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Job search based on a Points System (Opportunity Card)
The Opportunity Card enables the search for a job in Germany as well as the search for measures for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications.
Important information
You can submit this application online via the Consular Services Portal foreign portal. This provides you with preliminary feedback on whether your documents are complete. Your appointment will then proceed quickly and efficiently.
General Information
All information regarding the scheduling of appointments can be found here .
| Visa Category | |
| National Visa | Fee |
| Regular | 75,- € |
| Reduced | 37,50,- € |
Visa fees must be paid either by international credit card (Visa / Mastercard) or in cash in RWF at the current exchange rate.
The duration of the entire visa process varies significantly: it can take from a few working days to several months. We cannot guarantee a specific processing time, as domestic German authorities must be involved during the process, and the German Embass in Kigali has no influence over their processing times. The final review and decision by the German Embassy can only take place after the feedback from Germany has been received. Please plan for a processing time of approximately three months. In individual cases, it may take longer.
The Embassy in Kigali reviews and decides on your application. In doing so, the legal requirements are always examined on a case-by-case basis based on the submitted application documents. Depending on the purpose of the stay, this review may take from a few working days to several months. The processing time increases if documents require more intensive scrutiny or if further research regarding the applicant or the actual purpose of the stay is necessary.
Regarding inquiries: For data protection reasons, detailed information can only be provided to the applicant, their legal representative, or a representative with written power of attorney. Other inquiries from third parties unfortunately cannot be answered. We ask for your understanding that the visa section is not reachable by telephone due to capacity constraints. However, you may send us a message at visa@kiga.diplo.de.
Exception: For applicants participating in the accelerated procedure for skilled workers, the processing time is generally three weeks after the application has been submitted. The processing time may be extended if additional documents are requested or if further questions must be clarified.
As a general rule, you must collect your passport in person.
Once a decision has been made on your application, you will be informed about the collection either via an email through the Consular Services Portal or by telephone.
Please check the website for information regarding public holidays on which the Embassy is closed.
Upon receiving your passport, please check that all details on the visa label are correct. Please notify us immediately of any errors so that we can issue a new visa. With a national visa, you may travel within the Schengen area. Everyone residing in Germany must be registered. You should do this at the residents' registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) or citizens' office (Bürgeramt) no later than two weeks after moving in. Please contact the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in your place of residence in Germany well before your visa expires to apply for your residence permit.
If your visa application has been rejected, this may be for various reasons. These reasons will be stated in the notice of refusal.
Your guide to arriving in Germany: Make it in Germany
The overview of required documents indicates whether you must provide a language certificate. Currently recognized providers of language certificates are:
- Language certificates from the Goethe-Institut e.V.
- Language certificates from telc Gmbh
- Language certificates from the Austrian Language Diploma (ÖSD)
- „TestDaF“ from the TestDaF-Institut e.V. (Institute of the FernUniversität in Hagen and the Ruhr-University Bochum, examination level from B2 CEFR onwards)
- Language certificates from the ECL Examination Centre
The certificate must not be older than 12 months at the time of application. If you have taken the examination in various modules/partial exams, all modules must have been completed with the same provider. Evidence of different exam parts from different providers is not sufficient.
The Embassy is aware of cases where language certificates have been issued or obtained fraudulently. The Embassy reserves the right to verify your German language skills. Insufficient German language proficiency may be a ground for the refusal of a visa application.
Information on this Visa Category
- A number of recruitment agencies offer the placement of jobs or vocational training positions in Germany in exchange for high fees. In some cases, these offers are not reputable and in no way increase the chances of success for your visa application. Ensure that recruitment agencies or your future employer in Germany cover any such costs. (According to German law, fees for placement services for vocational training may only be requested or accepted from the employer. German law also stipulates that agreements between a recruiter and a job seeker for vocational training regarding the payment of a fee are invalid.)
- Please note: If you have completed a university degree recognized in Germany or a vocational qualification recognized in Germany, the Opportunity Card is also available without going through the points system. In this case, please refer to the article Job Search for Recognized Skilled Workers (Opportunity Card, where you will find information on applying for the corresponding visa.
- With the Opportunity Card, you can obtain a visa based on a points system, which allows you to search in Germany for a suitable job, a recognition measure, or a recognition partnership.
- The requirement for an Opportunity Card within the framework of the points system is that you hold a university degree that is state-recognized in the country where it was obtained, a completed vocational training of at least two years that is state-recognized in Rwanda (or the country where it was completed), or a high-quality qualification from a German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK). Please note that there are also foreign university degrees that are evaluated as vocational training in Germany.
- The AHK qualification must have been acquired through training that complies with the requirements of the Vocational Training Act (Berufsbildungsgesetz) for vocational training. Evidence of these requirements for the qualification is provided to the respective Foreign Trade Chamber by a confirmation from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung – BIBB).
- Information on the recognition process can be found here. For more in-depth advice and support in the recognition process, please contact the Central Service Point for Recognition of Professional Qualifications (“Zentrale Servicestelle Berufsanerkennung (ZSBA).„)
- For further criteria such as language skills, professional experience, age, or a connection to Germany, you collect points on a rating scale. Further information and a self-test, with which you can informally check whether you can obtain an Opportunity Card, can be found here.
- A further requirement for an Opportunity Card within the framework of the points system is that the applicant proves German language skills of at least level A1 or English language skills of at least level B2 (for further information, see „Language Certificate“ below).
- The Opportunity Card can be issued for a maximum duration of one year, provided that the livelihood is secured for this period. A job-seeker visa is not a work permit. Alongside your job search, you may engage in employment for a maximum of 20 hours per week and participate in a maximum of two weeks of trial employment. Your visa can be converted into a residence and work permit in Germany as soon as you have found a suitable job.
Required Documents
Please submit all necessary documents (see below). If an original document is available, it must be presented in addition to the required simple copy. Originals will be returned to you once the processing is complete. All documents not issued in German, English, or French must be submitted together with a translation. Missing documents or evidence may lead to the rejection of the application.
In your application form, please provide all information regarding your entry into and stay in Germany. Please complete this form in full, print it, and sign it yourself.
Link to the „VIDEX“ form.
Two current biometric passport photos (45mm x 35mm). Information on biometric passport photos can be found here.
Please paste only one passport photo onto the application form and attach the second one separately.
The document must have at least two blank pages (in the event of a positive decision, your visa will be pasted here).
Proof of sufficient health insurance coverage for entry, valid from the requested date of entry and for a duration of at least three months.
If you are subject to compulsory statutory health insurance as an employee, please note that this only takes effect upon establishing residence in Germany and commencing employment. Since this does not apply immediately upon entry, additional private health insurance must be taken out until the employment begins and enrollment in the statutory health insurance is possible. Travel health insurance policies may exclude coverage in their terms and conditions if a long-term or permanent stay is planned. So-called „incoming insurance“ may also contain such exclusions.
A tabular and complete CV, specifically outlining your previous education and, if applicable, professional experience.
It must be clear which professional fields and positions in Germany you are interested in, where you intend to apply, and where in Germany you plan to stay (including information on accommodation and other means of subsistence). Additionally, if applicable, you should state which measures for the recognition of your foreign professional qualifications you plan to undertake in Germany.
This must clearly state where and in which subject or profession you completed your studies or training, as well as the duration of the training.
To prove that your vocational training or university degree is state-recognized, please submit a corresponding notice from the ZAB (Zentralstelle für das Auslandsbildungswesen) or the corresponding digital information.
Exception I: If your professional qualification was issued by a German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK), you do not need to submit a ZAB notice. In this case, you must submit a corresponding confirmation from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung – BIBB).
Exception II: If you already possess a partial recognition notice or a deficit notice (see below), you do not need to submit a ZAB notice.
Your livelihood must be secured during your stay in Germany. The following proofs are possible:
- A blocked account (Sperrkonto) with a monthly balance of 1,091 EUR for the duration of the planned stay. Further information on blocked accounts can be found here.
- A formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a sponsor in Germany. The declaration of commitment must be issued by the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) at the sponsor's place of residence and must clearly state the purpose of the stay as „job search.“ Only declarations of commitment with the note „creditworthiness proven“ (Bonität nachgewiesen) are accepted.
- If you already have a concrete part-time job in prospect in Germany, you can prove this with an employment contract or a binding job offer that specifies the weekly working hours and the monthly earnings.
Private health insurance coverage starting from the day of entry, valid throughout the entire Schengen area, with a minimum coverage amount of 30,000 EUR, valid for the entire duration of the Opportunity Card.
Notice from the competent state authority or Chamber of Commerce and Industry containing information on significant differences compared to the German vocational training and the necessary adaptation measures.
You must possess either German language skills at level A1 or higher, or very good English language skills of at least level B2. The better your language skills, the more points you collect.
Alternatively, or in addition to German skills, you can prove very good English skills (from level B2 onwards). IELTS and TOEFL certificates are accepted as proof of English language skills.
Information regarding language certificates can be found under the „General Information“ tab of the respective visa category.
You also collect points for professional experience acquired after the completion of your studies or vocational training.
The professional experience must be related to your training or university degree. Experience gained from unskilled or auxiliary activities will not be taken into account.
To provide proof, please submit corresponding employment references or employer confirmations. These documents must clearly show the specific activities you performed.
If you have spent at least six months in Germany within the past five years (e.g., as part of a degree program or an au pair stay), you will receive one point.
As proof, you may present your passport with the corresponding visa and entry stamps. Alternatively or additionally, you may provide further evidence such as rental or employment contracts, certificates of enrollment, etc.
Visit stays or tourist stays are not counted. Periods of stay during a rejected or withdrawn asylum application are also not counted.
If your spouse or partner is also qualified for an Opportunity Card as a recognized skilled worker (Opportunity Card) or likewise for an Opportunity Card based on the points system, and you apply together, you will also collect one point.
As proof, please submit your marriage certificate as well as a copy of your spouse's or partner's passport.
Moroccan documents must be legalized in advance; for legalization, please refer to the section on the Legalization of Rwandan documents .