# EU Blue Card / Work Permit (Arbeitserlaubnis) Apply for an EU Blue Card or similar skilled-worker permit: check eligibility and salary threshold, get your degree recognised, apply via embassy or immigration office and plan for permanent residence. Rules differ by country; Denmark, Ireland and the UK have their own routes. - Europe · Visa - 9 steps · ~41 days · 6 documents - Last reviewed: 2026-10 - Web page: https://raaya.cloud/p/bundled_BLUE_CARD_EU ## Steps ### 1. Check eligibility and the right permit (1 day) The EU Blue Card is a residence and work permit for highly qualified non-EU workers with a job offer that meets a salary threshold. It applies in 25 EU countries; Denmark and Ireland do not take part, and the UK, Switzerland and Norway are outside the EU scheme. Country specifics: Germany, in 2026 the minimum gross salary is 50,700 EUR a year, or 45,934.20 EUR for shortage occupations, recent graduates and IT specialists without a degree who have at least three years of relevant experience. France, the passeport talent carte bleue européenne. Netherlands, apply through the IND. Italy, the employer requests clearance (nulla osta) first. Each country sets its threshold annually. Ireland uses the Critical Skills Employment Permit, the UK the Skilled Worker visa and Denmark its own schemes such as the Pay Limit Scheme. Tip: Compare the Blue Card with national work permits; another route may be faster for your case. Online: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/legal-migration-and-integration/work/eu-blue-card_en ### 2. Get your degree recognised (3 days) Your degree must be recognised or comparable to a degree in the destination country. Check this early, as an official assessment can take weeks or months. Country specifics: Germany, check your university and degree in the anabin database; if they are not listed as equivalent, apply to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) for a statement of comparability, which carries a fee. Regulated professions such as doctors, nurses and engineers in some countries need full professional recognition from the competent authority. Other countries use their national ENIC-NARIC centre. Tip: Order certified copies and sworn translations of your degree and transcripts at the same time. Online: https://www.kmk.org/zab/central-office-for-foreign-education.html Documents: University Degree and Transcripts (Hochschulabschluss) ### 3. Confirm the job offer meets the rules (2 days) The contract or binding job offer is the core of the application. It must match your qualification and meet the salary threshold of the destination country. Country specifics: Germany, the contract must cover at least six months, and when the lower salary threshold is used the Federal Employment Agency must approve the job. Employers can use the accelerated skilled-worker procedure for a faster decision, for a fee. Netherlands, the employer usually files the application. Tip: Ask your employer for a signed contract and a job description in German or English. - [ ] Gross annual salary at or above the current threshold - [ ] Job title and duties match your degree - [ ] Contract length meets the minimum (six months in Germany) - [ ] Start date and work location are stated - [ ] Employer details and signature are complete - [ ] Ask whether the employer will use the accelerated procedure Documents: Employment Contract or Binding Job Offer ### 4. Gather your application documents (3 days) Prepare the full file for the embassy or immigration office. Documents not in the local language or English usually need certified translations. Country specifics: Germany, the embassy or the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) asks for the application form, passport, biometric photo, contract, degree and recognition proof, CV and proof of health insurance. Some countries, such as Spain and Italy, may also ask for a criminal record certificate with an apostille. Family members applying with you need marriage and birth certificates. Tip: Check the embassy's own checklist for your country of residence; it may differ from general lists. Documents: Valid Passport, University Degree and Transcripts (Hochschulabschluss), Employment Contract or Binding Job Offer, CV and Proof of Work Experience, Health Insurance Confirmation, Criminal Record Certificate (if required) ### 5. Book the embassy or immigration appointment (1 day) Book as soon as you have a contract. If you live outside the EU you usually apply for a national work visa at the embassy and get the Blue Card after arrival; if you already live in the country legally, you apply at the local immigration office. Country specifics: Germany, apply for the national visa at the German mission or through the online Auslandsportal where available, then get the Blue Card from the Ausländerbehörde after arrival. Wait times for appointments in large cities can be long. France, apply through France-Visas. Italy, after arrival request the permesso di soggiorno within eight days. Tip: Book the earliest slot you can, then gather any missing documents before the date. Documents: Valid Passport ### 6. Pay the application fee (1 day) Fees are charged for the visa and for the residence permit card. Pay in the way the office requires. Country specifics: Germany, the national visa costs 75 EUR and the Blue Card residence permit up to 100 EUR; the accelerated skilled-worker procedure costs extra. Other countries set their own fees for the permit and the card; check the immigration authority's fee list. Tip: Some immigration offices accept card payments only; check before you go. ### 7. Attend the appointment and submit (1 day) Go to the appointment with originals and copies. Your documents are checked and your fingerprints and photo taken. Country specifics: Germany, if you apply inside the country before your current permit expires, you get a certificate (Fiktionsbescheinigung) that keeps your status while the application is decided; ask whether it allows you to start the new job. The plastic card is produced centrally and collected later. Netherlands, collect the residence card at an IND desk. Tip: Arrive early; some offices cancel late appointments. ### 8. Follow up on the decision (28 days) Processing usually takes several weeks, longer in busy offices. Follow up politely if you hear nothing after the stated processing time. Country specifics: Germany, the Blue Card is issued for the length of the contract plus three months, up to four years. After 12 months you may move to another EU country with simplified procedures. Germany allows permanent settlement after 27 months with a Blue Card, or 21 months with B1 German. Tip: Register your address within the deadline after you arrive; the immigration office needs it. ### 9. Settle in and plan permanent residence (1 day) Once you have the card, complete the arrival formalities and track the conditions for permanent residence. Country specifics: Germany, tell the immigration office if you change jobs during the first 12 months. Most countries require you to keep a qualifying job and salary. Family members of Blue Card holders can usually join you without proving language skills. Tip: Keep copies of all payslips and contracts; you will need them for permanent residence. - [ ] Register your address within the local deadline - [ ] Enrol with health insurance and give proof to your employer - [ ] Get your tax and social security numbers - [ ] Note the card's expiry date and renew in good time - [ ] Report job changes as required - [ ] Start language classes if they shorten the path to permanent residence ## Documents you'll need - **Valid Passport**: Must be valid for the visa and permit period. Bring recent biometric photos as specified by the embassy. - **University Degree and Transcripts (Hochschulabschluss)**: Certified copies with sworn translations if not in the local language or English. Some countries require an apostille. - **Employment Contract or Binding Job Offer**: Must state the salary, duties and duration. Germany 2026: at least 50,700 EUR gross a year, or 45,934.20 EUR for shortage occupations, recent graduates and IT specialists. - **CV and Proof of Work Experience**: A CV is usually required. IT specialists without a degree in Germany must prove at least three years of relevant experience. - **Health Insurance Confirmation**: Proof of cover from your start date. Employees in Germany get a membership confirmation from their public health fund. - **Criminal Record Certificate (if required)**: Required by some countries and missions, not all. If needed, get it from every country you lived in recently, with an apostille or legalisation. ## Official sources - [European Commission: EU Blue Card](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/legal-migration-and-integration/work/eu-blue-card_en) - [Make it in Germany: EU Blue Card](https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/eu-blue-card) - [ZAB (Germany): Recognition of foreign higher education](https://www.kmk.org/zab/central-office-for-foreign-education.html) - [GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa](https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa) - [Department of Enterprise (Ireland): Critical Skills Employment Permit](https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/permit-types/critical-skills-employment-permit/) - [Federal Foreign Office (Germany): Visa service](https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service) General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Confirm with the official source before you act. Use this template free in Raaya: https://raaya.cloud/p/bundled_BLUE_CARD_EU