Opportunity Card health insurance: what passes
What missions ask for, and what changes once you start work.
Checked: October 2026 · We re-check this page every January.
Insurance is a small cost, but the wrong policy can hold up a good application. The good news: the rules are clear once you read your mission’s wording. This guide shows the wording German missions use, the difference between travel, incoming and statutory insurance, and what changes once you start a 20-hour job or a trial job in Germany.
What health insurance do you need for the Opportunity Card?
Short answer: Most German missions want private “incoming” health insurance that covers you from your travel date for the whole period of the visa. Several, such as Cairo and Addis Ababa, name at least €30,000 of cover, valid in all Schengen states, with no exclusions. Rules differ by mission, so read your own mission’s checklist before you buy.
Make it in Germany describes the proof as, in general, incoming health insurance covering the period for which the visa is issued. That is your starting point. The details come from your mission.
What do German missions actually ask for?
Short answer: The wording differs. Cairo and Addis Ababa ask for incoming insurance with at least €30,000 of cover in all Schengen states for the full card validity. Nairobi asks for incoming cover for the entire stay. Dhaka asks for at least 90 days from travel. Accra says plain travel insurance is not enough. India accepts three options.
| Mission | What the official page says (checked 20 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| Cairo (April 2026) | Incoming travel insurance, valid in all Schengen countries for the entire validity of the card; at least €30,000; no treatment limits or exclusions (it names COVID-19, pregnancy and age limits). |
| Addis Ababa | Private incoming insurance, valid in the Schengen area, at least €30,000, for the full card validity; proof due at the latest when you collect the visa. |
| Nairobi | Proof of incoming health insurance for the entire duration of stay. |
| Accra | Incoming medical insurance and proof of public or private cover as an expat in Germany; travel insurance is not sufficient. |
| Dhaka (Jan 2026) | At least 90 days from your travel date, or proof of public or private insurance, at the time of visa approval; no insurer in Bangladesh currently meets the rules. |
| India | One of three: a private German policy from your travel date; a letter from a German public insurer plus travel insurance for the first three weeks; or a foreign (including Indian) policy that meets the stated rules. |
If your mission is not listed, use the strictest wording above as your safety check, then confirm on your mission’s own page.
What is incoming insurance, and is travel insurance enough?
Short answer: Incoming insurance is private health cover made for people arriving in Germany who are not yet in the German statutory system. Travel insurance is made for short trips and often has limits that missions do not accept. Accra says travel insurance is not enough. Statutory insurance usually starts only when you have a job that pays above the mini-job limit.
| Type | What it is | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Travel insurance | Short-trip cover, often with day limits and exclusions | Holidays and short visits. Often not enough for the Opportunity Card. |
| Incoming / expat insurance | Private cover for newcomers to Germany | Visa application and the job-search months before a real job |
| Statutory (public) insurance | Germany’s main system; contributions are a share of your salary | When a job pays more than €603 a month (2026) |
| Full private insurance | Private German insurance | Above a high salary limit set each year; not a starting option for most card holders |
Make it in Germany’s health insurance page says non-EU job seekers who are not employed must take out private health insurance, and that there are special rates for newcomers.
How much cover do you need, and for how long?
Short answer: Where a mission names a figure, it is at least €30,000 of cover. The period is the key point: Cairo, Addis Ababa and Nairobi want the whole card period or stay, while Dhaka asks for at least 90 days. The India page says private policies must start on your planned travel date. Coverage must not have gaps.
- Start date. Cover should begin on the day you plan to travel, not the day the visa is issued.
- When you show proof. Addis Ababa wants it at the latest when you collect the visa. Dhaka wants it at the time of visa approval. Ask your mission before you pay for 12 months.
- No gaps. Dhaka warns that without continuous cover, the mission may decide your livelihood is not secured, which can lead to refusal.
What changes when you start a part-time job?
Short answer: Once you arrive, the Opportunity Card lets you work up to 20 hours a week. If that job pays more than €603 a month (the 2026 mini-job limit), you normally become a member of statutory health insurance through your employer, and contributions come out of your gross salary. You can then usually end your incoming policy. A mini-job up to €603 does not change your insurance.
A 20-hour job at the 2026 minimum wage of €13.90 an hour pays about €1,200 gross a month, so most part-time jobs are above the limit (Minijob-Zentrale). From 1 January 2027, the mini-job limit rises to €633 (Minijob-Zentrale magazine).
| Your situation | Health insurance |
|---|---|
| Applying for the visa | Incoming/expat insurance as your mission requires |
| In Germany, no job yet | Keep your private incoming/expat policy |
| Mini-job, up to €603 a month | Keep your own policy; a mini-job does not give you statutory cover |
| Part-time job above €603 a month (up to 20 h/week) | Normally statutory insurance via your employer; then cancel the incoming policy |
| Trial job (up to 2 weeks per employer) | Keep your incoming policy active |
| Full-time job after changing to a work permit | Normally statutory insurance; private only above the yearly salary limit |
Before you cancel, read the cancellation terms. Some insurers refund overlapping cover when you switch.
Does a trial job change your insurance?
Short answer: Usually not. A trial job (Probebeschäftigung) lasts at most two weeks per employer, so it rarely moves you into statutory insurance. Keep your incoming policy active on every trial day. If the employer pays you for the trial, ask whether they register you for social insurance, and keep your policy until you see written confirmation.
The India checklist adds that a trial must fit your qualification, lead to vocational training, or relate to a training measure from a partial recognition (India checklist). Our guide on proof of funds explains how a part-time job can also count towards your funds.
Why do insurance documents get queried or refused?
Short answer: Most problems come from a mismatch with the mission’s wording: cover that ends too early, does not cover all Schengen states, is below €30,000, or excludes things like pregnancy. Other problems are a start date after your travel date, a plain travel policy, a home-country policy that does not meet the rules, or missing proof at the right time. All of them are avoidable.
- Period too short. The policy ends before the card period your mission asks for.
- Not Schengen-wide. Cairo and Addis Ababa ask for all Schengen states.
- Cover below €30,000 where the mission names that figure.
- Exclusions or limits. Cairo names COVID-19, pregnancy and age limits as not allowed.
- Wrong start date. India asks for cover from your planned travel date.
- Travel insurance instead of incoming insurance. Accra says it is not enough.
- Home-country policy that does not fit. Dhaka says no insurer in Bangladesh currently meets the rules.
- Gaps or late proof. Missions want continuous cover, shown when they ask for it.
GOC has no refusal statistics; this list comes only from official mission wording.
Which providers sell Opportunity Card insurance?
Short answer: There are three main types: German incoming and expat insurers or brokers, such as Feather and MAWISTA; blocked-account bundles that include short incoming cover, such as Expatrio and Fintiba; and, after you start a job, statutory insurers. Home-country insurers are an option only where your mission accepts them. Always compare the policy wording with your mission’s checklist.
| Type | Examples | What the provider says (checked 20 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Expat / incoming plans | Feather | Says its expat plan meets the requirements for a first visa and names the Opportunity Card; excludes pre-existing conditions and preventive care. |
| Expat / incoming plans | MAWISTA | Reisecare €1.35 a day (up to 365 days); Expatcare from €75 a month (up to age 60). Its “Visum” plan is built for Schengen short stays, so check before using it for a national visa. |
| Blocked account + insurance | Expatrio | Value Package: incoming/travel cover for up to 92 days with the blocked account. Check that 92 days matches your mission. |
| Blocked account + insurance | Fintiba | “Fintiba Plus” combines the blocked account with health insurance; prices depend on the plan. |
| Statutory insurers | Public health insurers (Krankenkassen) | Join through your employer when a job pays above €603 a month. |
| Home-country insurers | Varies | India accepts foreign policies that meet the rules; Dhaka says none in Bangladesh currently do. |
GOC has not tested these products, does not rank them and has no partnership with any of them. The German mission decides whether a policy is accepted.
What should you check before you buy?
Short answer: Put your mission’s checklist next to the policy wording and check six things: the start date, the end date, the cover amount, Schengen validity, exclusions, and whether the insurer issues a confirmation in English or German. Then check how to cancel when a job starts. If anything is unclear, ask the insurer in writing before you pay.
- Starts on my planned travel date
- Lasts for the period my mission asks for
- At least €30,000 of cover, if my mission names it
- Valid in all Schengen states
- No exclusions my mission forbids
- Confirmation in English or German
- Clear rule for cancelling when a job starts
The insurance proof is one line in a longer list. See the full document checklist, and what the Opportunity Card really costs for where insurance fits in your budget.
Opportunity Card health insurance: frequently asked questions
Is travel insurance enough for the Opportunity Card?
Usually not. Most missions ask for incoming health insurance for the whole visa period, and the German Embassy in Accra says travel insurance is not sufficient. A short-trip travel policy often has day limits and exclusions. Check your own mission’s wording, and choose a policy made for newcomers to Germany.
How much cover do I need?
Where a mission names a figure, it is at least €30,000, for example in Cairo and Addis Ababa. They also want cover in all Schengen states for the full validity of the card, without exclusions. Other missions describe the rules in their own words, so always read your mission’s page.
Do I need insurance for 12 months before I apply?
Not always. Addis Ababa wants proof at the latest when you collect the visa, and Dhaka at the time of visa approval. Dhaka asks for at least 90 days, while Cairo and Addis Ababa want the full card validity. Ask your mission before you pay for a full year.
Can I use an insurance policy from my home country?
Sometimes. The German missions in India accept a foreign policy, including an Indian one, if it meets their rules. The German Embassy in Dhaka says no insurer in Bangladesh currently meets the rules and suggests buying a policy in Germany or Europe.
What happens to my insurance when I get a part-time job?
If the job pays more than €603 a month (2026), you normally join statutory health insurance through your employer, and contributions come out of your gross salary. You can then usually cancel your incoming policy. A mini-job up to €603 a month does not give you statutory cover.
Does a trial job need new insurance?
Usually not. Trial jobs last up to two weeks per employer, so keep your incoming policy active on those days. If the employer pays you, ask whether they register you for social insurance, and keep your own policy until you have that in writing.
Does GOC sell insurance?
No. GOC is an independent consultancy. We do not sell or rank insurers and have no partnership with any of them. The German mission decides whether a policy is accepted.
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.