Residence permit for the purpose of freelance or self-employment - Issuance at the location Foreigners Office (Ausländerbehörde) Berlin, location Friedrich-Krause-Ufer

Residence permit for the purpose of freelance or self-employment - Issuance

Issuance of a residence permit to work as a self-employed or a freelancer

Prerequisites

• Economic interest of the state of Berlin
  A residence permit can be issued to a foreigner for practicing a self-employed occupation if there is an economic interest or a regional need.
• Main residence in Berlin
• A personal interview is required
  The interview should, if possible, take place by appointment.

Documents required

• Valid passport
• 1 current biometric photo
  35mm x 45mm, frontal shot with neutral facial expression and closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, light background
• the form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels" (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit)
  Only required for first-time application
• Company profile
  Not required for freelancers
• Businessplan
  Not required for freelancers
• Business concept
  Not required for freelancers
• Capital requirement plan
  Not required for freelancers
• Financing plan
• Revenue forecast
• Curriculum vitae
  Details of professional career, qualification certificates, diploma, references/sponsors
• Professional permit
  If a permit is required for the freelance occupation, e.g. a license to practice law
• Health insurance
  Proof of a secure livelihood must also include sufficient health insurance. Those with statutory health insurance are sufficiently insured. Those with private health insurance must consider the type and extent of their health insurance. For more information, please read the leaflet "Information on adequate health insurance".
• Lease or proof of home ownership
• Adequate pension plan
  Only if you are above the age of 45:
  
  An offer from a private pension or life insurer must be submitted which guarantees
  
  

  • a monthly pension of 1,188.92 euros after the age of 67 (for at least 12 years)
  • or guarantees an asset amount of 175,068 euros.
  
  

  Alternatively, evidence can also be provided from currently available assets.
  
  Proof of a pension plan is not required for these nationalities: Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the United States of America
  
  Note: An adequate pension is always necessary for the issuance of a permanent residence permit - regardless of age or nationality.
• Proof of main residence in Berlin
  • Certificate of registration at the main residence or
  • lease and written confirmation of occupancy from the landlord

Forms

• Information on adequate health insurance
• the form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, English, French, Italian
• the form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit - in German, Greek, Turkish, Serbo-Croatian
• the form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit - in German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian
• Company profile
• Business concept
• Capital requirement plan
• Financing plan
• Revenue forecast
• Businessplan

Fees

Legal basis

• Section 21 para. 1 or 5 Aufenthaltsgesetz - AufenthG

Average time to process request

More information

• Certificate of registration at the main residence (Meldebestätigung)
• Example: confirmation of occupancy from the landlord
• Niederlassungserlaubnis für Selbständige
• Niederlassungserlaubnis für Freiberufliche