Jobseeker visa for qualified university graduates
This visa allows university graduates from countries outside the EU to seek an employment in Germany for up to six months. It supports the objective to secure an employment adequate to their academic qualification. General information on labour immigration for qualified professionals is available at the Website “Make it in Germany”.
Before filling out the application form and booking the appointment for applying for the visa, please prepare the following documentation completely and carefully:

(Please make sure to submit all documents listed below as we cannot process incomplete applications. If you fail to submit a complete application at your appointment, the visa process will be severely delayed and the visa may be denied.)

o valid passport (issued within the last 10 years, signed personally, with at least 2 blank pages) -
o Completely filled out and signed application form
o Copy of the data page of your passport,
o 2 current, identical and biometric passport pictures (not older than 3 months)
o for non Taiwanese: Taiwanese ARC/APRC, in original plus 1 copy
o Curriculum Vitae (in German or English) with full Information on your formal education, certificates/diplomas/academic degrees, professional work experience, foreign language skills etc.,
o Proof of your academic qualification - in original plus 1 copy
German university degree or recognized foreign university degree or foreign university degree confirmed as comparable to a German university degree.
Please read also the information below about this issue.
If your degree was not awarded by a university in Germany you must also submit:
- of the listings in the “anabin database” confirming your university, your type of degree, and your field of study as being recognized/comparable
- or 1 copy of the “Statement of Comparability” (Zeugnisbewertung) from the ZAB office revaluating your foreign university degree as comparable;

o Proof of past professional work experience - in original plus 1 copy;
o Proof of German language / foreign language skills - in original plus 1 copy;
o A letter of motivation providing information on the planned course of action to secure a job in Germany that corresponds with your qualifications (sector, region, intended place of residence, accomodation etc.) -
o Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for your entire stay in Germany –
A minimum of 1027,- Euro per month must be available.
- Your bank statements for at least the last 6 months or
- “Formal Obligation” (“Verpflichtungserklärung) of a person in Germany or
- any additional evidence of your preparations to secure a job, e.g. invitations to job interviews, suitable job listings -
o On request, after your visa is approves and shortly before the visa is issued:
- intended date of entry
- Proof of travel health-insurance coverage for Germany

Please prepare one complete set of the above mentioned documentation and also bring the originals. Please do NOT staple any documents!
In case documents cannot be presented in English or German, a relevant translation has to be enclosed.

Please make sure to submit all documents listed above as we cannot process incomplete applications. Each visa application will be checked individually. You may be required to provide additional documents and/or information at any stage of the processing.
Incomplete applications may result in rejection of the application. Submitting all documents and information does not, however, guarantee that your visa application will be approved.

The visa processing fee is 75,- Euro, it is payable in NTD at the time of your visa interview. After receiving an application, we cannot refund any visa processing fees irrespective of the decision taken on your visa application.

The processing time for a complete jobseeker visa application is usually about one week. Please refrain from status enquiries, they do not help your case in any way. We will promptly inform when a decision on your jobseeker visa application has been made.

To check if your foreign university degree is recognized in Germany or confirmed as comparable to a German university degree please consult the official anabin database that documents information on foreign universities and degrees.
Important: Your degree is only confirmed as recognized or comparable if all of the following three elements are positively confirmed in the applicable country listing of anabin:
1. The foreign university that conferred your degree must be rated as ”H+“, and
2. the type of degree (Abschlusstyp) (e.g. Bachelor of Arts/Science) must match your degree and
3. the information on the field of study (Studienrichtung) (e.g. Business Administration) for the listed type of degree must match your individual degree.
In case your university is rated with an ”H+“ in anabin but your type of degree or exact field of study is not listed there, you can apply for an individual evaluation of your foreign degree at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) located in Bonn. This evaluation is called the Statement of Comparability and it is an official document which states the obtained qualifications. It can be used in applications for jobs in Germany or when applying for a visa.

Please note: During a stay with a jobseeker visa employment of any kind is forbidden! This includes that you are not allowed to work ”on a trial basis“ or without pay in Germany. Once you have found a suitable job, you can immediately apply for the necessary EU Blue Card or other residence permit in Germany – without first having to depart the country – and can remain in Germany while your application is pending. In case your hunt for a job that corresponds with your academic qualification is unsuccessful you will need to leave Germany before your visa expires. It is neither possible to extend a jobseeker visa nor to obtain the same type of visa again shortly after leaving Germany.

Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the USA are allowed to enter Germany and stay up to three months without a visa. However, before taking up employment they have to apply for a residence permit for the purpose of employment. The application can be lodged directly at the local alien authority (Ausländerbehörde).

Disclaimer: Although the information in this check list has been prepared with utmost care, we cannot accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein. The applicable laws and regulations may change at any time.