My business is coaching people online. I am a vegan athlete and I work specifically with fitness training and diet for vegetarians and vegans athletes. I would like to open a business in Germany where I could work as a coach and personal trainer. Is that possible for me being a Brazilian? Currently I am living in Norway and my residence permission expires in July 2018. I really need help with necessary information.
Thank you for your inquiry and your interest in setting up a business in Germany. We will gladly give you more information. www.make-it-in-germany.com provides international professionals with information on working and living in Germany.
As a citizen of Brazil, in order to set up a business in Germany, you will need a residence permit for the purpose of self-employment (“Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Ausübung einer selbständigen Tätigkeit”). As you are not yet living in Germany, you need to apply for a visa for the purpose of self-employed occupation at the competent German Mission in your current country of residence - means in Norway. You will find the local contact here: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/visa/local-contacts
General information on visa process are available on “Make it in Germany”: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/visa
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”) [http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/working/setting-up-a-business-in-germany/visa-for-self-employment#requirements-for-citizens-of-other-states-wishing-to-set-up-a-freelance-business] or set up a business as a self-employed entrepreneur (“Gewerbe”) [http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/working/setting-up-a-business-in-germany/visa-for-self-employment#requirements-for-citizens-of-other-states-wishing-to-set-up-a-self-employed-business]. 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
Once you are in Germany, there are many public information centers, 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 centers 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 are 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 is not good enough yet, you should make sure to take a language course before you set up your business. Some advanced courses have a special focus on the business world: http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/for-qualified-professionals/training-learning/the-german-language
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.
November 2017
