Hi T7 users,

I am a masters student at Lund University, Sweden (my native is India). My student visa expires on September 30th. I want to work in Europe, but unfortunately Sweden does not give a visa extension for searching Jobs. I heard about blue card in Germany and have questions about it.

1) Am I eligible to apply blue card(to search jobs in Germany or Sweden)?
2) Can I apply before getting my degree or should I apply only after getting my master degree?
3) Can I apply online? If not, where should I apply? Is better to apply in Sweden or in India(after going back)?
4) How much is the application fee to apply ?
5) Is any other important rule or criteria for students that i should know?

It is very tough to find answers online, since it is a new system. Please help if you know the answers to my questions. Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Mohan

1) No, you need a job offer to obtain a Blue Card. You can, however, apply for a permit to look for a job for 6 months (§18c AufenthG).
2) You need to have a degree. You can also apply with a bachelors degree.
3) You can only apply in Sweden while your residence permit is still valid. You'd need to contact the German Embassy ASAP (I'm not sure how long the processing times are there).
4) Check the Embassy website.
5) In order to receive the permit you need to demonstrate that you have enough funds to support yourself (including adequate health insurance).


What did you study?