Germany Freelance (Freiberufler) Visa — no dedicated nomad visa: Requirements
What you need to qualify for the Germany Freelance (Freiberufler) Visa — no dedicated nomad visa — income, documents, and the fine print that trips people up.
Germany has no dedicated digital nomad visa. Remote workers who base themselves there long-term generally use the Freiberufler (freelance professional) visa, which is built around specific licensed or liberal professions rather than remote work broadly.
The Freiberufler visa is only available for specific professional categories Germany recognizes as "liberal professions" under Section 18 of the German Income Tax Act — writers, journalists, translators, artists, teachers, and consultants, plus most technical and creative fields (IT consultants, software developers, designers) if the work involves genuine creative or scientific problem-solving. It's genuinely not a general remote-work category: work that reads as more commercial (running an e-commerce store, agency ownership) falls under a separate, heavier-requirement route (Gewerbe/Selbstständig) instead.
Requires proof of clients or contracts, sufficient funds, and often a German tax advisor's involvement even at the application stage — this is a more document-heavy process than most purpose-built nomad visas on this site.
- Proof your profession qualifies as a recognized liberal profession under Section 18 EStG — confirm your specific field against the current Katalogberufe list before assuming it applies
- Proof of clients or signed contracts
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Health insurance meeting German requirements
Before you apply
Most routes on this page require proof of health coverage. Compare insurers before you submit anything.
Compare insuranceThis is informational, not advice. Visa, tax, and immigration rules change, and a general guide can't account for your specific situation. Before you act on anything here, confirm current details with the relevant embassy, consulate, or a licensed immigration or tax professional. See our editorial policy for how we verify what we publish.