Do you qualify?
The Chancenkarte lets you move to Germany without a job offer and search for full stack development roles for up to 12 months. To apply, you need a qualifying higher-education degree of at least 3 years. A 4-year B.Sc. CS from a Pakistani university meets the requirement.
Route 1 applies if your degree is fully recognised in anabin. Route 2 if not: you need at least 6 points.
Which route applies to you?
| Your situation | Route |
|---|---|
| 4-year B.Sc. CS / B.Eng. from H+ university, programme listed as "entspricht" | Route 1: no points needed |
| 4-year degree from H+ university, programme not listed | Route 2: 6 points required |
| 3-year BCS or B.Sc. (Hons) | Route 2: 6 points required |
| No degree or degree below ISCED level 6 | Not eligible |
Route 2: calculating your points
| Criterion | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ZAB partial equivalence decision | 4 | Formal ZAB assessment required |
| Shortage occupation (full stack development qualifies) | 1 | ISCO-08 group 25 |
| At least 2 years qualifying experience in last 5 years | 2 | Post-graduation, in your field |
| At least 5 years qualifying experience in last 7 years | 3 | Replaces 2-year tier |
| German at A2 | 1 | |
| German at B1 | 2 | Replaces A2 |
| English at C1 (with certificate) | 1 | Certificate required |
| Age under 35 | 2 | |
| Age 35 to 39 | 1 | Replaces under-35 |
| Prior lawful residence in Germany, at least 6 months in last 5 years | 1 | |
| Spouse applies jointly | 1 |
Points example:
Profile: 4-year B.Sc. CS (programme unlisted in anabin), 2 years full stack experience in React and Node.js, age 24, IELTS 7.0 (C1): 1 (shortage) + 2 (experience) + 2 (age under 35) + 1 (English C1) = 6 points ✓
Financial requirement
€13,092 in a Sperrkonto before your visa appointment (§ 20a(4) AufenthG). The figure German missions apply in 2025-2026 is €1,091/month. Verify the current amount with your mission before opening an account. Budget €500 for the return ticket reserve.
Worked example: Hira's Chancenkarte application
Hira Awan, 24, full stack developer, Lahore to Germany
Hira holds a 4-year B.Sc. Computer Science from LUMS Lahore (2022). She checks LUMS in anabin and confirms her programme is listed as "entspricht." Route 1 applies.
HEC attests her degree and transcript; MOFA attests on top. No apostille: Germany formally objected to Pakistan's Hague accession on 24 October 2022. Her registered address is in Lahore, Punjab, so she applies to Embassy Islamabad via the Consular Services Portal.
Two years post-graduation at a Lahore SaaS startup: React, TypeScript, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Docker. She opens a Sperrkonto (€13,092) two weeks before her appointment.
After arriving in Stuttgart, she works 18 hours per week as a part-time frontend developer while interviewing for full-time roles. Converts to a Blue Card at a Stuttgart automotive digital team three months later.
Document checklist
- Valid passport (at least 2 empty pages)
- Biometric passport photograph
- VIDEX application form
- Degree certificate with HEC attestation and MOFA attestation (no apostille)
- Academic transcript with HEC attestation and MOFA attestation
- anabin printout or ZAB Statement of Comparability
- Language certificate
- Experience letters (frontend and backend scope, technologies, seniority) and payslips
- Sperrkonto certificate (€13,092)
- Travel health insurance
Which German mission handles your application
| Mission | Jurisdiction | Visa applications |
|---|---|---|
| Embassy Islamabad | ICT, Punjab, KPK, Gilgit-Baltistan, AJK | Yes, via CSP portal (digital.diplo.de) |
| Consulate General Karachi | Sindh, Balochistan | Yes, via CSP portal |
| Honorary Consul Lahore | Lahore and Sargodha | No visas. Certified document copies only. |
Common mistakes
Submitting a freelance portfolio as the only experience evidence. For the points table, experience letters from employers are stronger than client lists. Freelance project histories without a clear engineering scope and seniority indicator are harder to evidence.
Adding a Pakistani apostille. No legal effect. Use HEC and MOFA attestation.
Applying to the wrong mission. Punjab, KPK, Gilgit-Baltistan, AJK, and ICT: Embassy Islamabad. Sindh and Balochistan: Consulate General Karachi.
Paying for APS. APS is for student visas only.
Sources
- § 20a AufenthG: Chancenkarte, Bundesministerium der Justiz
- Chancenkarte: Make it in Germany, Federal Government
- anabin database, KMK / ZAB
- German Embassy Islamabad, Auswärtiges Amt
- HCCH: Pakistan accession and German objection, Hague Conference on Private International Law
We are not a law firm. This page provides general information only, not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with the relevant German mission before applying.