Turkish citizens moving to Federal Republic of Germany
Türkiye has Germany's largest established Turkish diaspora from the Gastarbeiter era (1960s–70s), creating significant family-reunion flows. Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) and EU Blue Card are the primary new-labour-migration routes.
We cover 8 Germany routes — 4 can be started without a job offer, and 6 lead to permanent residence.
Notable: Persons of Turkish ancestry in Germany number over 3 million — the largest non-EU diaspora community.
Tourist entry
No. Turkish nationals require a visa to enter Federal Republic of Germany, even for short tourism. A separate residence or work route is required for long-term stay.
Treaty & bilateral memberships
- Schengen Area
Consular processing: Istanbul / Ankara / Izmir
What this means for Turkish citizens
Of the 8 Federal Republic of Germany routes we cover, 4 can be started without an employer sponsor and 6 can lead to permanent residence. Relevant memberships: Schengen Area. Expect a language test or qualification-recognition step, since language alignment is only partial.
Headline figures — EU Blue Card (Germany)
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
€50,700/yr
EU Blue Card — general threshold
Verified 1 January 2026 · Make it in Germany — EU Blue Card →
Government cost
€185
Single applicant, visa + residence title, no translations
Family reunion D-visas: €75 each. Residence titles for family members: €100 on issuance, €96 on extension. Children under 18 pay reduced rates (typically half).
Verified 1 June 2026 · Make it in Germany — EU Blue Card →
How long it takes
4 weeks – 3 months
EU Directive 2021/1883 sets a 90-day statutory maximum for an EU Blue Card decision. In practice, Make-it-in-Germany publishes 1–3 months for consular processing from abroad and 4–6 weeks for in-country conversions at the Ausländerbehörde. Vorabzustimmung (pre-approval) by the Foreigners’ Authority shortens consular timelines materially.
Verified 1 June 2026 · Make-it-in-Germany â EU Blue Card →
Time to permanent residence
Arrival → Niederlassungserlaubnis (21-60 months depending on route and German level) → citizenship (5 years).
Leads to Niederlassungserlaubnis (Settlement Permit), then German citizenship.
Routes with nationality-specific notes
Each link opens the Turkish-specific guide for that route.
EU Blue Card (Germany)
Work and residence permit for highly qualified non-EU professionals with a qualifying German job offer.
Turkish nationals can benefit from a simplified procedure in some cases due to the EU–Turkey Association Agreement (Ankara Agreement) jurisprudence, though this affects family-join rights more than the primary Blue Card. Degree recognition uses anabin; Istanbul-based universities are generally H+ listed.
Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card)
Points-based 1-year residence permit that lets non-EU skilled workers from any country move to Germany without a job offer to search for qualifying work. Six points or full qualification recognition required.
Turkish applicants should verify Anabin status before paying for a Sperrkonto — post-2017 university reorganisations created recognition gaps for some state institutions. Goethe-Institut Istanbul handles most A1 German testing; ÖSD Ankara is an accepted alternative. Common stack: 4 (partial recognition) + 2 (German B1) + 2 (age ≤35) = 8 points.
Skilled Worker residence permit (§18a/§18b AufenthG)
Sponsored work and residence permit for qualified non-EU workers from any country worldwide who have a German job offer and a recognised qualification.
Turkish nationals have access to the Skilled Worker route with certain simplifications under the Ankara Agreement and long-standing bilateral arrangements. Verify whether the role qualifies under §18a (vocational) or §18b (academic) — the path to settlement differs.
Freelance / Self-employment residence permit (§21 AufenthG)
Residence permit for self-employed workers and liberal professionals establishing a business in Germany.
Turkish nationals benefit from the Ankara Agreement's standstill clauses on self-employment — verify with the local Ausländerbehörde whether the specific provisions still apply to your case, as interpretation varies by state.
Family reunion residence permit
Residence permit for spouses and children of German residents or citizens.
Turkish family-reunion applicants benefit from EU–Turkey Association Agreement (Ankara Agreement) jurisprudence in some cases — particularly around language-test exemptions for spouses joining Turkish workers already established in Germany. Document apostille via Turkish notaries plus consular legalisation is the standard path.
All Federal Republic of Germany routes open to Turkish applicants
General routes available to all nationalities. Click any to read the full guide.
Recognition Partnership (Anerkennungspartnerschaft)
Residence permit allowing skilled workers to complete their qualification recognition while living and working in Germany.
Job offer required · Leads to permanent residence
Job Seeker visa (§20 AufenthG)
Up to 6-month residence permit for qualified workers to seek employment in Germany (largely superseded by Chancenkarte).
No job offer needed · Temporary
German Student residence permit
Residence permit for international students enrolled at recognised German higher education institutions.
Job offer required · Temporary
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 1 June 2024In force 1 June 2024
Germany launches the Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card)
Germany launched a new points-based residence permit for job seekers under the Skilled Immigration Act reforms.
German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action →
Frequently asked questions
Can Turkish citizens enter Federal Republic of Germany without a visa?+
No. Turkish nationals require a visa to enter Federal Republic of Germany, even for short tourism. A separate residence or work route is required for long-term stay.
Which Federal Republic of Germany visa routes are best suited to Turkish applicants?+
Common general routes used by Turkish applicants include EU Blue Card (Germany), Chancenkarte (Germany Opportunity Card), Skilled Worker residence permit (§18a/§18b AufenthG). Türkiye has Germany's largest established Turkish diaspora from the Gastarbeiter era (1960s–70s), creating significant family-reunion flows. Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) and EU Blue Card are the primary new-labour-migration routes.
Where do Turkish applicants typically apply for a Federal Republic of Germany visa?+
Applications are typically processed at Istanbul / Ankara / Izmir. Some digital and in-country applications can be filed directly with Federal Republic of Germany's immigration authority without a consular visit.
Do Turkish citizens need a job offer to move to Federal Republic of Germany?+
Not necessarily. 4 of the 8 Federal Republic of Germany routes we cover can be started without an employer sponsor, while the rest need a sponsoring employer or job offer. If you do not have an offer yet, the no-sponsor routes are the place to start.
Can Turkish citizens get permanent residence in Federal Republic of Germany?+
Yes. 6 of the 8 Federal Republic of Germany routes we cover lead toward settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
How much does the EU Blue Card (Germany) cost for a Turkish applicant?+
Government fees for the worked example (Single applicant, visa + residence title, no translations) total about €185. Family reunion D-visas: €75 each. Residence titles for family members: €100 on issuance, €96 on extension. Children under 18 pay reduced rates (typically half). Figures from Make it in Germany — EU Blue Card, verified 1 June 2026. Treat these as indicative — confirm the current schedule on the official source before budgeting.
What salary do Turkish applicants need for the EU Blue Card (Germany)?+
The EU Blue Card — general threshold floor is €50,700/yr, effective 1 January 2026 (Make it in Germany — EU Blue Card). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How long does the EU Blue Card (Germany) take to process from Türkiye?+
The typical published decision window is 4 weeks – 3 months. Turkish applicants usually file via Istanbul / Ankara / Izmir, and consular-post backlogs can add to the wait. Source: Make-it-in-Germany â EU Blue Card, verified 1 June 2026.
How long until permanent residence in Federal Republic of Germany?+
Arrival → Niederlassungserlaubnis (21-60 months depending on route and German level) → citizenship (5 years). The route leads to Niederlassungserlaubnis (Settlement Permit), then German citizenship. See BMI — German citizenship law for the qualifying-residence rules.