Question on which Resident Permit to apply for!

Hey everyone,

I have just arrived in Munich and want to get a head-start on my residence permit application but find myself in a bit of a confusing situation and therefore am unsure as to which one I should apply for. I have asked for advice from the Auslanderbehorde but of course there has been no response for 2 weeks and I will not hold my breath for one!

My situation is this- I work in IT and have a job with no definitive 'end' in sight, my contract is rolling so in theory I could stay at my company for as long as they/I wanted. I also have a degree but I earn slightly under the required amount to pass for an EU Blue Card application. Furthermore, my degree is not in IT and it is my first job in the industry- I mention this because according to the website 'highly qualified IT professionals' can earn slightly less and be approved for the Blue Card but I don't think I would be qualified for this.

Therefore, the only other option according to the website is to apply for a residence permit for people with 'academic training' for which I do seem to meet the requirements. The conundrum is that from all accounts the Blue Card is the better option as it offers more benefits, but I don't want to apply and get rejected then have to start the process again.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I try the Blue Card or go for the other one? It is also super hard to navigate the website, it has been an incredibly annoying debacle.

Many thanks

5 Comments

Reply (5)

Seoyoung__Community_Management_Support

Hi @selectainjecta ,

thank you for your question. Before we can give you more thorough answer, we have few questions for you:

With which visa have you entered Germany (or any other Schengen-country)? Most non-EU-citizens need to have a visa in order to enter Germany unless one has citizenship in one of the so-called privileged states.

Also, has your degree already been recognized in Germany?

Best wishes

Seoyoung

selectainjecta

Hello Seoyoung,

I entered on a D-Visa and yes my degree is recognised in Germany via the Anabin database.

thank you!

Seoyoung__Community_Management_Support

Updated:

Hello @selectainjecta ,

can you tell us which D-Visa exactly you’ve entered Germany on? Visa for job search?

Also, it is great that your degree is recognised in Germany. Have you started the process of formal recognition (Anerkennungsverfahren) yet? This procedure can take several months:

https://handbookgermany.de/en/recognition#faq_22

As you might already know, there are three residence permit options for IT-professionals. I've attached the overview by make-it-in-germany, please take a look. In order for us to assess which category you might fall into, we need more background information. You mentioned that your current job is your first one in IT. How long have you been working there?

We’re tagging two organisations here, maybe they have some tips. @Faire__Integration_in_Schleswig-Holstein @Faire__Integration_BB

Finally, it might be worth trying to negotiate your salary with your employer as you mentioned that you earn slightly less than required amount to be eligible for a Blue Card.

Best wishes

Seoyoung

2024_Visaoptionen_IT_aus_Drittstaaten_EN_1.pdf

selectainjecta

Many thanks for this. I entered on a D Visa with a job already, so not as a job seeker.
my degree and university are already recognised on Anabin with h+ status therefore I presumed I do not have to do the formal recognition as it is already accepted?
I have been in my job for one month.
thanks

Seoyoung__Community_Management_Support

Updated:

Hi @selectainjecta ,

I assume that you entered Germany with a visa for skilled workers. You would then need to first apply for residence permit for skilled workers as soon as possible as this process can take a while.

And yes, you are right about anabin. If your degree is marked h+, you don't need extra recognition process.

As you have already mentioned, you are eligible for the residence permit as a skilled worker with an academic degree (AufenthG §18b). For Blue Card, your job needs to be related to your degree with the exceptions of people who have work experience of at least 3 years, which is not the case for you.

I hope this was helpful and let me know if you have more questions.

Best wishes

Seoyoung

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