The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) is a German national visa / long-stay (D) visa route that lets you enter Germany to look for a job (and do limited work alongside job-hunting, if you meet the conditions). In India, Germany has been pushing applications for some national visa categories—including Opportunity Card—through the Consular Services Portal first, and then you attend an appointment mainly for originals + biometrics.
When people ask “How long does it take?” they often mix up these three:
Getting an appointment date (availability backlog)
Appointment day itself (submission + biometrics)
Embassy/Consulate processing time (the decision clock)
Germany officially clarifies one key point that surprises many applicants:
The processing time starts once your application reaches the German Mission (Embassy/Consulate), not VFS.
So even if you submitted at a VAC, the “decision clock” isn’t considered running until the mission has the file.
Typical: 1–6+ weeks (varies wildly)
This stage decides whether your case moves smoothly later.
Common items that take time
Degree/vocational recognition checks (e.g., Anabin printouts / comparability / recognition proofs)
Proof of funds / financial ability planning
Getting documents in the acceptable format and language (Germany’s India page notes documents should be in German or English, otherwise translation is needed)
Pro tip: The Opportunity Card is document-heavy. Incomplete submissions are one of the biggest reasons cases stretch out, because the mission may pause the clock until you complete the file.
Typical: a few days to a couple of weeks
For India, Germany states you can apply online for selected national visa types, including Opportunity Card, and you’ll get feedback on whether your uploaded documents are complete—then your appointment becomes more efficient.
What this changes in practice:
You spend less time at the appointment
But the quality of your uploads becomes critical (blurry scans or missing pages often trigger follow-ups)
Typical: anywhere from a few days to several weeks+ (depends on appointment supply)
Appointments are booked through the channel applicable to your jurisdiction/category—Germany’s India guidance warns that appointments can only be booked via VFS or the Embassy/Consulate (depending on category) and to beware of third-party scams.
What affects appointment availability most
Your VAC/city (some centers have tighter slots)
Seasonal peaks (summer travel + year-end holidays often squeeze slots)
Your flexibility (willing to travel to another VAC can help)
Typical: 20–60 minutes at the center, plus waiting time
On appointment day you generally:
Present originals and required copies
Submit biometrics (photo + fingerprints)
Pay fees (Germany lists €75 as the national visa fee; India page also shows an INR figure that can change, so always re-check close to appointment day)
Typical: ~1–7 working days
If you applied at a VAC, there’s usually a short handover period before the file is physically/securely available to the mission.
Remember: Germany states the processing period starts once the application reaches the mission, not VFS.
Germany’s India national visa guidance says the mission’s review time can range:
from a few working days to several months, depending on purpose and case complexity
For Opportunity Card specifically, different German missions in different countries publish “ballpark” ranges like:
about ~2 weeks in straightforward cases (example: a German mission page in Vilnius)
at least ~2 weeks, sometimes several weeks (example: Germany mission information page in Poland)
And broader guides commonly summarize it as several weeks up to six months depending on workload and completeness.
In India, because appointment demand and verification steps can be heavier, many applicants should mentally plan for:
Best-case: ~2–4 weeks after appointment (clean, simple case, no extra checks)
Common: ~6–12 weeks after appointment
Slow cases: 3–6 months (or longer) if verification or additional documents are triggered
Germany also warns that in certain cases they may initiate verification of documents, especially for public documents and work proof documents—this is one of the biggest “hidden” delay reasons.
Here’s a grounded example you can use to plan your life:
Day 0: Appointment at VAC / mission (biometrics + originals submitted)
Day 1–7: File reaches mission; your “processing clock” effectively begins
Week 2–6: Typical window where many straightforward cases get decided
Week 6–12: Common if the mission is busy or asks clarifications
Month 3–6: Usually means verification checks, missing documents, or backlog pressure
Your documents are complete at first submission
Your degree/training recognition evidence is crystal clear (Anabin/recognition proofs ready)
Your financial proof is clean and easy to verify
Your work history documentation is consistent and well-organized
The mission asks for “pending documents” (processing time may not be treated as started until file is complete)
Work experience proofs trigger verification
Peak-season workload is high
Uploads are inconsistent (name spellings, dates, job titles, gaps)
Submit a “decision-ready” file
Same name format everywhere (passport, degrees, employment letters, bank letters)
Clear employment proof set (offer letters, experience letters, payslips, bank salary credits, tax docs)
Front-load recognition proof
If using Anabin prints, include both institution + degree evidence as required (Germany’s India Opportunity Card page lists the kind of proof expected).
Avoid last-minute financial proof
Sudden large deposits without explanation often cause questions. Keep it boring and traceable.
Don’t chase the mission for daily updates
Germany explicitly asks applicants to avoid individual status inquiries during standard processing because it slows overall processing and they contact you when a decision is made.
Once approved, you’ll be contacted and your passport is returned via the official return mechanism. Germany also notes you can’t get the visa earlier than certain conditions like insurance start date (relevant for many national visas).
