Federal Republic of Germany
Germany visa processing times
How long does each Germany visa take? Below are the typical decision windows for all 8 routes we track, each sourced directly from Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). Click any route to see the full breakdown, including what drives the timeline and whether a priority service is available.
| Route | Published timing | Reality check | Sponsor needed? | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU Blue Card (Germany)# Work and residence permit for highly qualified non-EU professionals with a qualifying German job offer. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | Yes | 2026-09-10 |
| 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. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| 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. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | Yes | 2026-09-10 |
| Recognition Partnership (Anerkennungspartnerschaft)# Residence permit allowing skilled workers to complete their qualification recognition while living and working in Germany. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | Yes | 2026-09-10 |
| Freelance / Self-employment residence permit (§21 AufenthG)# Residence permission for qualifying freelance (Freiberufler) or commercial self-employment in Germany. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Job Seeker visa (§20 AufenthG)# Historic 6-month job-search visa for applicants abroad, superseded by the Chancenkarte; §20 AufenthG now covers job search after study or training completed in Germany. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| German Student residence permit# Residence permit for international students enrolled at recognised German higher education institutions. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | Yes | 2026-09-10 |
| Family reunion residence permit# Residence permit for spouses and children of German residents or citizens. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
Source authority: Make it in Germany — Official portal for skilled workers. Processing times are indicative and change without notice — always confirm before applying.
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, "Federal Republic of Germany processing times dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/germany. Latest source check 10 September 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times
Primary sources (8)
- Make it in Germany - EU Blue Card
- Make it in Germany - Opportunity Card
- Make-it-in-Germany — Skilled Worker visa
- Make-it-in-Germany — Recognition Partnership
- Make-it-in-Germany — Freelance residence permit
- German Federal Foreign Office - Job Seeker visa
- Make it in Germany - Studying
- Make it in Germany - Family reunification
Frequently asked questions
Are these Germany processing times official?+
Yes. Every window on this page is the figure published by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), shown with the date it was last checked. The figures are indicative rather than guarantees, and the linked source is authoritative on the day you apply.