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Freelancers moving to Germany
Run your own show in Germany, legally and profitably.
Germany has a dedicated residence permit for freelance (Freiberufler) and self-employed (Gewerbetreibende) work. Tax, health insurance, and pension rules are different from employment. Here is what to know.
Read in this order
- MoneyFreelancer life in Germany: Freiberufler vs Gewerbe, visa, and taxes
The self-employment residence permit, the Freiberufler-Gewerbe distinction, health insurance costs, and what Indians actually earn freelancing here.
- ArrivalAnmeldung: registering your address in Germany
The mandatory address registration. How to book it, what to bring, what goes wrong, and how to survive the wait in Berlin and Munich.
- HealthKrankenversicherung: German health insurance, explained
Public vs private, which provider to choose, what it actually costs, and the rules that catch Indians off guard.
- MoneyOpening a bank account in Germany
N26, DKB, Sparkasse, or something else. What you need, what each one actually does, and the trap of debit-first culture.
- MoneySteuererklärung: tax return for Indians in Germany
DTAA, Steuer-ID vs Steuernummer, what to claim, which app to use, and when you actually need a Steuerberater.
Official resources
Immigration and residence
Make it in Germany
Federal government portal for qualified professionals. Visa info, job board, skill recognition, living and working guides. Available in English.
Visit siteBAMF. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
Residence permits, integration courses, asylum, and naturalisation. Official authority for immigration topics.
Visit siteChancenkarte (Opportunity Card)
Official Opportunity Card portal. Points calculator, eligibility check, application steps for the job seeker visa.
Visit siteGerman Missions in India
For applying to Germany from India. Visa appointment booking, categories, and VFS Global partnership info.
Visit siteVFS Global. Germany Visa Applications in India
Official visa application partner. Visa centers in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Pune, and Trivandrum.
Visit siteAnabin (University recognition database)
Official German database for recognising foreign universities and degrees. Essential for Blue Card and Opportunity Card applicants.
Visit siteZAB (Central Office for Foreign Education)
Issues the Statement of Comparability (Zeugnisbewertung) for foreign degrees not listed as H+ in Anabin. Required for many visa paths.
Visit site
Health and insurance
TK (Techniker Krankenkasse)
The largest public health insurer in Germany. English service, solid app, popular with internationals. Sign up online.
Visit siteAOK
Regional public health insurance network (AOK Bayern, AOK Nordost, etc.). Traditional, widely accepted.
Visit siteDoctolib
Doctor and appointment search. Filter by language (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Punjabi speakers exist in most major cities). Online booking.
Visit siteKV-Terminservicestelle
Official service to find specialist appointments if you cannot get one directly. Call 116 117 or book online.
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