Timing tip: apply with the degree recognition ready — chasing anabin/ZAB mid-procedure adds months.
Applying: from Abroad or Within Germany
Two scenarios: a national D visa at the embassy — or a status change at the ABH if you are already legally in Germany.
✓ Verified: 15/08/2026
WHAT TO DO
AUTHORITY
Ausländerbehörde (ABH)
Municipal authorityThe Ausländerbehörde for your registered address is the one responsible. Enter your postcode and we will show yours.
Where to go in your city →
DOCUMENTS 5
› Details and tips
👨🏻💻
Max recommends:
I submitted one PDF with a table of contents per the office checklist: application, passport, degree, contract, insurance. Zero follow-ups — card in 6 weeks.
👩🏼💼
Lea recommends:
Keep a scan of every submitted page: when caseworkers change (frequent), packages get lost and your copy saves a month.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The immigration office takes months — any leverage? ▾
After 3 months of silence an inaction lawsuit is possible, but polite deadline letters and your employer work faster — companies know how to accelerate.
Can I start working before the card arrives? ▾
With a § 18g visa or a Fiktionsbescheinigung granting work rights — yes. Without a document granting work — no, even if the card is imminent.
How long does it take? ▾
D visa: 4–12 weeks depending on the embassy. Within Germany: weeks for the appointment plus up to two months for the decision — with a Fiktionsbescheinigung bridging the gap.
Does my employer have to do anything? ▾
The minimum: issue the contract and fill in the employment declaration. Federal Employment Agency approval is mostly not required for the Blue Card.