What the Opportunity Card really costs in 2026
The visa fee is €75. Here is every other cost, step by step.
Checked: October 2026 · We re-check this page every January.
The visa fee for the German Opportunity Card is only €75. The full bill is bigger, and the biggest part is money you keep. Here is every cost in order. Official figures are linked; everything else is clearly marked as an estimate.
What does the Opportunity Card cost in total?
Short answer: In 2026 you pay a fixed €75 visa fee, and you show €1,091 a month in funds, which you hold rather than spend. On top of that, most people pay for a blocked account, health insurance and a language test, and some pay for a ZAB statement (€208), translations and an appointment service fee. Our estimate: about €1,000 to €4,700 out of pocket, flight included.
Is the funds money a fee?
Short answer: No. The funds show that you can live in Germany without public money: €1,091 net per month in 2026. It stays your money. In a blocked account, it is paid back to you month by month after you arrive. If your visa is refused, the block can be lifted and the money returned, minus the provider’s fees.
Missions ask for €1,091 for each month of the card (Make it in Germany; German Embassy Nairobi). If you can show funds for fewer months, the card may be issued for a shorter period. The common ways to show the money:
- Blocked account (Sperrkonto). The bank’s confirmation must show the amount paid in and the amount available each month. Proof of a transfer alone is not enough (Nairobi and Cairo checklists).
- Formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung). A sponsor living in Germany promises to cover your costs and signs at their local foreigners authority.
- A part-time job contract or binding job offer. A job of up to 20 hours a week that pays at least €1,091 net a month covers the rule. If it pays less, a blocked account can cover the difference (Make it in Germany Q&A).
- A combination of these.
The missions in India also ask for enough money for a return flight (India checklist). Some websites still show €1,027 a month: that is the old 2024 figure. See €1,027 or €1,091? and how to prove funds.
How much is the visa fee, and when do you pay it?
Short answer: The national visa fee for the Opportunity Card is €75. You pay it at your visa appointment, usually in local currency at the mission’s exchange rate, and some missions also accept cards. If you are refused and apply again, you pay the fee again, because the free remonstration appeal ended on 1 July 2025.
Addis Ababa takes Ethiopian birr at the embassy’s rate on the day. Accra takes cash in cedis or a credit card (Addis Ababa; Accra). After a refusal, you either apply again, with a new fee, appointment and wait, or go to the Administrative Court in Berlin. A complete first application is the cheapest one.
What does a blocked account cost?
Short answer: A blocked account costs a one-time set-up fee plus a monthly fee while the account is open. Expatrio, for example, published €119 for set-up and €9 a month, which is about €227 for 12 months. Other providers set their own fees. The German Federal Foreign Office does not recommend any provider and no longer keeps a list.
| Provider | Set-up fee | Monthly fee | What we found on 20 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expatrio | €119 | €9 | Published on its blocked-account page; a “Value Package” adds incoming/travel cover for up to 92 days. |
| Fintiba | Check provider | Check provider | States the Opportunity Card amount but did not show its fees. |
| Coracle | Check provider | Check provider | Showed the opening fee as “coming soon”. |
Also budget for your bank’s transfer fee and exchange-rate margin. If you are refused, the Federal Foreign Office says the refusal is enough to lift the block; providers usually keep the set-up fee. We have no partnership with any provider.
How much does health insurance cost for the visa period?
Short answer: As a rough estimate, budget €125 to €900. Missions usually want “incoming” health insurance for the whole period of the visa, and several name at least €30,000 of cover valid in all Schengen states. Published prices we found start at €1.35 a day (about €41 a month) for travel-style cover and €75 a month for expat plans.
Make it in Germany describes the proof as, in general, incoming health insurance covering the period for which the visa is issued. Cairo and Addis Ababa ask for €30,000 of cover for the full card validity. Dhaka asks for at least 90 days from travel. Accra says plain travel insurance is not enough.
Published “from” prices, not quotes: MAWISTA Reisecare €1.35 a day (up to 365 days) and Expatcare from €75 a month. Feather prices its expat plan by age and plan. Details: health insurance for the Opportunity Card.
What does degree recognition cost?
Short answer: Checking anabin is free. If your university and degree are listed positively, you print both pages and pay nothing. If not, a ZAB Statement of Comparability costs €208 and normally takes about 3 months after ZAB has all documents and the fee. A ZAB statement for a foreign vocational qualification costs €150. Regulated professions need a separate recognition procedure.
| Step | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| anabin lookup (degree + university) | Free | Minutes |
| ZAB Statement of Comparability | €208 (re-issue €104) | About 3 months after documents and fee arrive |
| ZAB statement on a vocational qualification | €150 | Not stated by ZAB |
| Recognition procedure (regulated professions) | Varies by authority | Notice within 3 to 4 months at the latest |
The ZAB fee is paid by you directly to the ZAB. The missions in India have said points-route applicants need a ZAB statement (Mumbai visa page), so check your own checklist. Start this step first, as it is usually the slowest. Read anabin H+ explained before you pay anything.
How much are the language tests?
Short answer: Test centres set their own fees, and prices vary by country, so check your local price before you book. As a rough estimate, plan €100 to €300 for one German A1 exam or one English test at B2 level (IELTS, TOEFL or PTE). Some missions accept only certificates that are less than 12 months old, so timing matters.
| Route | What missions ask for |
|---|---|
| Points route | German A1 or English B2 from an approved provider (for example Goethe-Institut, ÖSD). Nairobi, Cairo and Accra also accept TOEFL. |
| Extra points | German A2, B1 or B2, or English C1, earn points. A higher exam costs more. |
| Fully recognised qualification | Make it in Germany says no language proof is required. |
Nairobi says a certificate is needed even if English is your first language. Price finders: PTE, TOEFL, IELTS and the Goethe-Institut page for your country.
What do translations and document checks cost?
Short answer: If all your documents are already in English or German, this step can cost nothing. Documents in other languages need a certified translation into German or English. Some countries also require local verification or legalisation first, for example Egyptian public documents. Our estimate is €0 to €250, depending on how many pages you need.
- India: birth certificate and Aadhaar need an English translation if not in English.
- Egypt: public documents must be translated, certified and legalised; English degrees need no translation (Cairo checklist, April 2026).
- Recognition authorities in Germany may not accept translators appointed abroad. Ask first, so you pay once (Anerkennung in Deutschland).
Do you pay VFS or TLS service fees?
Short answer: It depends on your mission. Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Accra use the online Consular Services Portal and send you an appointment link, and Addis Ababa says appointments and forms are free. Other missions use a service provider: Cairo uses TLScontact, which charges its own non-refundable fee, and the missions in India book appointments through VFS.
Our estimate for this line is €0 to €50; check the provider’s own site for your city. Never pay anyone to “buy” an appointment. The German Embassy in Addis Ababa warns against paying agents. See the document checklist for how missions take applications.
What do the flight and the first month cost?
Short answer: These are estimates only. A one-way economy flight from South Asia or Africa often costs roughly €350 to €900, depending on route and season. In your first month, your blocked account pays out €1,091 for living costs, but a rental deposit, local transport and basic items can add about €300 to €1,500 on top.
Plan for a short-term room, a deposit, a SIM card, a transport ticket and kitchen basics. Keep your private health insurance until a job puts you into statutory insurance.
How much should you budget in total?
Short answer: Our estimate is about €970 (low), €2,695 (typical) or €4,683 or more (high) out of pocket, including the flight and first-month extras. On top of that, you need to show €1,091 a month in funds, unless a sponsor’s formal obligation letter or a job contract covers it. Only the €75 fee and the published prices are fixed.
Estimates, not quotes. “Official” means a published official or provider price.
| Item | Low | Typical | High | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa fee | €75 | €75 | €75 | Official |
| Blocked account fees (12 months) | €0 | €227 | €300 | €0 with a sponsor or job contract; €227 = €119 + 12 × €9 (Expatrio) |
| Health insurance, visa period | €125 | €490 | €900 | Estimate: 3 or 12 months at €1.35/day; 12 × €75 |
| Recognition | €0 | €208 | €208+ | Official: anabin free; ZAB €208 |
| Language test | €100 | €180 | €300 | Estimate |
| Translations, copies, legalisation | €0 | €80 | €250 | Estimate |
| VFS/TLS service fee | €0 | €25 | €50 | Estimate |
| Photos, courier, travel to the mission | €20 | €60 | €200 | Estimate |
| Application subtotal | €320 | €1,345 | €2,283+ | |
| One-way flight | €350 | €550 | €900 | Estimate |
| First-month extras beyond your €1,091 payout | €300 | €800 | €1,500 | Estimate |
| Total out of pocket | €970 | €2,695 | €4,683+ | |
| Funds you hold (not spent) | €1,091 a month* | €1,091 a month | €1,091 a month | Official, 2026 (€13,092 for 12 months) |
*In the low case, a sponsor or job contract replaces the blocked account, so you may not hold the funds yourself.
How can you lower the cost?
Short answer: Check anabin before you pay ZAB. Book your language test so the certificate is still valid on your application date. Buy insurance for the period your mission asks for, not more. Translate documents once, by a translator your mission accepts. Above all, send a complete application the first time, because a refusal means a new fee and a new wait.
- anabin first: a positive result can save €208 and 3 months.
- Compare blocked-account fees: the money is the same everywhere; the fees are not.
- Use free tools: our Points Self-Check and your mission’s checklist cost nothing.
You can do every step yourself. If you want a second pair of eyes, GOC offers independent, fixed-fee help, from the free Starter Guide to a $99 Success Session; packages start at $490. See all prices.
Opportunity Card costs: frequently asked questions
Do I lose the money I show as funds?
No. The funds are proof, not a fee. In a blocked account the money is paid out to you each month once you are in Germany, so you use it for your own rent and food. If your visa is refused, the Federal Foreign Office says the refusal is enough to lift the block. The provider usually keeps its set-up fee.
Can a sponsor pay instead of a blocked account?
Yes, many missions accept a formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a person living in Germany. The sponsor signs it in person at their local foreigners authority, usually with proof of income. Some missions set rules on its age; Accra, for example, says it must not be older than 6 months on your planned entry date.
Does a part-time job contract replace the blocked account?
It can. If your contract or binding job offer for up to 20 hours a week pays at least €1,091 net a month, Make it in Germany says it covers the funds rule. If it pays less, you can show the difference with a blocked account.
Is the ZAB statement always needed?
No. If anabin rates your university H+ and lists your degree as “entspricht” or “gleichwertig”, many missions accept the anabin printouts. If not, they ask for a ZAB Statement of Comparability, which costs €208. Some missions, including those in India, have asked points-route applicants for a ZAB statement in all cases.
What does it cost to apply again after a refusal?
A new application means a new €75 visa fee, a new appointment and, where used, a new service-provider fee. You may also need to extend insurance or update documents. Free remonstration appeals ended on 1 July 2025, so the other option is a court case at the Administrative Court in Berlin.
Why do some websites show €1,027 a month?
€1,027 was the 2024 figure. Since January 2025 the monthly amount has been €1,091, and it still applies in 2026. Some websites and provider pages have not been updated. Always use the amount on your German mission’s page or on Make it in Germany, and re-check every January.
Your next step
Start free
Get The German Opportunity Card Starter Guide: a free 11-page PDF in plain English, with the rules, the points and the funds explained.
Plan it with our lead consultant
Book a Success Session ($99): 60 minutes 1:1 on Google Meet, The German Opportunity Card Success Playbook (32 pages) right away, and a written action plan within 24 hours. We explain the rules and help you plan; the German mission decides. The $99 is credited toward a package if you book one within 7 days.
Checked: October 2026. Rules and amounts can change. Always confirm on Make it in Germany and on the website of the German mission that handles your application.