.