Business Trips to Germany with Another EU Country’s Blue Card: The 90/180-Day Rule

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A valid EU Blue Card issued by another EU member state can support a short business stay in Germany under section 18h when the activity is directly connected with duties under the employment contract on which the card was issued. The limit is ninety days within a 180-day period. Check the card, original employment, actual activity and dates before treating a business trip as covered.

Identify the permit before relying on mobility

Section 18h provides an exemption from obtaining a German residence title and Federal Employment Agency work permission for the qualifying entry and business stay. Another work permit, investment residence document or travel visa is not automatically the EU Blue Card specified in this provision. Permission to travel across a border does not establish every kind of permission to work there.

Keep the issuing country, permit type, validity and underlying employment contract together. If a card has expired, permission was withdrawn or the document type is unclear, obtain confirmation from an authorised source. Where the traveller departs from does not replace the assessment of the actual document and proposed activity.

Connect the activity to the original employment

The statutory connection is with the duties of the contract underlying the Blue Card. Prepare the employer, role, business purpose, German contact, dates and description of the activity, supported by genuine arrangements. These are preparation suggestions, not a universal government checklist requiring an identical employer letter for every trip.

Calling work a meeting does not determine its legal substance. If the plan involves a new German employer, different work or a long-term move, examine the applicable employment and residence procedure instead of substituting the short business provision. Where classification is uncertain, provide the real duties and contract for assessment before committing to a start or delivery date.

Apply the ninety-day limit within the relevant period

The limit is ninety days within 180 days, rather than a fresh allowance for every visit. Compile previous relevant stays, entries and departures alongside the proposed trip. Do not assume a brief departure resets every count. The nature of the stays and any other applicable rights need assessment using your actual history.

An employer’s travel calendar helps organisation but cannot extend the legal limit. Consider longer-term mobility or German work permission in advance if the assignment needs more time. Check the issuing country’s residence, employment and absence requirements separately: Germany’s arrangement does not confirm that another country has accepted every change.

Carry the additional business evidence where required

For a Blue Card issued by an EU member state that is not a Schengen state, section 18h expressly requires evidence of the business purpose in addition to the valid Blue Card, to be produced at border control if requested. Check that the documents remain available and consistent with the trip. Keep the passport, card and genuine activity records together rather than relying only on oral employer approval.

Other applicable entry and identity requirements still need attention. An invitation letter is not a guarantee of boarding or admission. A sightseeing trip should not be relabelled as a contractual business activity. If arrangements change, update the evidence rather than presenting a cancelled meeting as the continuing purpose of travel.

Separate the long-term-resident provision from relocation

Section 18h(2) also covers a specified long-term-resident situation: immediately before acquiring that status in the other member state, the person must have held an EU Blue Card issued by that state. It is not a rule for every long-term residence card. Retain the preceding Blue Card and status-transition records for assessment.

Long-term work and residence in Germany involve a different mobility and residence procedure. The short business allowance should not be treated as a general period in which any German job can begin after relocation. Distinguish the business visit, obligations in the original country and any proposed new German employment before deciding what application is needed.