How much is the Opportunity Card blocked account from Nigeria, and can a part-time job replace it?
Short answer
The German Missions in Nigeria ask for at least EUR 1,091 for each month, up to a maximum of one year, which is EUR 13,092 for a 12-month card. You can show it with a blocked account, a formal obligation letter from someone living in Germany, or in some cases a part-time job contract in Germany for up to 20 hours a week paying EUR 1,091 net a month.
On this page
How much money do you need? EUR 1,091 a month
The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) document checklist from the German Missions in Nigeria (they call it a sorting list) asks for proof of financial means of at least EUR 1,091 for each month.
The mission's financial means page says the amount must cover your planned stay, up to a maximum of one year. The card is issued for a maximum of one year, so for a 12-month card that is 12 x EUR 1,091 = EUR 13,092.
The German Embassy in Cairo's information sheet (updated April 2026) gives the same figures: EUR 1,091 a month and EUR 13,092 for the standard 12-month stay. The amount changes, so check the Nigeria page again before you pay money into any account.
Is a student blocked account enough?
The same Nigeria financial means page lists different monthly amounts for different visas. University studies are EUR 992 net a month (EUR 11,904 for a year). The Opportunity Card is EUR 1,091 net a month.
So a blocked account funded at the student rate of EUR 11,904 is EUR 1,188 short of the EUR 13,092 needed for a 12-month Opportunity Card. If your blocked account provider offers a student package, check the total before you transfer.
Sources for this part2
Which proofs of funds do the Nigeria missions accept?
The German Missions in Nigeria list three ways to show your funds:
- A blocked account (Sperrkonto), opened before you apply. Only the bank's official confirmation of the account opening is accepted, and it must show the amount paid in and the amount available each month. A transfer receipt on its own is not enough.
- A formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) signed by a person living in Germany at their local office. It must not be older than six months, must cover your whole stay, and must carry the remark 'nachgewiesen' (the sponsor's finances were checked). Bring the original and one copy.
- In some cases, an employment contract for a part-time job in Germany: up to 20 hours a week, paying EUR 1,091 net a month.
Sources for this part2
Can a part-time job contract replace the blocked account?
At the Nigeria missions, it can in some cases. The financial means page says the contract must be for a part-time job in Germany of up to 20 hours a week, paying EUR 1,091 net a month. The page does not say which cases qualify.
Not every mission lists this option. The German Embassy in Cairo's sheet names only a blocked account or a formal obligation letter.
A November 2025 report by the German Economic Institute (IW Köln) found that German authorities treat this differently: some accept a contract for side work of up to 20 hours a week as proof of funds, and others do not.
How many hours can you work on the Opportunity Card?
German law (section 20a of the Residence Act) allows Opportunity Card holders to work an average of up to 20 hours a week in total.
You may also do trial work (Probebeschäftigung). Each trial can last at most two weeks, and it must be qualified work, aim at an apprenticeship, or fit a programme for the recognition of a foreign qualification. The Nigeria page describes the same rule as work trials or secondary employment of up to 20 hours a week.
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How much is the blocked account for the Opportunity Card from Nigeria?
The German Missions in Nigeria ask for at least EUR 1,091 for each month, up to a maximum of one year. For a 12-month card that is EUR 13,092. 12
Can I use my own bank statement instead of a blocked account?
The Nigeria missions' financial means page does not list your own bank statement. It lists a blocked account, a formal obligation letter from someone living in Germany, or a part-time job contract in Germany. 2
Is a student blocked account enough for the Opportunity Card?
No. The Nigeria page lists EUR 992 a month for university studies and EUR 1,091 a month for the Opportunity Card, so the student total of EUR 11,904 is below the EUR 13,092 needed for 12 months. 2
Can someone in Germany sponsor me for the Opportunity Card?
Yes. A formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) is accepted if it is not older than six months, covers your whole stay and is marked 'nachgewiesen'. 2
Sources
- 1Opportunity CardOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 23 Oct 2026
- 2Financial meansOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 23 Oct 2026
- 3Merkblatt Chancenkarte (information sheet, updated April 2026)OfficialGerman Embassy Cairo (Federal Foreign Office) · checked 23 Oct 2026
- 4Section 20a Residence Act (AufenthG): ChancenkarteOfficialFederal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 23 Oct 2026
- 5IW-Kurzbericht 96/2025: Fachkräfteeinwanderung über die ChancenkarteSecondaryGerman Economic Institute (IW Köln) · checked 23 Oct 2026
Official is the embassy or a German government page. Applicant reports are what applicants say happened at their appointment. Secondary is everything else we checked.
General information, not legal advice. VisaRoom isn't connected to any embassy or government, and only the embassy decides on your visa. Something out of date? Tell us.