Antwort
Thank you for your inquiry and your interest in setting up a business in Germany. Make it in Germany provides international professionals with information on working and living in Germany.
As an accompanying family member of a Blue Card Holder you are granted a residence permit entitling you an unrestricted right to take up an employment in Germany. This also includes setting up a business.
If you would like to open a restaurant with a partner from abroad (India), she or he will need a residence permit that allows her/him to exercise a self-employed activity (“selbstständige Tätigkeit”) in Germany. Usually, this is a residence permit according to § 21 Immigration Law (“AufenthG”) or a permanent settlement permit.
If your partner is not yet living in Germany, she/he first needs to apply for a visa for the purpose of self-employed occupation at the competent German mission in the home country. She/he can find the corresponding local contact on “world map”.
Please note that due to the current pandemic German authorities and public institutions may only be accessible to a limited extent. Special regulations on entry and residence may apply and might change on short notice.
Generally, to apply for a visa it is necessary to meet general criteria and the following additional requirements, which should ideally be covered convincingly in a business plan:
- There is commercial interest or regional demand for your products or services.
- The business activity is likely to have a positive impact on the economy.
- You have secured financing for your business by way of capital or a loan commitment.
Please learn more about visa for self-employed business in the following section.
General information on visa processes are also available on “Make it in Germany”.
For personal advice regarding visa issues, you can also contact the “Hotline Working and Living in Germany” under the telephone number +49 30 1815 – 1111.
Moreover, to work as a self-employed professional the same conditions apply as for Germans. Please find out about these regulations here.
Keep in mind, as you are operating in Germany, a good command of the German language is important. When preparing to set up your business, you will learn that many official documents are available in German only. If your German is not good enough yet, you should take a language course before you set up your business. Some advanced courses focus business German.
For further Information regarding setting up a business in Germany, please visit the Website "Make it in Germany".
We wish you all the best for your future plans.
* Please note:
The information presented here is a general service offering. Only the German missions and the foreigners’ authorities are responsible for the issuance of visa and residence permits. For further questions, please contact directly the respective authority.
Reference: Justina Godesberg
Projekt „Make it in Germany“
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.
Juni 2020
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