Chancenkarte from Peru: Points, Process and Costs

By the GoGermany Editorial Team · 2026-08-05

A practical 2026 guide to Germany's Chancenkarte for Peruvians: the two routes, the six-point system, proof of funds, the embassy process in Lima and what it all costs.

Germany's Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) lets qualified professionals move to Germany to look for work for up to 12 months, without needing a job offer first. As a Peruvian national you are a third-country citizen, so you apply through the German Embassy in Lima. This guide walks you through the two routes into the card, the points you need, how much money you must show, the step-by-step process from Peru, and a realistic 2026 cost table in euros and soles.

The Chancenkarte was created by the Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz (Skilled Immigration Act) and is designed for skilled workers. Germany has a genuine shortage of professionals in healthcare and nursing, engineering and IT, so if you work in one of those fields your chances of both qualifying and finding a job are strong.

Two routes into the Chancenkarte

There are two distinct ways to get the card. It is important to know which one applies to you before you gather documents.

Route 1 — Full recognition (Anerkennung)

If your qualification is fully recognised in Germany, you do not need the points system at all. This means you have gone through Anerkennung (formal recognition of a foreign qualification) and received a certificate confirming your Peruvian degree or vocational training is equivalent to the German standard. Fully-recognised professionals — a licensed nurse, a recognised engineer, a doctor with an Approbation — get the Chancenkarte automatically, provided they can prove they can support themselves.

Route 2 — The points track

If your qualification is only partially recognised, or not yet assessed, you can still qualify by scoring at least 6 points. To even enter this track you need a baseline: either a foreign university degree or a vocational qualification of at least two years, recognised in the country where you earned it, plus German at A1 level or English at B2. On top of that baseline you collect points.

Not sure which route fits you? Run your profile through the Chancenkarte calculator and the eligibility checker before you spend money on translations.

The six-point system

You need 6 points minimum. Here is how points are awarded (you take the best value in each category — they are not all cumulative within a row):

A typical Peruvian nurse under 35 with partial recognition (4), a shortage occupation (1) and A2 German (1) already reaches 6. An IT specialist with two years' experience (2), C1 English (1), age under 35 (2) and A2 German (1) also lands on 6.

Proof of funds: the Sperrkonto

Because you arrive without a salary, you must prove you can support yourself during the job search. The cleanest way is a Sperrkonto (blocked bank account) holding roughly €13,000 — enough to cover about 12 months of living costs. The money is "blocked" and released to you in monthly instalments after you arrive. Alternatives such as a formal Verpflichtungserklärung (a sponsor's declaration of commitment from someone in Germany) can also work.

Use the Sperrkonto calculator to confirm the exact figure required for your application month — the annual amount is adjusted periodically.

Once you hold the card you may work part-time up to 20 hours a week and take trial jobs of up to two weeks with employers — useful for both income and networking.

The 8-step process from Peru

1. Check your route and points. Confirm whether you qualify by full recognition or the points track. Peru is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, which keeps document legalisation simple.
2. Start Anerkennung if relevant. For regulated professions (nursing, medicine, teaching) begin recognition early via the "Anerkennung in Deutschland" portal — it drives your points and, on Route 1, your eligibility.
3. Gather your documents: degree/diploma, transcripts, vocational certificates, CV, language certificates, passport, and proof of work experience.
4. Apostille your documents. Have Peruvian public documents apostilled by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores in Lima. The apostille replaces old-style consular legalisation.
5. Get certified translations. Have documents translated into German by a sworn/certified translator (beeidigter Übersetzer). Some may be accepted in English — check the embassy checklist.
6. Open your Sperrkonto with a recognised provider and deposit the required funds; get the blocking confirmation.
7. Book and attend your embassy appointment. Submit the national visa application to the Deutsche Botschaft Lima, pay the fee, and give biometrics. Processing typically takes several weeks to a few months.
8. Travel and register. After arrival, complete your Anmeldung (address registration) at the local Bürgeramt, then, if you find work, convert your card at the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' authority).

Costs in 2026 (EUR and PEN)

Exchange rates move, so treat soles as approximate (around PEN 4 per euro in early 2026 — check the current rate).

The Sperrkonto is not a cost you lose — it is your own living money, released back to you month by month once you are in Germany.

After you land a job: switch to the Blue Card

The Chancenkarte is a search permit, not a long-term status. Once you receive a qualifying job offer, you switch to a work residence permit — most often the Blaue Karte EU (EU Blue Card) if your job is graduate-level and meets the salary threshold. Blue Card holders enjoy a faster path to permanent residence and easier family reunification. For shortage occupations like IT and nursing the salary threshold is lower, which makes the switch realistic for many Peruvian professionals.

Give yourself the best shot at that job offer while your card runs: build a German-style CV with the CV builder, tailor each application with the cover-letter generator, rehearse with interview prep, and keep pushing your German with a structured course to learn German — every level you gain is worth points and, more importantly, job offers.

Is the Chancenkarte worth it for Peruvians?

If you work in healthcare, nursing, engineering or IT and you are under 40 with some German, the answer is usually yes. The card gives you a full year on the ground to interview, network and prove yourself — a far stronger position than applying from Lima. Plan the documents and funds carefully, start your recognition early, and keep your German improving throughout.