I am writing you in order to ask whether you could provide some information on start-up visa. We are a developing blockchain business platform and we consider Germany to be an innovation-friendly country, so we would like to locate our business here. What are requirements to register a start-up in Germany?
Thank you for your inquiry and your interest in setting up a business in Germany.
If you are a not an EU-citizen, you will need a residence permit allowing you to exercise a self-employed activity (“selbständige Tätigkeit”) in order to set up your own business in Germany. You can apply for this at the competent German Mission in your current country of residence. You will find the local contact here: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/visa/local-contacts. More information on visa process is available on “Make it in Germany”: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/visa/local-contacts
Please note that there a several criteria which need to be fulfilled in order to obtain the residence permit for the purpose of self-employment. This depends on whether you work as a freelancer (“Freiberufler”) or set up a business as a self-employed entrepreneur (“Gewerbe”). Being self-employed or a freelancer makes a difference with regard to certain formalities and also has an impact in your company’s legal structure. Here you will find out more about the two different ways of setting up a business: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/working/setting-up-a-business-in-germany/ways-of-setting-up-your-business. For further questions regarding the visa process please contact the German Mission in your country of residence - especially for questions concerning the required documents. You will find the local contact here: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/visa/local-contacts
There are many ways of setting up your business. You can set up a business by yourself, do it in a team up with others or acquire an existing company. Here you will find first information on the different forms of setting up a business: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/working/setting-up-a-business-in-germany/ways-of-setting-up-your-business. Depending on your business idea you may fulfil different requirement (in terms of professional qualifications, personal qualities and language skills): http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/working/setting-up-a-business-in-germany/requirements-for-an-own-business#do-i-need-certain-professional-qualifications
Once you are in Germany: there are many public information centres which will advise you as you set up your own business. On the Startup Portal, under “advice and information”, you will find the contact information of regional and national information centres for entrepreneurs with a migrant background: https://www.existenzgruender.de/DE/Service/Beratung-Adressen/Linksammlung/Gruender-innen-Migrationshintergrund/inhalt.html. A general contact list is available on the Startup Portal: http://www.existenzgruender.de/DE/Weg-in-die-Selbstaendigkeit/Entscheidung/Beratung/Beratung-finden/inhalt.htm. Step by step information regarding setting up a business in Germany is available on the website "Make it in Germany”: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/working/setting-up-a-business-in-Germany
Keep in mind, as you are operating in Germany, a good knowledge of German never hurts. Even as you prepare your business, you will find that many official documents are available in German only. If your German isn’t good enough yet, you should make sure to take a language course before you set up your business: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/training-learning/the-german-language. Some advanced courses have a special focus on the business world.
We wish you all the best.
* 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 resp. residence permits. For further questions, please contact directly the respective authority.
Source: Justina Alichniewicz
Projekt „Make it in Germany“
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.
Mai 2017
