Investors Guide to Nuremberg – Entry and work   

General freedom of trade exists in Germany and foreign investors are accordingly not subject to any special conditions. Foreigners making investments or setting up companies are governed by the same regulations as native citizens of Germany.There is, however, one major exception: Before a foreigner may commence business in the Federal Republic of Germany, he must obtain a residence permit for the specific self-employment. The application must specifically mention the fact that the applicant intends to engage in entrepreneurial activity in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The requirements you must fulfill to obtain the appropriate residence permit depend primarily on your nationality. The entry and residence regulations applicable in Germany differ according to your country of origin. Please obtain information about the current entry regulations for your country on the Internet site of the German Foreign Office.

EU citizens and citizens of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland may enter, live and work in Germany. They are only required to register with the responsible registration offices in the same way as native citizens of Germany.

EU citizens generally do not need a visa for entry to Germany. EU citizens are basically entitled to free movement of labor and may also work in Germany if desired. However, temporary regulations apply to citizens of the countries admitted to the EU on 1 May 2004 (except Cyprus and Malta) and 1 January 2007.

Citizens of these countries (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary) may only commence work in Germany if they are in possession of an EU work permit. This is to be requested direct from the employment agency responsible for the intended place of work. They are also required to register with the responsible registration offices in the same way as native citizens of Germany.

Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the United States of America can also obtain the necessary residence permit from the responsible immigration office in Germany after entry. Please note that the intended employment cannot be commenced until the relevant residence permit has been granted.

All other foreign citizens require a visa for staying in Germany. For visits of up to 3 months per half year, citizens of states for which the European Community has abolished the visa requirement do not need a visa. A list of countries for which a visa is required is available on the Internet site of the German Foreign Office.

All other foreign citizens must apply for a suitable visa from the German consulate/embassy responsible for their place of residence before entering Germany. A processing period of several months should be allowed for granting a visa that allows the applicant to work in Germany (employed or self-employed).

Access to the labor market is limited in principle to certain occupational groups and requires the prior approval of the labor administration.

Special regulations apply to highly qualified persons, e.g. scientists and specialists, whose relocation is simplified by the Immigration Act (current minimum salary of 84,600 euros). For the first time, German immigration law contains explicit regulations that allow foreigners from third countries to settle as self-employed persons in Germany. A requirement for this is an overriding economic interest or a special regional need, a positive impact of the activity on the economy and assured financing. These requirements are usually fulfilled if at least 500,000 euros are to be invested and five jobs created.

The application for a residence permit for the Federal Republic of Germany must be submitted to the German consulate in the country in which the foreigner has his place of residence.