Federal Republic of Germany
Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card): government fee breakdown
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
Source auto-reconfirmed 17 September 2026 by the daily automated check (figures unchanged since last review).
The published government fee for the Chancenkarte national visa is €75. Do not treat blocked-account funding as a fee or assume it is mandatory: it is conditional proof of means and remains the applicant’s money.
These are the fees paid to the Federal Republic of Germany government. You pay these directly as part of your application. Fees for dependants, priority services, or higher salary bands may change the total.
How much does the Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card) cost in Germany?
The published government fee for the Chancenkarte national visa is €75. Do not treat blocked-account funding as a fee or assume it is mandatory: it is conditional proof of means and remains the applicant’s money.
Source checked against Make it in Germany — Opportunity Card on 21 July 2026.
Headline total
€75
Single applicant — government D-visa fee only; conditional proof of funds and private preparation costs excluded
No changes recorded for this figure since 21 July 2026.
Currency
EUR (Euro)
Last checked
21 July 2026
Itemised fees
| Fee component | Amount | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|
National D-visa (Chancenkarte) at German mission abroad# Paid in local currency at the consulate cashier on the day of the biometric appointment. Non-refundable on refusal. | €75 | Yes |
Residence-title issuance at Ausländerbehörde (on conversion to Blue Card / Skilled Worker)# Charged on the day the Chancenkarte is converted into an employment-based residence permit; €56–€100 depending on the Land. | €100 | Optional |
Blocked account opening (Sperrkonto) one-off setup fee# Conditional private-provider cost only when the applicant chooses a blocked account rather than another accepted means-of-support route. Provider pricing varies. | €89 | Optional |
Blocked account funding (12 × €1,091)# Conditional liquidity proof when using a blocked account. It is not a fee: the money remains the applicant’s and is released monthly after entry. Other accepted means-of-support routes can apply. | €13,092 | Optional |
Anabin lookup# Free. Required pre-check before applying. | €0 | Yes |
ZAB Statement of Comparability (only if degree absent from Anabin)# Issued by the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen; processing 6–12 weeks. | €200 | Optional |
Goethe-Institut A1 German exam („Start Deutsch 1“)# Required only if the German A1 baseline is used; €110–€150 depending on test centre. telc and ÖSD certificates are equally accepted. | €130 | Optional |
IELTS Academic / TOEFL iBT (B2 English baseline)# Required if proving English B2 rather than German A1. Cambridge B2 First also accepted. | €250 | Optional |
Certified translation of qualifications (per document)# Translation by a court-sworn (vereidigt) translator; needed when the issuing country’s certificates are not in German or English. | €60 | Optional |
Apostille / consular legalisation of education documents# Required for documents issued in non-EU countries; cost varies by issuing authority. | €50 | Optional |
Biometric passport photos# | €10 | Yes |
Health insurance for the entry day onward# Statutory (TK, AOK — once eligible) costs ~14.6 % of income; private interim plans (Mawista, Care Concept, Hanse Merkur) start at €90–€130/month and cover the search period. | €110month | Yes |
Worked example
Single applicant — government D-visa fee only; conditional proof of funds and private preparation costs excluded — €75
- €75 D-visa at consulate
- Blocked-account funding is proof of liquidity, not a route cost, and is only one way to meet the means-of-support requirement
- Translation, recognition, language-test, insurance and travel costs depend on the applicant’s evidence and chosen filing route
How to read these fees
The €75 headline covers single applicant — government D-visa fee only; conditional proof of funds and private preparation costs excluded. Of the 12 components listed above, 4 are mandatory and 8 are optional add-ons (such as priority processing) you can choose to skip. The single biggest mandatory line is Health insurance for the entry day onward at €110.
This route does not add separate dependant fees on top of the headline. Treat the figure as a planning estimate rather than a quote: confirm each line on the official source linked below on the day you pay, because these fees are revised regularly.
Why fees change
The €1,091/month financial-proof figure is updated annually with the BAföG basic-need rate (typically each August). The €75 visa fee is set in the Auslandskostenverordnung and has been stable since 2017. Länder fees for residence-permit issuance vary €56–€100. Always confirm with the responsible Ausländerbehörde.
Primary source
Make it in Germany — Opportunity Card
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/opportunity-card/questions-answers
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card) fee schedule", https://visaatlas.org/fees/germany/chancenkarte. Last checked 21 July 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/fees
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card) cost in government fees?
The published government fee for the Chancenkarte national visa is €75. Do not treat blocked-account funding as a fee or assume it is mandatory: it is conditional proof of means and remains the applicant’s money. The worked example assumes single applicant — government d-visa fee only; conditional proof of funds and private preparation costs excluded, totalling €75. Fees for dependants, priority service, or higher-tier salary bands change the total — see the itemised table above.
Are these fees refundable if my application is refused?
Most application fees are non-refundable once the government begins processing. Some jurisdictions refund specific components (e.g. Canada's Right of Permanent Residence Fee refunds if refused; UK IHS refunds if the visa is refused). Check the linked primary source for the route you are applying to.
How often do these fees change?
The €1,091/month financial-proof figure is updated annually with the BAföG basic-need rate (typically each August). The €75 visa fee is set in the Auslandskostenverordnung and has been stable since 2017. Länder fees for residence-permit issuance vary €56–€100. Always confirm with the responsible Ausländerbehörde.
Do dependants pay the same fees as the primary applicant?
Dependant fee rules vary by route. Consult the linked source before including dependants in your application.
Next steps
Full visa guide
Eligibility, application steps, and FAQs for the Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card).
Processing time
How long the Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card) takes from application to decision.
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Reviewed by Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.