Germany Self-Employment Visa

1. Residence permit36 months
2. Renewrenewable
3. Permanent residencyafter 3 years
4. Citizenshipafter 5 years

• Permanent residency 3 years
• Citizenship 5 years
• Dual citizenship allowed
• Language required for citizenship B1

Country

Germany

Program

Germany Self-Employment Visa

Local name

Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Ausübung einer selbständigen Tätigkeit

Type

Entrepreneur

Status

Active

Initial duration

36 months

Renewable

Yes

Residence permit for non-EU nationals starting a commercial business in Germany under section 21(1) of the Residence Act. The authorities must find an economic interest or a regional need, expect a positive effect on the economy, and see the plan financed by equity or a loan commitment. There is no statutory investment minimum.

Tax regime

Worldwide

Regime name

Progressive income tax 0-45%

Foreign income taxed

Yes

Capital gains taxed

Yes

Method

in person

Processing time

60–120 days

Apply from abroad

Yes

Liberal professions use the separate freelance permit under section 21(5), which does not get the three-year settlement shortcut below. For this commercial permit the authority weighs the business plan, the applicant's entrepreneurial experience, the capital employed, the effect on jobs and training, and the contribution to innovation and research. Competent chambers and licensing bodies must be consulted. None of those tests states an investment sum, a job quota or an income floor. Older administrative capital thresholds are not in the current Act. The permit is issued for at most three years. The federal portal says it can be extended when the business covers the household. After three years of successful self-employment, a settlement permit is available without the full section 9 catalogue, if the activity is expected to continue, livelihood including dependent family members is secured, and there is no public-security bar. That settlement permit costs €124. It does not require B1 German. Naturalisation is a separate five-year route, with B1 German and the citizenship test. The three-year special-integration citizenship route was repealed with effect from 30 October 2025. Multiple citizenship is allowed. Graduates of a German higher-education institution, and researchers or scientists who already hold a listed residence title, are normally granted this same permit under section 21(2a) when the planned activity relates to that study or research. Section 21(2b) is not this permit: it is a scholarship-backed preparation stay of at most 18 months for a skilled worker founding a company. Fees, family, visa path and tax match the freelance permit. The adult residence permit costs €100, about $112 at the ECB rate of 1.1186 dollars per euro on 8 October 2026, and a minor pays €50. A national visa, where required, is a further €75. Applicants older than 45 need adequate pension provision; the Act states no euro amount. The title expires after more than six months abroad. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need it. The same eight visa-free nationalities may apply in Germany within 90 days. A spouse and minor children can join, and the usual pre-entry German tests are waived while the sponsor holds a section 21 permit. Tax residence follows a German dwelling or a stay of more than six months. Worldwide income is then taxed on the 2026 tariff: 0% up to €12,348, 42% from €69,879 and 45% from €277,826. Capital income is generally taxed at 25%.

• Freiberufler Visadigital nomad visa

1. Oct 10, 2026

   Added

   added the commercial self-employment permit under section 21(1), previously mixed into the Freiberufler record; three-year grant and settlement after three years, with no statutory income or investment floor Source