Chancenkarte from Vietnam: Points, Process and Costs

By the GoGermany Editorial Team · 2026-08-02

A practical 2026 guide for Vietnamese applicants to Germany's Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card): how the points system works, the step-by-step process, real costs and the documents you need.

Germany's Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) lets skilled people move to Germany to look for work without a job offer already in hand. For applicants in Vietnam — a country Germany actively recruits from in nursing, IT, engineering and the skilled trades — it is one of the most flexible routes available in 2026. This guide walks you through the points system, the exact process from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the real costs in euros and Vietnamese đồng, and the documents you must prepare.

The Chancenkarte is part of Germany's Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz (Skilled Immigration Act). It gives you a residence permit of up to one year to search for a qualified job while living in Germany, and you may work part-time (up to 20 hours a week) or do two-week trial jobs (Probebeschäftigung) with employers while you search.

Two ways to qualify

There are two separate doors into the Chancenkarte. You only need to pass through one.

1. The fast track (no points needed). If your foreign qualification is already fully recognised in Germany as equivalent (volle Anerkennung), you qualify automatically — no points test at all. This also applies if you hold a German or EU degree, or a regulated-profession licence such as an Approbation for nurses and doctors.

2. The points track. If you are not fully recognised, you enter the points system. You need a minimum of 6 points and must first meet three basic eligibility gates:

• A qualification that took at least 2 years to complete (a recognised vocational qualification or a university degree), OR a university degree recognised in the country where you earned it.
• German at level A1 or English at level B2.
• Proof you can support yourself (see costs below).

The points system explained

Once you clear the gates, you collect points from the categories below. This table reflects the criteria in force for 2026 — always confirm the current values on the official portal before you apply.

You can combine points across categories, but German and English language points, and the two age bands, are each counted only once (you take the higher value). Realistically, a 29-year-old Vietnamese nurse with partial recognition (4), B1 German (2) and a shortage occupation (1) already reaches 7 points — comfortably over the threshold.

Not sure where you land? Try the GoGermany eligibility checker to estimate your score before you spend money on document processing.

Costs: what the Chancenkarte really costs from Vietnam

Budget realistically. The visa fee is small; the surrounding costs — recognition, translations, proof of funds — are the real spend.

Proof of funds — the Sperrkonto

Since you arrive without a salary, you must prove you can cover your living costs for the job-search year. The standard route is a Sperrkonto (blocked account) holding roughly €1,091 per month, i.e. about €13,092 for twelve months in 2026. Alternatively, a part-time job contract or a formal sponsor declaration (Verpflichtungserklärung) can substitute. Use the GoGermany Sperrkonto calculator to confirm the exact figure and compare providers such as Fintiba, Expatrio or Coracle.

Step-by-step: applying from Vietnam

Step 1 — Check your qualification. Look up your job and diploma in the anabin database and, if relevant, submit for recognition via the "Recognition in Germany" portal. Vietnamese degrees are assessed individually; nursing and medical qualifications almost always need recognition through the responsible state authority.

Step 2 — Get the APS certificate. Vietnamese applicants must have academic documents verified by the APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) at the German Embassy in Hanoi. This pre-check of your certificates is mandatory for study and skilled routes and takes several weeks — start it early.

Step 3 — Score your points. Confirm you either have full recognition (fast track) or at least 6 points. Gather evidence for every point you claim (language certificates, employment references, degree certificates).

Step 4 — Prove language. Sit a recognised test: Goethe-Institut, telc or ÖSD for German; IELTS or TOEFL for English. If you are still learning, GoGermany's learn German course can take you from zero toward the A1/B1 levels that also earn points.

Step 5 — Open your Sperrkonto and buy health insurance covering your arrival.

Step 6 — Book the visa appointment. Apply for a national D-visa for the Chancenkarte at the German Embassy Hanoi or Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. Appointment waits can be long — book as soon as your documents are ready.

Step 7 — Attend, submit, wait. Bring originals and copies. Processing typically takes 4–12 weeks. On approval you receive an entry visa; after arriving in Germany you complete your Anmeldung (address registration) and convert it into the Chancenkarte residence permit at the local Ausländerbehörde (immigration office).

Documents checklist

• Valid passport (issued within the last 10 years, valid 6+ months)
• Completed visa application form + biometric photos
• Degree/vocational certificates + transcripts (with certified German translations)
• APS certificate
• Recognition notice or anabin printout
• Language certificate(s) — German and/or English
• CV in German or English (a clean CV builder makes this quick)
• Proof of funds (Sperrkonto confirmation or Verpflichtungserklärung)
• Health insurance confirmation
• Motivation letter outlining your job-search plan

After you arrive

The Chancenkarte clock starts when you enter. Use the year well: apply widely, take Probebeschäftigung trial jobs, and network. Once you receive a qualified job offer, you switch to a Blaue Karte EU (EU Blue Card) or a standard skilled-worker permit — a smoother path than most realise. GoGermany's interview prep helps you convert German interviews into offers. If your recognition is only partial, a job that includes an Anpassungsqualifizierung (adaptation training) can complete it while you earn.

The Chancenkarte rewards preparation. Score your points honestly, start the APS and recognition steps early, and arrive with your funds, insurance and CV ready to go.