Moving to Germany with Another EU Country’s Blue Card: Residence History, Application and Work

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A valid EU Blue Card issued by another EU country can support a long-term mobility application for a German Blue Card when the relevant conditions are met. It is not a general authorisation to take any job in Germany immediately. Check lawful residence in the issuing country, the German offer and qualifications, and the one-month application deadline after entering Germany.

Identify the document and the residence history

Record the issuing country, type of title, validity, legal basis and actual residence periods. An investment residence card, another work permit or a short-stay Schengen visa is not automatically an EU Blue Card for this procedure. Rules for EU citizens’ free movement also do not replace the rules applying to a non-EU national holding a Blue Card.

Under section 18i, the usual starting point includes at least twelve months of lawful residence in the issuing member state on its valid EU Blue Card. Counting time since a document was printed is not a complete assessment. Explain gaps, changes of status and replacement documents. Do not add all previous time living in Europe together and describe it as qualifying Blue Card residence.

The six-month provision is a specific exception

There is a shorter period for people who have already used the long-term mobility procedure under the EU directive. The related German Residence Ordinance provision also describes the relationship between the preceding Blue Card and different issuing states. It is not an option available to every first-time holder after six months. Supply the complete sequence of cards and residence periods before relying on it.

A personal timeline is useful evidence, but it does not decide legal eligibility. Keep the dates and official decisions from each move, including the procedure previously used. If the shorter period has not been established, do not choose it simply because it fits a proposed start date or makes relocation easier to arrange.

The new German job still needs assessment

Section 18i refers to the applicable German Blue Card requirements under section 18g. Obtain the proposed duties, salary, contract duration and qualification evidence. Approval by the first country does not establish that a different German employer or salary satisfies Germany’s rules. A regulated profession can also require its own professional authorisation.

Qualification evidence can be simplified in specified circumstances, but this should not be described either as a universal reassessment or a universal exemption. Provide the basis on which the existing card was issued and the relevant documents. In particular, do not omit a history of obtaining a card through professional experience merely to make the new file appear easier to review.

Arrange submission before relying on a later appointment

Section 39 of the Residence Ordinance provides the relevant in-country application arrangements and the one-month deadline after entry. Contact the authority responsible for your intended German residence before moving. The German embassy in Lithuania also advises qualifying holders in its guidance to contact the responsible German authority in advance. Do not copy its appointment process as a nationwide German procedure.

Keep evidence of actual entry, application submission, missing documents and confirmation that the application is complete. An enquiry, an appointment and an application are different events. A later appointment should not be treated, without confirmation, as an extension of the application deadline. Seek individual advice promptly if the deadline is approaching and the submission position remains uncertain.

Check the basis for starting work

Section 81(6a) addresses the decision procedure and employment for holders applying with another member state’s Blue Card. The employment provision uses submission of the complete application as its starting point and requires any necessary professional licence. Arrival, a preliminary enquiry or sending isolated documents should not be treated as the same event.

The provision permits the relevant employment no later than thirty days after submission of the complete application, subject to the required professional authorisation. The decision procedure separately allows an extension in justified exceptional cases. This is not a promise of approval within thirty days or permission to undertake unrelated work. Establish the applicable documents and legal position before agreeing to an earlier start. If a refusal or another formal decision is received, review the position under the latest documents rather than relying on the originally planned start date.

Prepare each family member and both countries’ arrangements

The relevant in-country provisions also address family reunification permits issued by the same state as the existing Blue Card. Family members still need their own documents, relationship evidence and deadline checks. Keep insurance, housing, school and employment handovers separate from the immigration milestones. The former country’s notification and absence rules must be checked there; German rules should not be assumed to govern the old permission.