Digital Nomad Visa to Germany

The issue of relocation is relevant for the self-employed, entrepreneurs and people of different professions. There is no separate visa for digital nomads here, but the authorities offer alternative types to migrant workers. Depending on their occupation and goals, they have a chance to choose the appropriate category.

Foreigners with professional and secondary education can work as a freelancer under the German freelance visa (Freiberufler). Self-employed, individual entrepreneurs receive the Self-employment (Selbständiger) category upon arrival. Permits are equivalent to a residence permit. They are issued for 1-3 years without reference to the amount of earnings if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Features of the Digital Nomad visa in Germany

The difference in obtaining two types of residences is in the program requirements. A freelance visa is issued in accordance with §21, paragraph 5 of the Law on Stay. The type is suitable for applicants with different education. These are IT specialists, doctors, teachers, architects, financiers and other specialists from the list of liberal professions. But a residence permit is opened on condition that qualifications and experience can have a positive impact on the economy, culture, and education of Germans.

In 2022, new amendments expanded the list of nominations and changed the financial requirements for obtaining a Blue Card. Freelancers have the right to cooperate with companies without signing work contracts. The activity does not provide for benefits, sick leave, or participation in insurance programs.

Selbständiger und freiberufliche Tätigkeiten is an option for executives of companies with professional education, entrepreneurs, students receiving scholarships from business/ state fund. Foreign applicants are given resident cards for 1-3 years after studying the business plan to open a startup. First of all, projects are approved for viability, capital investments, and their contribution to the regional economy is evaluated.

In 2022, the Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht law was adopted. According to Section 104, foreigners who have been living in the country for 5 years and comply with the basic law of Grundgesetz receive a permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) for another 18 months. During this time, a new residence permit must be issued, otherwise deportation is threatened (§§25a and 25b).

Important! 

The requirements do not apply to graduates of German universities and specialists with European diplomas, scientists, researchers. 

It is enough for candidates with expert knowledge to be in a university or academic community. When applying to a company with high salaries, representatives of these categories receive Blue Cards and benefits in a simplified manner for 27 months.

Along with the Digital Nomad visa, Germany offers various visa programs for legalizing residence and employment. Study the detailed guide on German visas in order to make an informed choice and, if necessary, use the help of specialists.

What is the difference from a regular residence permit

Residences in Germany are issued as standard for 4 years for study, work, family reunification, and marriage. In the process, relocators can change the grounds, places of work, taking into account the restrictions under paragraph of the law, take mortgages to buy a home, claim rights. After 5 years, the resident's card (AE) opens the way to permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis).

Participants in the German freelance visa and Selbständiger programs are granted statuses based on eligibility conditions and circumstances. The difference lies in the limitation of the period of stay (3 years), the inability to change the type of activity, the need to prove to businessmen and entrepreneurs the success of projects and increase annual profits.

There is an additional condition for candidates 45+ 

They must prove that they are not going to apply for a pension in the future. 

They must also have private insurance, business assets worth 216,481 €, income from real estate or other sources.

Taxes

Income is calculated for permanent and temporary residents, but interest rates are set by municipalities. They are charged from salaries, businesses, entrepreneurial activities, assets, and rental housing. There are 6 tax classes in the country, graded by annual income. The relocators independently report on earnings, submit declarations in digital format within the specified time frame.

They pay interest on freelancing and entrepreneurship on a progressive scale. Personal income tax is accrued on incomes from 9,700-57,900 € up to 14 %. If the annual profit is less than 9,699 €, no interest is charged. The fiscal authority calculates VAT based on the specifics of the activity, the size of the profit at the start. Independent contractors pay 7-19 %. If in the first year the income of the self-employed is 20,000 €, and the next year it has doubled, they are entered into the register of small businesses and exempt from VAT.

Conditions for obtaining a freelancer visa

It is important for applicants for a residence to realistically assess the possibilities. Only a few people can open companies or launch startups in Germany. According to statistics, only 1,000 migrants a year apply for a residence permit for the self-employed. This is because Germans are only interested in expats who have proven their ability to create competitive businesses, jobs and receive large amounts of capital.

Programmers, engineers, and other specialists have more chances for successful relocation. You only need to confirm your qualifications in the Anabin database through ZAB (Department of Foreign Education), which includes world universities. A document with information about the university marked H+ is sufficient for the consulate.

In 94 %, diplomas at ZAB are recognized at least partially. Applicants confirm their professional education on the anerkennung-in-deutschland website. Musicians, writers, artists and representatives of other creative professions have enough published books, painted paintings or awards.

General requirements for opening a visa:

• evidence of attachment to one type of activity;
• confirmation of education and relevant experience;
• business model with information about the business concept; 
• a plan for financing the project with personal or borrowed funds; 
• client contracts from 6 months with Germans or correspondence with potential customers who are ready to cooperate.

Sole proprietors' business projects are approved by the Ausländeramt – the Office for Immigrants or the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the self-employed registration authority (Gewerbemeldestelle).

Moving with your family

There are not many chances for third-country nationals to be legalized in Europe, and you should not miss the opportunity to immigrate with your family. For children and spouses, the Germans open visas for reunification on the basis of the residence permit of the main applicant, a marriage document, and metrics for children.

In March 2024, high-income migrants were still allowed to transport poor or sick parents. Heads of families are required to have deposits and earn enough to avoid receiving benefits from the Jobcenter or social assistance (Sozialamt).

One applicant needs € 11,850 for a year plus 6,070 € for the second spouse. 4,700 € is required for each child from 6 to 14 years old. A family of 4 people needs about 37,000 € in total to move. Relatives come to Germany on long-term visas and apply for a residence permit in Ausländerbehörde.

Required documents

To apply for visas, the German authorities, depending on the type of activity, require different packages from candidates. The papers must first be translated into German and notarized. Marriage and birth certificates are apostilled. Basic dossier:

• questionnaire; 
• a general passport and scans of information pages;
• biometric photos;
• resume and biography;
• motivation letter;
• address of residence and confirmation of settlement of the landlord from the mayor's office (Einstermeldeamt);
• medical insurance for 30,000 €;
• diploma of higher/ professional education;
• document of recognition of education marked H+; 
• a pension plan for applicants 45+;
• a financial balance with an account balance of 12,000 €, a cash flow statement; 
• a receipt for payment of the fee.

Applicants for an entrepreneurial type of visa are required to additionally submit statements on the receipt of funds from clients, plans with earnings forecasts and confirm the fulfillment of contracts. According to Parts 1 and 2a, Article 21 of the Law on Residence, the self-employed submit audit reports with round stamps prepared by a tax consultant. The dossier is accompanied by 3 LOI letters from German legal entities with reviews of completed works.

To confirm income, you need a bank statement from an unauthorized bank. Following the example of compatriots, you can register a business in Georgia or Serbia and get a financial document without any problems.

Step-by-step action plan

Registration begins in the country of residence and consists of 2 key stages. Applicants first open long-term visas at the German Embassy. Category D allows you to enter the territory of a European state for 6 months and obtain a residence permit on the spot. To do this, you need to:

1. Rent an apartment and sign a lease agreement.
2. Register the address at the local city office of the Burgeramt.
3. Visit the Fiscal Service (Finanzamt) and get the status of a tax resident.
4. Open an account at a local bank.
5. Purchase a medical policy from trusted insurance agents on the Visit World portal at the link.
6. Take the dossier to the Ausländerbehörde – the Office for Foreigners or the Foreign Office.
7. Wait for the resident card. 

The time for consideration of the application at the consulate is from 4 months. The waiting period for a resident card in Germany is 12 weeks. In the medium term, obtaining temporary status takes six months.

Qualified specialists who meet the eligibility criteria are refused in exceptional cases. More often, folders are returned to the self-employed if they do not see the obvious benefits of the project for Germany. You can submit it again by paying the fee again. After another refusal, expats have the right to file complaints by attaching letters of explanation.

Applicants pay 80 € for a visa at the embassy. Another 220 € for a residence permit card, 100 € for an extension and 400 € for a medical policy. You can pay in cash at banks and by card.

Since October 2023, the Berlin Office for Foreigners has not accepted the dossier for a freelance residence permit from applicants with Schengen visas. All those who submitted documents received refusals, even shortly before the innovation.

What should I do after getting a visa?

Freelancers and the self-employed are first given permits for 3 months. During this period, they must convert them into residences, receive cards with embedded integrated circuits and biometric data for a year. They are accompanied by Zusatzblatt sheets, which indicate the legal grounds, type of activity and restrictions.

A month before the deadline, applicants re-submit documents with reports. The residences of sole proprietors and businessmen are not extended if the profit for the reporting period is below the minimum threshold specified in the law. Blue Cards are issued to specialists with high incomes. With knowledge of German at the b1 level, the relocants receive permanent residence after 27 months.

Advantages and disadvantages of the program

The visa project allows you to work in various industries, ranging from digital technology to media. Relocators are attracted by high salaries and living standards, lack of strict income requirements, and the ability to transport families. Two or more sole proprietors have the right to open a partner company and pay income tax only from net profit. The disadvantages of the program are considered to be tied to the field of activity, the need to choose a specialty from a list of professions, and bureaucracy.

Those who are not satisfied with the program requirements can go to sunny Croatia on condition of monthly income from 2,870 €. An alternative option is Turkey. Expats with incomes of over $3,000 working for foreign companies are welcome there. AT's priority is freelancers, entrepreneurs, and startups. The authorities of these countries have created social and tax benefits for migrant workers and families.

Frequently Asked Questions