Short answer: In most of Europe you can't check a work permit by passport number. In none of the 11 countries in our guides did we find a public lookup by passport number alone; Malta and Bulgaria have only narrower checks. The proof is the paper trail: check the order of the process, the employer and who is asking for money.
For example, imagine your agent sends a PDF called "Schengen Work Permit", with your name, a stamp and a barcode, and asks for the next instalment by Friday. No European country issues a "Schengen work permit", and genuine documents follow an order you can check.
This page shows the pattern every genuine route follows, what you should hold in each of the 11 countries in our guides, the universal red flags, and what to do if you've already paid.
Can you check a European work permit online?
Mostly, no, a European work permit can't be checked online. In none of the 11 countries in our guides did we find a public lookup by passport number alone. Malta and Bulgaria offer narrower checks, explained below. Elsewhere the employer and the authorities handle the permit, so the proof is the employer and the paper trail, not a website.
- Germany. There is usually nothing separate to look up. Germany writes the right to work into the national visa and residence title, and the Federal Employment Agency's approval is handled between authorities (Residence Act, English; Federal Employment Agency). A stand-alone English "Germany work permit" from an agent is a warning sign.
- Malta and Bulgaria. Malta's Single Permit system emails the worker a link to follow the application after the employer files (Identità). Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior can confirm a residence permit card only once it has been issued, after you arrive (Ministry of Interior).
- Embassies won't vouch for agents' papers. The Polish Embassy in India says it doesn't verify work permits (Embassy of Poland), and the Embassy of Romania in New Delhi says it doesn't work with agents (Embassy of Romania).
Got a document? Upload it for a check →
What does a genuine European work route look like?
The employer applies first, in its own country. You then apply for a national (D) visa yourself at the embassy or its official visa centre. Your residence or work card is issued only after you arrive. The permission is tied to one country and usually one employer. Documents that skip or reverse these steps are suspicious.
- The employer starts it. In Poland, the employer applies electronically for the permit. In Romania, the employer or an authorised agency files on WorkinRomania. In Croatia, the employer goes through the employment service and the police. In Germany, the employer may request a pre-approval. In Portugal, the employer provides a contract of at least 12 months and its company documents. Malta, Italy, Luxembourg, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia also start with the employer (sources below the table).
- You apply for the national visa yourself. Visa fees we've confirmed with official sources: Serbia €52, Croatia €93, Italy €116, Luxembourg €50, Germany ₹8,300 (€75), Romania ₹34,000, and Greece €180 or €75 depending on the visa type. The visa centre adds its own service fee.
- Your card comes after you arrive. In all 11 countries in our guides, the residence or work card is issued after arrival. Before you travel, you hold an approval, an employer's certificate or your visa.
- It's tied to one country. Malta issues permits for one employer and one occupation at a time (Identità FAQ). In Luxembourg you can't change employer in the first six months (Guichet.lu).
- Workers shouldn't pay for the job, in the countries we've checked. Malta says employers can't charge permit or recruitment fees. Romania bans agency and authorised-employer fees to foreign workers. Poland lets agencies recover only actual costs. Serbia says job seekers use agency services free. Luxembourg's Embassy says employers never ask for money. German law for placement agents in Germany allows at most €2,000, only after a contract is signed, with no advances, and apprenticeships (Ausbildung) are always free for the trainee; whether the cap covers agents in India is unclear. In Croatia, placement is free for job seekers when the agency is in Croatia or the EEA. Agencies licensed in Portugal may not charge job seekers, Italian agencies may in principle not charge workers, and in Bulgaria only the employer pays intermediaries. Sources are listed below the table.
What should you have in your country, and what is the one check?
Use the table to find your country. It shows what a worker actually receives before and after travel, the one official check that exists, and the most common red flag. If what you hold doesn't match the "receives" column, stop and ask why. Each country's guide, linked in the last column, explains it in detail.
| Country | What the worker actually receives | The one official check (if any) | Top red flag | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malta | An email link from the Single Permit system after the employer files; then an Approval in Principle (AIP), which isn't a work permit; a residence card after arrival and biometrics | Your application status through the link the Single Permit system emails you (date of birth and passport number) | No email from the Single Permit system, but the agent says your permit is "filed" or "approved" | Malta guide |
| Serbia | A D visa for employment, which lets you start working; then a single permit card in Serbia | No public lookup. Ask the employer for its labour market test ID; the employer in the APR register | A single permit card, or a photo of one, before you've been to Serbia | Serbia guide |
| Portugal | A D1 residence visa based on a contract of at least 12 months; a residence permit from AIMA after arrival | The company's Certidão Permanente, opened with an access code; temporary work agencies in the IEFP register | An agent who offers to book or sell your D1 appointment | Portugal guide |
| Poland | A work permit the employer applies for electronically and passes to you; then a national work visa | Agencies in the KRAZ register. The Embassy says it doesn't verify permits | An "oświadczenie" for an Indian worker: since 1 Dec 2025 only for Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine | Poland guide |
| Romania | The employer's application on WorkinRomania; a D/AM1 or D/AM2 visa; a single permit after arrival | Public register of authorised placement agencies on WorkinRomania | A "check app" or CNP lookup; any fee to the agency | Romania guide |
| Germany | No separate work permit: the right to work is written into the national visa and residence title | The employer in the Handelsregister; contact the employer directly | A stand-alone English "Germany Work Permit" PDF | Germany guide |
| Croatia | Proof of an issued residence and work permit, used to apply for a D visa; a biometric card after arrival | The employer in the court register | A permit card handed over before you travel | Croatia guide |
| Italy | A nulla osta the employer obtains, sent to the consulate; a D visa; a residence permit applied for after arrival | Your protocol number and issue date must match when you book the visa; the employer in the Registro Imprese | Any request to pay the Italian employer: a real nulla osta can hide a fake job | Italy guide |
| Luxembourg | No stand-alone permit: the employer's ADEM certificate; since 1 Oct 2026, a D visa you apply for through VFS; a residence permit after arrival | The employer in Luxembourg Business Registers; ask the Embassy in New Delhi before paying | A "5-day work permit", "job seeker visa" or visa lottery, all called false by the Embassy | Luxembourg guide |
| Greece | The employer's employment authorisation decision, sent to the Greek consular authority in India; a D visa through GVCW; a residence permit after entry | The employer in GEMI; the Embassy must already have your employment papers when you apply | An employer too small to meet the income rule (at least €60,000 gross per worker for a company) | Greece guide |
| Bulgaria | An approval the employer is informed of; a D visa you apply for within 20 days; the single permit card after arrival | After arrival only: the Ministry of Interior's validity check of an issued card (document number and date of birth) | A plastic "single permit" or "Schengen work permit" card before you've travelled | Bulgaria guide |
Rules change. Romania froze one visa route in September 2026, and Luxembourg changed its procedure on 1 October 2026. Each guide shows its own last-checked date.
Official sources for the facts on this page:
- Malta: Single Permit application; Identità FAQ (one employer, no fees charged to employees).
- Serbia: Welcome to Serbia, D visa; Embassy FAQ (€52 fee); free agency services.
- Poland: Embassy of Poland; oświadczenie rule; KRAZ.
- Romania: WorkinRomania; OUG 32/2026; Labour Ministry, 15 Sept 2026; Embassy of Romania (₹34,000 fee).
- Germany: German missions in India (₹8,300 fee); Handelsregister; § 296 SGB III; § 296a SGB III (Ausbildung).
- Croatia: MUP; MVEP, D visa (€93 fee); court register; Labour Market Act (Art. 4(6), free placement).
- Italy: Cliclavoro; Embassy of Italy (€116 fee); Carabinieri, 30 June 2026; d.lgs. 276/2003, Art. 11 (agency fees).
- Portugal: Decree-Law 260/2009, Art. 23 (agency fees).
- Luxembourg: Government, 23 Sept 2026; Embassy, D visa (€50 fee); Embassy, myths; ADEM.
- Greece: Mitos, E.4 authorisation); visa centre, fees.
- Bulgaria: EU Immigration Portal; MLSP ordinance on intermediaries (Art. 4, fees).
Your document doesn't match your country's row? Get it checked →
Can a genuine permit still be part of a scam?
Yes, a genuine permit can still be part of a scam. In June 2026, police in Italy described a network that allegedly obtained genuine nulla osta (work authorisations) for jobs that didn't exist, with workers paying up to €6,500 each. A genuine document doesn't prove a genuine job. That is why the employer check matters as much as the document check.
The Carabinieri's press release of 30 June 2026 describes 29 precautionary measures. The people involved are presumed innocent until a court decides.
What red flags apply in any country?
The red flags below show up across European countries. The most common are a "check by passport number" link, a card or "Schengen work permit" before you travel, an agent who applies for your visa or sells appointments, money paid to the "employer", and details that don't match across documents. One is enough to stop.
- "Check your permit by passport number on our link." We found no such official tool in any of the 11 countries in our guides (Malta's status link only comes by email after the employer files), and look-alike portals exist.
- A card, "biometric permit" or "Schengen work permit" before you've travelled.
- A stand-alone English "work permit certificate" where the country doesn't issue one, as in Germany.
- The agent, not you, applies for your visa or sells appointment slots.
- Money to the "employer" for the job, sponsorship or "contributions".
- "Guaranteed visa", "fast track", "5-day permit" or "job seeker visa for any job".
- Names, passport number, dates or salary that don't match across documents.
- An employer you can't find in the official company register, or one that couldn't plausibly hire you.
- Payments in phases tied to "permit approved" and "visa approved", to personal UPI or bank accounts.
- Your passport kept by the agent "for processing".
- An Indian recruiting agent who isn't registered on eMigrate.
What can you check yourself today?
Five checks on a European work permit can be done today without paying anyone. Confirm you hold the document a genuine route produces, look up the employer in the official company register, contact the employer using details you found yourself, check your Indian agent on eMigrate, and compare names, numbers, dates and salary across every document.
- Find your country in the table and confirm you hold the document a real route produces.
- Look up the employer in the official company register (links in each guide and under the table).
- Contact the employer using contact details you found yourself, not ones from the agent.
- Check that your Indian recruiting agent is registered on the Ministry of External Affairs' eMigrate portal.
- Compare names, passport numbers, dates and salary across every document.
Verify before you pay. Verify your documents →
What should you do if you've already paid an agent?
Stop paying, and don't hand over your passport or more money. Keep every receipt and chat. Report online fraud at cybercrime.gov.in or on the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 (PIB), file a police complaint, and check whether the agent is registered on eMigrate. If you're already abroad, contact the Indian Embassy in that country.
- Stop paying. Don't send your passport or any more money.
- Keep evidence. Receipts, UPI or bank references, chats, documents, and the agent's details.
- Report online fraud on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, cybercrime.gov.in, or call the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 (PIB).
- File a police complaint (FIR) at your local police station.
- Report the recruiting agent. The Ministry of External Affairs says you can lodge a complaint with the office of the Protector General of Emigrants, and that eMigrate shows whether an agent is registered (MEA; eMigrate).
- If you're already abroad, contact the Indian Embassy in that country.
We can't promise that money will be recovered. Acting quickly and keeping evidence gives the police the most to work with.
What if you can't check it yourself?
If the employer doesn't reply, you only have PDFs or screenshots, or your family needs an answer before the next instalment, an independent document check can help you decide. Testiy examines the documents themselves after you've done the official checks above.
Testiy is an independent document check for overseas job offers, work permits and visas, run by ARK Tech & Logistics in Thrissur, Kerala. Testiy is not affiliated with any embassy, VFS Global or immigration agency. An AI scan helps a human expert in Germany find signs of editing, and the expert, not the AI, gives the verdict, often after contacting the employer named in the document. The verdict comes within 24 hours, with a certificate and a public verify link, from ₹1,600 incl. GST.
See who runs the service, pricing and the refund terms.
What the check doesn't do: issue permits or visas, access government systems, verify with embassies, or guarantee a visa.
FAQ
How can I check if a work permit is real or fake?
A work permit is best checked through the order of the process rather than the paper: a real route starts with the employer, you apply for the national visa yourself, and the card comes after you arrive. Confirm the employer in the official company register, contact it directly, and compare every detail across your documents.
Can I verify a European work permit online by passport number?
A European work permit generally can't be verified online by passport number. We found no public lookup by passport number alone in any of the 11 countries in our guides; Malta's status link arrives only by email after the employer files. Check the employer in the official company register and the order of the process instead.
Which countries have a public work permit check?
A public work permit check by passport number alone doesn't exist in any of the 11 countries in our guides. Malta lets workers follow an application through a link emailed after the employer files, and Bulgaria checks the validity of a card already issued. Elsewhere, check the employer in the official company register and the agency where a register exists.
Is there a "Europe" or "Schengen" work permit?
A "Europe" or "Schengen" work permit doesn't exist: work permits and work visas are issued by one country, usually for one employer. An offer of a "Schengen work permit" is a warning sign.
Should I get a work permit card before I travel?
A European residence or work permit card is issued after you arrive, not before you travel, in all 11 countries in our guides. Before travel you hold, depending on the country, an approval, an employer's certificate or your national visa.
Can an agent or employer charge me for a job in Europe?
Charging workers for a job in Europe is restricted in the countries we've checked: Malta forbids employers charging permit or recruitment fees, Romania bans agency fees, Poland limits agencies to actual costs, and Luxembourg's Embassy says employers never ask for money. German law limits placement agents in Germany to at most €2,000, only after a contract is signed, with no advances.
What should I do if I already paid an agent?
An Indian worker who has already paid an agent should stop paying and keep every receipt and chat. Report online fraud on cybercrime.gov.in or the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, file a police complaint, and complain about the recruiting agent to the Ministry of External Affairs' Protector General of Emigrants. If you're already abroad, contact the Indian Embassy.
How does Testiy check a work permit?
Testiy checks a work permit with an AI scan for signs of forgery, followed by a review of the whole file by a human expert in Germany, who often contacts the employer named in the document. You get a written verdict within 24 hours, with prices from ₹1,600 including GST.
Country facts last checked: 8 October 2026 (all 11 country guides; each guide shows its own last-checked date).