My father is citizen of the Republic of Serbia and he is interested to open in Germany a bakery (Bäckerei). Please can you tell me about procedure and what supporting documents are needed; how long will the process be to obtain the visa and to open the company (bakery).
Thank you for your request and your interest in setting up a business in Germany. www.make-it-in-germany.com provides international professionals with information on working and living in Germany. Detailed information on setting up a business are as well as specific information for graduates of German universities are also available on “Make it in Germany”.
As a citizen of Serbia, 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”).
If 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 home country. On our “world map” you can find the corresponding local contact. On “Make it in Germany” you can general information on visa process. 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.
If you already live in Germany, you need to clarify if your current residence status enables you to start a business in Germany. Therefore, we strongly recommend you to contact your foreigner’s authority (“Ausländerbehörde”).
For a first personal advice according visa or residence status you may also contact the “Hotline Working and Living in Germany” under the telephone number +49 30 1815 – 1111. The service is provided in German and English and is free of charge.
Please note that special rules apply for craft professions, including the profession “baker”: In order to set up your own business, you will also need a master craftsman’s certificate (“Meisterbrief”) which you can obtain on the basis of an advanced training course. Find out whether this applies for your profession. If you have obtained your professional qualification abroad, you can have its equivalency assessed. This means that if you hold a professional qualification, which is deemed to be equal to a German “Meister” qualification, you can set up your own business in a trade that is subject to authorization. If you hold a professional qualification, which is equivalent to the normal German qualification without the “Meister” title, you can embark on an advanced training course to obtain your “Meister” title. Additional information on how to obtain the “Meister” title can be found in the Guide to “Vocational training in Germany”. For further Information regarding setting up a business in Germany, please visit the Website "Make it in Germany".
We wish you and your father all the best for the future plans.
* 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.
März 2019
