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Frage

I was an international student in Germany. I have just finished my studies. I would like to run a business for myself doing export and import in Germany. Can you help me from where I should start and how to start?

Antwort

As a graduate of a Germany university, you can either work as a freelancer /independent profession (“Freiberufler”) or set up a business as a self-employed entrepreneur (“Gewerbe”). Being self-employed or independet makes a difference with regard to certain formalities and also has an impact in your company’s legal structure. Your local tax office will decide whether your profession is considered “freiberuflich” or “gewerblich”, once you register your business at the latest four weeks after you started your activities. Here you will find out more about the two different ways of setting up a business: www.make-it-in-germany.com. You will find an outline of the independent professions here: www.frankfurt-main.ihk.de.

As citizen of the EU the freedom of establishment applies for you. That means that you do not require a visa or residence permit to set up a business in Germany.

If you are a non-EU citizen, in order to set up your own business you need a residence permit allowing you to exercise a self-employed activity (“selbständige Tätigkeit”). You can apply for this to your local foreign nationals' registration office. We recommend that you ask which documents you need to bring with you before submitting your application. If you are planning to set up is related to what you learned during your studies, you will usually be granted a residence permit. Once you have set up your business, you must register it with your local trade office (“Gewerbeamt”). Initially, the residence permit entitling you to self-employment is temporary. If your business idea is successful and you are able to support yourself and your family, there will be no problem about getting your residence permit extended. After just three years, you are entitled to a permanent residence permit which entitles you to stay in Germany for an unlimited period. More about the requirements to set up a self-employed business you will find on “Make it in Germany” (www.make-it-in-germany.com).

If you want to be self-employed in one of the independent professions (“freiberuflich”), apply for a residence permit that will allow you to exercise this kind of activity. To do so, you will usually need to supply your CV, your final examination diploma, a description of the activity you intend to take up and a financial plan. We recommend that you ask your local foreign residents’ registration office which additional documents you need to submit. Initially, the residence permit entitling you to work as an independent professional is temporary. If your business idea is successful and you are able to support yourself and your family, there will be no problem about getting your residence permit extended. If you work as an independent professional, you do not have to register with the trade office (“Gewerbeamt”). However, you do have to register your activity with the tax office (“Finanzamt”). More about requirements to set up a freelance business you will find on “Make it in Germany”: www.make-it-in-germany.com.

For information on advisory services for entrepreneurs please visit the Website "Make it in Germany": www.make-it-in-germany.com

We hope you will find the information helpful.
We wish you all the best.

Source: Justina Alichniewicz
Projekt „Make it in Germany“
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.
Oktober 2016