Moving to Berlin as a Freelancer
Freelance opportunities are extremely commonplace in the Berlin job market. Openings are continually springing up across all sectors in the German capital with lots of international freelancers drawn to the flexibility and autonomy of self-employment.
But getting established as a freelancer in Berlin can be complicated. Along with the checklist below, we also recommend that you read the following guides before starting your set up as a freelancer in Berlin:
Freelance Visa
You will first need a Freelance Visa in order to start working in Berlin as a freelance professional. Once obtained, the visa permits you to live and work in Germany in your chosen freelance field for up to 3 years (after which it can be renewed).
To help you with your Freelance Visa application, we have put together a detailed visa guide:
If you instead plan to apply for a Freelance Visa overseas before arriving in Berlin, contact your local German embassy/consulate for application instructions as these can vary considerably.
Health Insurance
Health insurance is mandatory for everyone living in Germany, including for freelancers. You also need suitable insurance to apply for a Freelance Visa for Germany.
For freelancers in Germany, health insurance can be complicated. As a starting point, we recommend getting in touch with Feather – they are a well-rated, English-speaking insurance broker that can lay out your options and sign you up for a suitable policy completely free of charge.
To read more about insurance for freelancers in Germany, see our German health insurance guide.
Accommodation
Like any other newcomer to Berlin, you will of course need a place to live on arrival. However, finding suitable long-term accommodation can be challenging.
To get you started, a great option is to book a short-term, furnished apartment with Smartments. They have 3 Berlin locations in Prenzlauer Berg, Karlshorst and City-West, and offer address registration (Anmeldung) with just a 14-night booking.
Note: Whichever accommodation you opt for on arrival in Berlin, it is essential that you can complete your address registration (Anmeldung) at the address. Without Anmeldung, your relocation will hit a major roadblock and you will be unable to complete most administrative tasks in Berlin.
For further tips on finding an apartment in Berlin and registering at an address, see our Berlin Apartment Hunting Guide.
Banking
On arrival in a new country, it is essential that you can easily access your money while steering clear of costly bank fees, poor exchange rates and slow international transfers. You will also want a bank where you can easily receive euros from your freelance German clients.
For freelancers in Germany, our favourite choice for this is a Wise borderless account. Through Wise, you can manage 40 currencies in your account and transfer between them in seconds, a valuable service for newcomers in Germany.
For alternative options, see our Banking Guide for Germany.
Personal Liability Insurance
While it is an ‘optional’ insurance, the majority of residents in Germany consider personal liability insurance to be a necessity. And for good reason. In Germany, accidents and mishaps can result in severe financial consequences in the event you cause injury or damage to a third party.
For under €5 a month, you can get the liability cover you need from GETSAFE, a reliable and expat-friendly insurance provider.
To find out more about the importance of personal liability insurance in Germany, see here.
Freelance Tax Number
To work as a freelancer in Germany, you require a freelance tax number (Steuernummer) to be able to invoice clients, etc.
When it comes to applying for your Freelance Tax Number, we recommend doing this through Sorted. They offer a free service for applying for a freelance tax number, which will arrive at your registered address in around 3-6 weeks.
Sorted also provides software for managing your freelance business, including assisting you with submitting tax returns to the tax office (Finanzamt). We have recently put together a blog post about how Sorted can assist you with your freelance tax affairs that may be of interest.