When you are planning to move to Berlin and think about the possibility of obtaining a freelance visa, it is very important to learn requirements and the procedure of obtaining a freelance visa.
Germany is one of the countries that provide special types of visa to the self-employed personages, such as artists and freelance workers, which is why one can easily come to work there as an independent worker.
Is the German Freelancer Visa Suitable to You?
Before you start the application process, you need to determine whether this visa suits your situations and financial preparedness. German authorities normally prefer looking at applicants that are financially independent and who would be willing to pay taxes to the German economy.
e.g. consider:
Financial Stability: Do you have enough to fully sustain yourself in Germany without the need to take up local jobs? You will be required to show you have the required finances to sustain your lifestyle.
Tax Requirements: Are you ready for the German tax regime? By acquiring this visa, you must be willing to pay your dues as far as taxes in Germany are concerned.
Waiting Period: It is possible to have a long time to wait on the approval of the visa, possibly months. In this period, you are usually not allowed to work in Germany but you can extend the usual duration of the Schengen visa.
Support System: A local support system, especially people who speak German, can go a long way towards the simplification of the bureaucratic system and your general adjustment.
Commitment: The task put in requires a great deal of administration. Your interest to go through the bureaucracy will be one of the determining points to succeed.
The Process To Acquire a German Freelancer Visa
The application process consists of a number of essential steps, the main of which is connected to the German administrative offices.
1. Anmeldung make a register of where you live
The first thing you have to do when you come to Berlin is to find accommodation and register it in the authority of Bürgeramt (Citizens Office).
This office is quite like a local registry. Ensuring to make an appointment early is recommended since waiting times may take long due to the demand which is high.
Note: Since November 2015 you also must have a landlord signed form (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) in addition to your lease agreement which proves that you have permission to live at that address.
It implies that you require a valid long term lease. Most of the new residents have to struggle in getting a lease of their own without even having a visa or a financial record.
The same problem is often solved by finding a “WG” (Wohngemeinschaft or shared flat) and entering into an existing lease. Facebook groups and specifically created websites dealing with flatshare can also be an apt resource.
After doing the registration, you will be equipped with a stamped document known as Anmeldung that will be necessary in the future dealings.
2. Make a Visit at the Auslaenderbehoerde
You will make your visa application at the auslanderbehorde (Foreigners Office).
The reservations may also require a number of weeks. Although other people have been able to access it successfully through the process of getting there with no appointment, it is always advisable to make advance planning so as not to wait longer.
3. German Bank account
In order to prove that you are financially stable, you will need a German bank account. Any branch of major banks is applicable to help you.
Now you need to bring your Anmeldung and passport. In case you need the employee of the bank to address you in English you may have to make a separate appointment.
4. Safe medical Insurance
It is required that people have proper health insurance to obtain and keep a visa in Germany. Ordinary travel insurance policies are normally not enough. You will have to have comprehensive health insurance that is based on the German requirements.
5. Get Your Papers in order
This is the crucial step, because you have to demonstrate your financial and professional viability sufficiently.
The idea is just to show that you will be self-sufficient and by doing so, you will help the German economy. The better your chances will be, the higher the documentation of stable income and savings.
The following is a list of general documents normally required but details may depend upon your profession (e.g. artists are likely to need a portfolio):
- Paper of income / work:
Portfolio of Work: In case your job falls in this category (i.e. artists, photographers, writers), showing what you have done in the past and how you make money out of it.
- Future Contracts:
They are essential in providing consistent income. Contracting with German companies may be useful although not always necessary.
- Business Plan and Revenue Forecast:
An account of how you intend to conduct your freelance business and a projection of the amount that you are set to earn. These are in many cases found online, or by visiting official websites of the German government.
- Profit and Loss Statements:
These may be prepared by an accountant though in this case the local accountant would be the desirable.
- Licenses Requirements:
Licenses you may need in a specific profession.
- Professional and Educational experience:
Provider of Your Highest degree/diploma: e.g. a Bachelor Degree.
- CV (Curriculum Vitae) and Cover Letter:
Description of your professional experience and the reason for your stay.
- Bank Statement:
This should give an account of the financial history, preferably one year statements of your home country, and also a proof of existence of your bank account in Germany. This shows that you have financial resources.
Identification and Application Forms:
- Application Form Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels:
The official application form of a first time applicant of a residence permit.
- Biometric Passport Photos:
The Applicant needs to have two recent biometric photographs. I would suggest that there usually are these photo booths at Auslanderbehorde.
- Passport:
Your passport, which should be a valid one.
Supporting Documents:
- Recommendation Letters: Letters of recommendation: any letters of recommendation are welcome.
- Organization: All your documents should be well enveloped in a binder with clear plastic paper and it is greatly encouraged.
- German Speaker: In case you do not speak German that well, it is of great help to have a German-speaking friend for the appointment or an interpreter.
6. Await Decision
Once your application is done you will be put under waiting time. In the meantime you may be given a Fiktionsbescheinigung, an extension of legal residency in Germany giving your visa time to go through. Nonetheless, it is a document that allows you to work as a rule.
It can take some time before a visa comes. After being granted, you should immediately apply your VAT tax ID in the event of intending to invoice customers in Germany.
The process is rather bureaucratic, but having a German freelance visa gives one a chance to live and work freely in the country with a strong economy and high living standards.
Disclaimer:
The information provided is on the general guideline and experiences. The requirements on the visas are subject to change and personal situations differ. The best guidance and advice on matters involving visa applications can always be done by consulting the official sources of the German government or hiring legal experts.
