Opportunity Card with a spouse and children: can the whole family move together?

Checked on 20 October 2026.

An entire family cannot always move to Germany together on one Opportunity Card. One adult's job-search Chancenkarte does not normally give their spouse a right to ordinary spousal reunification. The spouse needs an independent basis, such as their own Opportunity Card. Minor children may accompany a parent if the child-specific requirements, including funding, are met. Where the spouse has no independent basis, a practical option is for the first adult to find qualified work, obtain an appropriate work status and then arrange family reunification.

The official Make it in Germany FAQ makes this distinction between spouses and children.

For a family's first move from a CIS country or elsewhere outside the EU, the distinction is crucial. Do not plan the budget and departure date solely around the main applicant. Establish each adult's entry basis, how the children's applications will be handled and how the family will support itself during the search.

Three family relocation scenarios

Both spouses qualify for an Opportunity Card. Each submits a separate application and meets their own requirements. One may use the recognised skilled-worker route and the other the points route. The children's applications are prepared separately. This can support a plan to enter together, but does not guarantee that every application will be decided on the same day.

One spouse has an Opportunity Card and the other a different independent basis. For example, the other spouse already has a suitable job offer or university admission. Their conditions are examined under that route. A marriage certificate does not replace an employment contract, admission or financial evidence.

Only one adult qualifies. The second adult cannot simply be added as an accompanying spouse. Compare two plans: one adult travels to find work and the family joins after an appropriate status is obtained; or an employer is found before departure and the family prepares through a work route.

The choice is practical as well as legal. If both adults will be interviewing, attending language classes and working part-time, decide who will care for the children. Permission to enter together does not itself make several months of job seeking workable for the family's timetable and finances.

Two routes to an Opportunity Card: points are not always required

The Chancenkarte under section 20a AufenthG is intended for looking for work or measures to obtain recognition of foreign vocational qualifications. The initial job-search card, Such-Chancenkarte, is issued for up to one year. There are two access routes.

Our Opportunity Card overview explains the programme. The following differences matter for family planning.

Route 1: you meet the legal definition of a skilled worker

This may include someone with German vocational or university education, or a foreign qualification meeting German recognition or comparability requirements. Vocational and academic qualifications use different evidence. The definition of Fachkraft appears in section 18(3) AufenthG.

• You do not need to collect six points.
• No mandatory language evidence is prescribed specifically for obtaining the card through this route.
• You still need secured living costs and must meet the other residence conditions.

Not having to submit a language certificate does not demonstrate that you can work in German. Recognition for an immigration route also must not automatically be treated as permission to practise a regulated profession. See the official conditions for both routes.

Route 2: applying through the points system

Normally, all the following must be met:

1. A suitable formal qualification: a university qualification recognised by the country where it was obtained, or a vocational qualification recognised there following at least two years of training. The law also allows an eligible vocational qualification issued by a German chamber of commerce abroad, AHK.
2. German at least A1 or English at least B2.
3. At least six evidenced points.
4. Funding for the requested period.

Experience alone does not replace the qualification requirement. For vocational qualifications, ZAB's Digital Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification, DAB, is often used to establish completion, state recognition in the country of training and the required duration. A DAB is not full professional recognition in Germany. Academic qualifications use other evidence, such as appropriate anabin entries or a Statement of Comparability. See section 20a(4) and ZAB's DAB explanation.

A partial recognition decision meeting section 20b(1), no. 1 has a special effect: it gives four points and removes the qualification conditions in section 20a(4), sentence 3, no. 1. It does not remove the language requirement, remaining points or funding. Do not confuse such a decision with a university's H+ status in anabin. See section 20b AufenthG.

How points work when both spouses apply

There is no combined family points total. Each person has their own calculation. German A2 gives one point, B1 two, and B2 or above three; those levels do not stack. English C1 adds one point. German A1 and English B2 satisfy the basic language condition but do not themselves score points.

Relevant experience after obtaining the qualification can give two points for at least two years in the last five, or three for at least five years in the last seven. Points may also be available for age, a qualification in a statutory shortage category and an eligible previous stay in Germany. See section 20b and the statutory points table.

The additional spouse point requires a spouse who independently meets the Opportunity Card conditions, applies or has applied to the same responsible authority, intends to enter together and has their specific application linked in the submission. Marriage or a spouse's degree alone does not create that point. Two people with insufficient eligibility cannot simply assume that they will fill each other's gaps. See section 20b(1), no. 12.

Prepare two folders: qualification, language, evidence for points and funding. Add a shared family sheet with names, children's dates of birth and the intended sequence of entry.

Unsure whether both spouses can leave together? Discuss your family plan with RelocationDE. We review each adult's basis and preparation so that the decision rests on documents, not a pooled family points calculation.

Can you bring children on an Opportunity Card?

Yes, children may be able to come, but they require separate applications under family reunification rules. This normally concerns minor children who meet the condition ledig: they are not married and have not previously been married. Adult children normally need their own basis. See the official child reunification guidance.

Check:

• the child's age and marital status;
• birth certificate and parentage;
• who holds parental custody;
• the parents' residence grounds;
• living costs, insurance and accommodation;
• additional conditions for children aged 16 or 17.

If only one parent moves

With joint custody, a child joining only one parent requires the other parent's agreement to the child's residence in Germany or an equivalent legally binding decision from a competent authority. Consent for a short trip may not cover relocation. Divorce does not automatically mean sole custody. See section 32(3) AufenthG.

A child obtaining permission to move does not automatically give the second adult permission to enter as an accompanying person. That adult's basis is assessed separately.

If the child is already 16

The timing of the move matters. If the child moves their centre of life separately from both parents or the parent with sole custody, additional language or integration conditions under section 32(2) may apply. A joint move and statutory exceptions need separate assessment.

Concessions for children of EU Blue Card holders or holders of sections 18a/18b permits do not automatically apply to a job-search Opportunity Card. A parent's skilled-worker qualification does not turn a section 20a permit into a work residence permit. If a child is approaching 16 or 18, examine the age and application issues before choosing a departure date.

Family finances: EUR 13,092 does not cover everyone

For one Opportunity Card applicant, the official 2026 funding benchmark is EUR 1,091 per month, or EUR 13,092 for twelve months. Evidence may include a blocked account, Sperrkonto, or a formal declaration of commitment, Verpflichtungserklärung. A suitable contract for permitted part-time work may also count. If net income is insufficient, a blocked account may cover the shortfall. See the official funding FAQ.

If two adults each apply for a year and fund the entire period solely through blocked funds, the arithmetic total for the adults is EUR 26,184. This is not an official all-inclusive family amount. Children, insurance, relocation and actual living conditions require separate calculation. A different duration or funding method changes the calculation.

Secured living costs include health insurance. Adequate accommodation also generally matters for children joining a section 20a holder. The special housing exemption in section 29(5) lists other statuses, but not the Opportunity Card. See section 2(3), section 5 and section 29 AufenthG.

Divide the family budget into three parts:

1. Monthly costs: rent including utilities, food, transport, communications, insurance for each person and children's expenses.
2. Initial costs: documents, translations, travel, temporary accommodation, deposit and furnishing.
3. A reserve: delayed hiring, changing cities, additional documents and returning if no further residence basis is obtained.

Do not count the same money both as blocked evidence of support and as freely available deposit money. Unconfirmed benefits or future part-time work are not income you already have. Check family health insurance eligibility in advance rather than assuming friends' arrangements will apply.

Why German matters even when you can enter without it

Language preparation belongs alongside qualification checks and saving for the move. Eligibility for a visa and the ability to find suitable work quickly are different questions. When the family pays for the search from savings, a narrow vacancy pool becomes a financial risk.

Separate three types of requirement:

1. Visa conditions. The points route accepts German A1 or English B2; the recognised skilled-worker route has no mandatory language evidence. The Blue Card and qualified skilled-worker residence routes likewise have no single language level imposed universally. See the official language overview.
2. The employer. Companies set their working language, client communication and documentation needs. A1 can meet the programme's basic condition but is usually insufficient for a substantive German interview. B1–B2 may be a practical learning target for particular roles, not a universal visa condition.
3. Regulated professions. Separate recognition and language rules apply. For example, the official portal specifies at least B2 German for recognition as a nursing professional. An Opportunity Card does not waive those rules. See the nursing professional requirements.

English-speaking positions are not limited to IT; international research teams also use English. But an individual applicant's options must be checked against real vacancies. A profession does not itself guarantee an English-speaking opportunity. See Make it in Germany on research careers.

Before moving, select target roles and examine requirements in the cities you are considering. Record working language, qualifications, compulsory professional permissions and interview format. That gives a more useful picture than a general list of in-demand professions.

Want to assess employment prospects first? RelocationDE helps with employer searches and work relocation preparation: CVs, relevant vacancies and choosing between the Blue Card and another work route. Develop German alongside the search. A job offer or visa outcome cannot be guaranteed in advance.

What happens after you receive a job offer?

During the search, the Opportunity Card permits employment averaging no more than 20 hours a week in total. Separately, trial employment of up to two weeks with each employer is permitted for the purposes in section 20a(2). It is not general permission to begin any full-time role immediately.

Once you receive a suitable offer, assess the next status:

• EU Blue Card under section 18g: suitability of qualification and role, offer duration and the applicable salary threshold;
• Work residence under section 18a or 18b: recognised vocational or suitable academic qualification and qualified employment;
• Another basis: if the profile and offer meet that route's own conditions.

In 2026, the general Blue Card threshold is EUR 50,700 gross annually; the lower threshold is EUR 45,934.20 for statutory categories with the necessary approvals. Falling below the Blue Card threshold does not automatically exclude a different work route. See the Blue Card conditions and skilled-worker residence requirements.

Apply to change status at the responsible Ausländerbehörde, or foreigners authority. Do not begin ordinary full-time employment merely because you signed a contract or sent an application: check what your documents authorise. The special follow-on Opportunity Card, Folge-Chancenkarte, requires the conditions of section 20a(5). Continued job seeking alone is insufficient.

When can spousal reunification be arranged?

After switching to an appropriate work status, reassess the family plan. Spouses of Blue Card holders or holders of section 18a/18b permits are exempt from the prior basic German requirement. Other applicable conditions remain, including a valid marriage, age, family documents and support. For some grounds, the date of marriage and expected duration of residence also matter. See section 30 AufenthG.

Our article on the spouse and children of an EU Blue Card holder explains that stage in more detail.

Preparing family documents during the search is useful, but do not plan visa issuance on an employer's promise alone. If a suitable job is found before departure, compare a direct work visa with the Opportunity Card: the intermediate search stage may be unnecessary.

Checklist before the family applies

• Each adult's independent residence basis is established.
• The correct Opportunity Card route is chosen for each applicant: skilled worker or points.
• Qualifications, required language evidence and funding are checked.
• Children's documents fit their ages and custody arrangements.
• Housing and insurance requirements are clarified for every family member.
• The responsible mission, submission channel and linking of family applications are clear.
• Employer search and German study are planned.
• There is a contingency for visas issued at different times or no job being found before the deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Can a spouse simply come as an accompanying family member?

For an ordinary move alongside a job-search Opportunity Card holder, the spouse needs an independent basis. Marriage and sufficient savings do not replace it.

Is a spouse without a university degree excluded from their own Opportunity Card?

No. A suitable vocational qualification may qualify. Short courses or experience alone are not equivalent to the required vocational education.

Can a child arrive before the second parent?

It may be possible if the child-specific conditions, custody and consent requirements are met. The second parent's basis is assessed separately.

Must both spouses take a German examination?

It depends on each person's route. English B2 is an alternative under the points route, while the skilled-worker route has no mandatory language evidence. This does not remove the practical need to prepare for working and living in Germany.

Can I stay another year if I have not found work?

There is no automatic extension of the search period beyond one year. You need another lawful basis or must meet the special follow-on card conditions. Without a basis for further residence, you must leave.

Is an Opportunity Card compulsory before a Blue Card?

No. If you already have a suitable offer and meet the conditions, you can prepare the relevant work route directly.

This is general information. Requirements need individual checking against the family composition, documents and rules in force when applying. Germany's competent authorities make the decisions.

Planning your first move with a spouse and children? Contact RelocationDE with both adults' professions, German and English levels, the children's ages and any job offer. We can help plan preparation, assess employer-search options and identify an appropriate visa route for the family.