How do I prove my Chancenkarte points with my CV and documents?
You need at least six points from the table in the Residence Act, unless your qualification is fully recognised. Each point needs a document, and your CV and motivation letter should state the same dates, levels and job titles.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
First: find out whether you need points at all
The Chancenkarte (opportunity card) is a residence permit for looking for work or for steps towards recognition of a foreign qualification, set out in sections 20a and 20b of the Residence Act (AufenthG). There are two ways to qualify, and the first one needs no points.
Route 1: your qualification is already recognised
If your degree or vocational qualification is fully recognised in Germany, you count as a skilled worker (Fachkraft) under section 18(3), and section 20a(3) no. 1 lets you get the card without points. The Amman embassy's checklist (June 2026) asks this group for the qualification and the proof of equivalence: an anabin printout, a ZAB statement, a recognition notice or, for regulated professions, a licence to practise.
Route 2: the entry conditions for the points route
- A foreign university degree recognised by the state where you earned it, or a vocational qualification recognised there that took at least two years, or a qualification issued by a German chamber of commerce abroad (section 20a(4)).
- German at A1 or English at B2 (section 20a(4); the levels are defined in section 2 of the Act).
- Confirmation of the first point by a competent body in Germany. In practice that is the anabin database or a ZAB statement; the EU Blue Card page explains both.
- Enough money to live on for the stay (section 20a(4)).
Only when all four are met do the points count. Six is the minimum, according to the table in the annex to the Act.
How the application runs from Türkiye
The German missions in Türkiye say on their work visa page that the Chancenkarte is available as an online application in the Auslandsportal (digital.diplo.de). The missions' own information sheets do not cover it; the portal shows the document list for your case. We could not open the portal's list without an account, so the next list comes from other German missions' published checklists.
What German missions ask for, read on 12 October 2026
- Amman (June 2026): a tabular CV on your career so far, a motivation letter, proof of applications you have sent, proof of accommodation, then the qualification, language and points documents.
- Beirut (January 2026): a tabular CV on your career in German or English and a motivation letter, both uploaded in the portal.
- Cairo (April 2026): a gapless tabular CV on your school and work history, marked "if available", and a self-written motivation letter.
The wording differs, but all three ask for a CV in table form. Expect the same from the portal and prepare one.
What the card allows
The card is issued for up to one year. It allows work of up to 20 hours a week on average and trial jobs of up to two weeks each (section 20a(2) and (5)). It can be extended by up to two years as a follow-up card only with a job contract or binding offer for qualified work and the Federal Employment Agency’s approval.
Points, proof and the CV line for each criterion
Points from the annex to the Residence Act, criteria from section 20b(1), proving documents from the Amman checklist (June 2026). The CV lines are samples; write your own facts in the same form.
| Criterion (§ 20b(1) no.) | Points | Document that proves it | CV line that shows it (sample) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Partial recognition: a German body found that adaptation measures or further qualifications are needed | 4 | Partial recognition notice (Teilanerkennungsbescheid / Defizitbescheid) | Anerkennung: Teilanerkennung, [competent body], 03/2026, Anpassungslehrgang erforderlich |
| 2. German B2 | 3 | Certificate from a recognised provider | Deutsch: B2 (Goethe-Zertifikat B2, 05/2026) |
| 3. German B1 (if no points for B2) | 2 | Certificate | Deutsch: B1 (telc Deutsch B1, 11/2025) |
| 4. German A2 (if no points for B1 or B2) | 1 | Certificate | Deutsch: A2 (ÖSD Zertifikat A2, 02/2026) |
| 5. English C1 | 1 | Certificate from an ALTE provider, TOEFL or IELTS | Englisch: C1 (IELTS Academic 7.0, 01/2026) |
| 6. At least 5 years of related experience in the last 7 years, after the qualification | 3 | Employment references, employer certificates | One line per job, MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY, title linked to your field |
| 7. At least 2 years of related experience in the last 5 years (if no points for no. 6) | 2 | Employment references, employer certificates | Same as above; the dates decide which row applies |
| 8. Qualification in a shortage group (ISCO-08 groups 132, 133, 134, 21, 221, 222, 225, 226, 23, 25) | 1 | The diploma and its recognition proof | B.Sc. Bauingenieurwesen, [university], 06/2020 |
| 9. Aged 35 or under when applying | 2 | Passport | Geburtsdatum on the CV, if you show it |
| 10. Aged over 35 and up to 40 | 1 | Passport | As above |
| 11. At least 6 months of lawful, continuous stay in Germany in the last 5 years | 1 | Rental or work contracts, passport with visas and stamps; tourist visits do not count | 09/2022 – 03/2023 Sprachkurs, [school], Köln (Visum für Sprachkurs) |
| 12. Spouse or registered partner also applies and travels with you | 1 | Proof of the partner's Chancenkarte application | Not a CV line; mention it in the letter |
Points that do not add up
- German counts once: B2 gives 3, B1 gives 2, A2 gives 1, never two of them.
- Experience counts once: rows 6 and 7 exclude each other.
- Experience counts only after you earned the qualification and only if it relates to it. Student jobs before graduation do not count, so your CV must show the graduation month clearly.
- Age counts once, in one of two bands.
Worked example: a civil engineer aged 31
Graduated 06/2020, site engineer since 09/2021 (four years in the last five), German B1, no recognition notice yet. Points: age 2, German B1 2, experience row 7 2, civil engineering is in ISCO group 21 so 1. Total 7, above the minimum of 6.
Worked example: an accountant aged 38 with English C1
Six years of related work in the last seven, English C1, no German. Points: age 1, experience row 6 3, English C1 1. Total 5, one short. An A2 German certificate would add 1 and reach 6. Accountancy is not in the listed ISCO groups, so row 8 does not help.
Make the CV and the letter tell the same story
The points are counted from the documents, not from the CV. The CV and the letter make the count easy to follow and must not contradict it.
On the CV
- Month and year on every line, so the officer can count the five-year and seven-year windows.
- The graduation month as its own line before your first job in the field.
- Job titles that show the link to your qualification, in the wording of your employer’s reference.
- Each language with level, exam name and date exactly as printed on the certificate.
- Any earlier stay in Germany with dates and the permit you held.
In the motivation letter
Amman's checklist says the letter should make clear which fields and positions in Germany interest you, where you plan to apply, where you will stay (with accommodation and living costs) and, if relevant, which recognition steps you plan. Cairo adds a time plan for the stay and the companies you want to apply to. Sample sentences in German, each tied to a point or a document:
- Ich habe im Juni 2020 meinen Bachelor in Bauingenieurwesen abgeschlossen; die Vergleichbarkeit ist durch eine Zeugnisbewertung der ZAB belegt. (degree, row 8)
- Seit September 2021 arbeite ich als Bauleiter im Hochbau bei [Firma]. (experience, row 7)
- Ich suche eine Stelle als Bauingenieur im Hochbau in Nordrhein-Westfalen und habe mich bereits bei drei Unternehmen beworben (Nachweise anbei). (proof of applications)
- In den ersten drei Monaten wohne ich bei [Name] in Köln (Unterkunftsbestätigung anbei). (accommodation)
A general German cover letter for a job ad follows different rules; the Anschreiben page covers it.
Sources and the date we read them
- Sections 20a and 20b and the annex (points table) of the Residence Act, and section 2 for language levels and section 18g for the ISCO groups, on gesetze-im-internet.de, read 12 October 2026.
- The German missions in Türkiye, work visa page, on the Chancenkarte as an online portal application, read 12 October 2026.
- Chancenkarte checklists of the German embassies in Amman (dated June 2026), Beirut (January 2026) and Cairo (April 2026), read 12 October 2026.
The government may change the points by regulation (section 20b(3)). Check the law and the portal before you apply.
Who this route is not for
- People who already have a job offer for qualified work: a work visa or the EU Blue Card is usually the direct route, and the Blue Card page covers it.
- People without a state-recognised degree or two-year vocational qualification: the points route is closed to them.
- People who held a Chancenkarte before: a new one is possible only after spending at least as long abroad, or lawfully in Germany on another basis, as the previous card lasted (section 20a(5)).
- People looking for training rather than work: the Ausbildung page covers that visa.
Next steps
Fill in the points table with your own documents first. Then write the CV in the German tabular form described on the German CV format page, and decide the language with the English-or-German page. CitedCV can write that CV in German from facts you enter and confirm, so the dates and levels on it are the ones you typed; checking them against the certificates stays your job.
| Your points | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 or more, documents ready | Register in the Auslandsportal and upload |
| 5 | Look for one more point: a German exam at A2 adds 1, at B1 adds 2 |
| 4 or fewer | Check recognition first: a partial recognition notice alone is worth 4 |
Questions people ask
How are Chancenkarte points calculated?
By the table in the annex to the Residence Act: partial recognition 4, German B2 3, B1 2, A2 1, English C1 1, five years of experience 3 or two years 2, shortage occupation 1, age up to 35 2 or 36 to 40 1, earlier stay 1, partner 1.
How many points do I need for the Chancenkarte?
Six, according to the annex to the Residence Act. Skilled workers whose qualification is fully recognised in Germany need no points at all.
What documents are required for the Chancenkarte?
The portal shows your list. Published checklists from other German missions ask for a tabular CV, a motivation letter, proof of applications and accommodation, the degree with anabin or ZAB proof, language certificates and work references.
Do I need a CV for the opportunity card?
Expect to. The Amman and Beirut checklists list a tabular CV, and Cairo lists a gapless tabular CV if you have one. Make every date match your references.
What should a motivation letter for the Germany opportunity card say?
Which fields and positions you want, where you will apply, where you will live and how you will pay for it, and any recognition steps you plan, according to the Amman checklist.
Does work experience before graduation count for points?
No. Section 20b(1) counts experience gained after the qualification or degree and related to it, within the last five or seven years.
Can I work with a Chancenkarte?
Yes, within limits. Section 20a(2) allows up to 20 hours a week on average and trial jobs of up to two weeks each.
Is English enough for the Chancenkarte?
English at B2 meets the entry condition instead of A1 German, and C1 English earns one point. German A2 earns the same single point, while B1 earns 2 and B2 earns 3.
Sources
- Aufenthaltsgesetz § 20a (Chancenkarte), gesetze-im-internet.dewww.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__20a.html
- Aufenthaltsgesetz § 20b (Punkte), gesetze-im-internet.dewww.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__20b.html
- Aufenthaltsgesetz, Anlage (Punktetabelle), gesetze-im-internet.dewww.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/anlage.html
- Aufenthaltsgesetz § 18g (ISCO groups), gesetze-im-internet.dewww.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18g.html
- German missions in Türkiye, Employment visas and the Auslandsportaltuerkei.diplo.de/tr-de/service/05-visaeinreise/2720718-2720718
- German Embassy Amman, Merkblatt Chancenkarte (June 2026)amman.diplo.de/resource/blob/2168088/855840631f005346cd30dca56d78dfb0/merkblatt-arbeitsplatzsuche-chancenkarte-data.pdf
- German Embassy Beirut, Merkblatt Chancenkarte (January 2026)beirut.diplo.de/resource/blob/2667470/4bfd3672c7682984a8f5269e64698c97/chancenkarte-mb-1--data.pdf
- German Embassy Cairo, Merkblatt Chancenkarte (April 2026)kairo.diplo.de/resource/blob/2664804/5e952d2720a91e83a475a3e02452f1cf/250122-deu-merkblatt-chancenkarte-data.pdf