🇩🇪 Germany · Startup Visa
Entrepreneur and startup visa programs, investment thresholds, and application criteria.
Germany does not have a separately branded "startup visa", but founders can apply for a residence permit for self-employment / business activity under Section 21 of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz). It is granted where there is an economic interest or regional need and the business is expected to be viable and financed. Make it in Germany sets out the requirements.
- There is no separately branded startup visa; founders use the §21 residence permit for self-employment/business.
- It is granted where there is an economic interest or regional need and the business is viable and financed.
- A solid business plan and proof of financing are central to the assessment.
- Freelancers in liberal professions use the related self-employment permit route.
Official authorities
- Make it in Germany — Visa for self-employment
Official guide to the self-employment/business residence permit.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Federal Government of Germany — Germany's Federal Cabinet official website — policy, legislation, news, and government programs
- Federal Office for Migration (BAMF) — German visas, EU Blue Card, asylum, integration courses, and permanent residency
- Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) — Tax ID (IdNr) registration, tax identification lookup, withholding tax refunds — the key authority for foreign taxpayers in Germany