Germany Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) photo requirements

What the official information confirms

The Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card, §20a of the Residence Act) allows a stay of up to one year to seek qualified employment in Germany, either via the points-based pathway (at least 6 points) or as a skilled worker. The German Embassy in Tokyo and the Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe publish a shared Chancenkarte page on japan.diplo.de, which is the authoritative checklist for applications in Japan.

The photo line is defined under "For all applicants" as "One (1) original passport picture 35 x 45 mm, biometric standard, white background, no older than 6 months". The wording differs from the central germany.info checklist for US applicants ("One (1) recent biometric passport photo (see specimen photos)", size delegated to the specimen chart), but the axes of one photo, biometric standard, and 35×45mm are consistent. This is a separate procedure from the Schengen C visa and from germany-study-portal (admission letter PDF for study visas), and no photo requirement is shared between them.

• The German missions in Japan Chancenkarte page requires "One (1) original passport picture 35 x 45 mm, biometric standard, white background, no older than 6 months". The size is 35 x 45 mm (width x height) (verbatim "35 x 45 mm"), the background is verbatim "white background", and the recency is verbatim "no older than 6 months".
• The same page states "digitally altered passport photos cannot be accepted, print-outs on paper are not accepted", "Resolution 600 dpi/sharp and clear photo", and "Please stick one of the passport photos on the space provided in the application form". The required count is one photo, per the verbatim "One (1)".
• Face composition values (such as face height) are not defined in the Chancenkarte page itself; the page delegates them to the official specimen chart linked as "biometric standard" (the SAMPLE PHOTOS chart). This page shows only the fact of that delegation and does not adopt or convert the chart values into Chancenkarte-specific official numbers.
• The page describes applying online in advance via the Consular Services Portal; at the appointment your identity is checked and biometric data (fingerprints and photo) is recorded. The physical photo itself is attached to the application form and brought to the mission; printing and attaching remain the applicant's own actions (the tool prepares the print photo only).

How unspecified conditions are handled

The phrase “passport-size” and general photo practice are not converted into a fixed value such as 35×45 mm. In the Tool, enter the dimensions shown by the current application guidance.

Using the web tool

• Keep the application guidance available and enter the output type and dimensions you have confirmed.
• No face guide is shown to fill in an official value that has not been confirmed.
• After editing and review, confirm the accepted format and conditions in the application portal before submitting.