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I will travel to Germany to set up my GmbH this week by holding a business VISA. Then I plan to apply a residence permit to local authority, when I set up my GmbH and apply a settlement permit after three years. It is my understanding there are a couple of considerations as individual assessment from local immigration office, when I apply a settlement permit following three years` residence permit. Moreover, I wonder if a German social security scheme (Health, pension, unemployment, nursing and accident) I should necessarily participate in during the three years before my applying a settlement permit. In another word, is the social security participation necessary for a permit switch from residence to settlement?

Antwort

As a general rule, self-employed persons in Germany do not have to contribute to the social security. They are individually responsible for managing their own social protection against occupational and illness-related risks.

For a change of a residence permit for the purpose of self-employment to a settlement permit, a proof of your health insurance is mandatory.

In addition, you will have to prove that your business is being successful by showing evidence of your business activities during the last three years. Find out which documents are required for a settlement permit here.

For more personal advice on visa issues, you can also contact the hotline “Working and Living in Germany” under the telephone number +49 30 1815 - 1111 (free of charge from inside Germany).

Source: Michaelle Nintcheu
Projekt „Make it in Germany“
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.
August 2017

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