The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) makes every effort to ensure that Germany’s Migration Service Portal is accessible for people with disabilities. The relevant legal basis comprises the current versions of the Act on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz, BGG), the Ordinance on Accessible Information Technology (Barrierefreie Informationstechnik-Verordnung, BITV 2.0) and the harmonised European norm EN 301 549.
The accessibility requirements are laid down in section 3 (1) to (4) and section 4 of the Ordinance on Accessible Information Technology, which was issued on the basis of section 12d of the Act on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
Compliance with these requirements was tested by means of a self-assessment completed on 27 February 2025.
According to the self-assessment test, this website does not fully comply with the aforementioned requirements.
Which areas of the website are non-accessible?
The content listed below is non-accessible. The numbering of the test steps in brackets corresponds to the numbering used in European norm EN 301 549:
Videos:
- Captioning (subtitles) and audio description: Embedded YouTube videos do not currently allow subtitles or audio descriptions to be switched on and off, and the size of subtitles cannot be adjusted. Accessible alternative: The missing functionalities can be accessed by opening the same videos in YouTube. (Steps 7.1.1 to 7.3)
Adaptability:
- Headings: Hierarchical headings are not consistently maintained in the short version of the EU Blue Card application. (Step 9.1.3.1)
- Unrestricted screen orientation: The internal area for applicants, including the short EU Blue Card application, is not optimised for mobile devices. (Steps 9.1.3.4 and 9.1.4.10)
Distinguishability:
- Does not rely on colour: The navigation menu for the short EU Blue Card application can be difficult to see clearly for people with colour vision deficiency. (Step 9.1.4.1)
- Contrast ratio for text: The contrast ratio between the text in the foreground and the background colours behind it should be at least 4.5:1. Currently, the short EU Blue Card application and the EU Blue Card Quick Check do not fully comply with this contrast ratio. (Step 9.1.4.3)
- Text can be enlarged up to 200%: The text in the short EU Blue Card application can be enlarged up to 200% but this restricts functionality. (Step 9.1.4.4)
- Contrast for visual (non-text) information: The progress bar in the EU Blue Card Quick Check does not meet the minimum contrast requirement of 3:1 against adjacent colours and can therefore be difficult to see clearly. (Step 9.1.4.11)
Navigation:
- Page titles: The internal area for applicants, including the short EU Blue Card application, currently lacks descriptive page titles that reflect the content of individual pages and the service provided. (Step 9.2.4.2)
- Focus order for keyboard users: In the short EU Blue Card application, the order in which links, form elements and objects can be navigated does not always meet accessibility requirements. (Step 9.2.4.3)
- Visible keyboard focus indicator: The focus indicator is missing in one element of the short EU Blue Card application and one element of the Quick Check. (Step 9.2.4.7)
Compatibility:
- Syntax (parsing): HTML syntax is not yet fully optimised for screen readers. (Step 9.4.1.1)
- Name, role, value: Screen readers, when used with the EU Blue Card Quick Check, do not notify the user that certain fields are mandatory. (Step 9.4.1.2)
- Status messages: It should be possible for screen readers to notify the user of visually displayed status messages. This is not always possible with the EU Blue Card Quick Check. (Step 9.4.1.3)
User preferences:
- User-defined settings: Generally, the user’s browser settings are retained, although there can be restrictions on readability and usability. (Step 11.7)
Date of statement and last update
This statement was prepared on 27 February 2025.
Contact us to report accessibility barriers
If you notice any additional problems with the accessibility of www.serviceportal-migration-deutschland.de, please report them to us. You can send us a message by clicking “Report barriers” at the bottom of the page.
You can also contact us by post, email or telephone at:
Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI)
Arbeitsgruppe M I 6
Alt Moabit 140
10557 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 681-0
Fax: +49 (0) 30 18 681-55000
Email: SMD@bmi.bund.de
Arbitration
If no satisfactory solution is found after you have reported the issue using the contact details above, you can contact the Arbitration Service set up in accordance with section 16 of the Act on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. The task of the Arbitration Service is to provide support for out-of-court dispute resolution in cases of conflicts between persons with disabilities and federal authorities regarding accessibility. This is not a matter of determining a winner or a loser. Rather, the aim is to find a solution together with the help of the Arbitration Service. The arbitration procedure is free of charge. The proceedings do not require that you have legal representation.
Full information about arbitration proceedings is available on the website of the Arbitration Service. There you can read about how the arbitration process works and how you can apply for arbitration. You can also submit your application in Simple German or in German Sign Language.
You can contact the Arbitration Service at the following address:
Federal Government Commissioner for Matters relating to Persons with Disabilities
Schlichtungsstelle nach dem Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz
Mauerstraße 53
10117 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)30 18 527-2805
Fax: +49 (0)30 18 527-2901
Email: info@schlichtungsstelle-bgg.de
Internet: www.schlichtungsstelle-bgg.de