Working remotely from Germany: What are the rules for digital nomads?

In the wake of the Covid pandemic, working remotely has become the new normal. For many people, the traditional office has now been usurped by flexible working arrangements that include days working from home or in a coworking space. 

Looking more closely, however, you'll see that the concept of flexible, remote working is really nothing new. Long before the pandemic, legions of freelancers and remote workers had cottoned on to the fact that all they really needed to carry out their jobs was an internet connection and a laptop - and that travelling the world wasn't something that needed to be reserved for holidays.

This generation of remote workers have become known as digital nomads, and many of them are heading to Germany. 

Is Germany a good place to be a digital nomad?

According to Tara Burgess, a full-time traveller who's written extensively about being a digital nomad in Germany, Germany has numerous attractions for digital nomads. 

Public transport is good, there are numerous interesting cities to choose from, and the cost of living is cheaper than you might expect for one of Europe's major economic powerhouses. 

Though the Internet hasn't quite caught up with the modern world just yet, you'll generally be able to find cafes and coworking spaces with perfectly reliable connections that will enable you to do most types of remote work. And in expat-friendly cities like Berlin, the majority of people speak very good English. 

READ ALSO: 8 reasons expats should try coworking in Germany

Do I need a visa?

That all depends on how long you intend to stay and what residency rights you already have in Germany. If you're lucky enough to have citizenship in another EU country like France or Portugal, you'll automatically have the right to live and work in Germany without applying for any sort of residence permit first.

However, bear in mind that you will have to register at a German address if you plan to stay for longer than three months - and this Anmeldung (registration) is also a prerequisite for setting up things like a German bank account. 

A man works on his laptop in a Berlin café. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Arne Immanuel Bänsch

With citizens of non-EU or so-called 'third' countries, thing get a little more complicated. Many others nations like Australia, Canada, Japan - and now the UK after Brexit - have agreements with the EU that allow their citizens to spend up to 90 days in the Schengen Area without needing a visa. For digital nomads who like to switch location regularly, this 90 days is likely more than enough time to get a taste of living in Germany before moving on to their next location.  

For people from countries without these reciprocal agreements who only want to stay in Germany a short time, a Schengen Tourist Visa or a Business Visa will also allow you to stay for up to 90 days. However, neither of the above options technically allow you to work while living here.

Of course, it's incredibly hard to police whether somebody's doing work on their laptop while in the country, so many digital nomads do slip under the radar, but if you want to keep everything above board, securing a visa is the best option. 

Does Germany have a 'digital nomad' visa? 

Adapting to the changing world of work, a number of countries - including Estonia and Spain - have recently introduced special visas aimed at attracting digital nomads. These visas are designed to make it easy to live in the country while carrying out work for foreign clients, as many freelancers who like to move around do. 

Unfortunately, Germany hasn't tailored its immigration system to this new generation of workers to such an extent. At the moment, there's no specific digital nomad visa available for this type of remote worker - though that doesn't mean there aren't options.

READ ALSO: Berlin named top city worldwide to earn money while travelling

What other kinds of visas are there for digital nomads? 

For self-employed people who want to spend a prolonged stretch of time in Germany, the most obvious choice is a freelance visa. 

This type of visa is aimed at people who work remotely for a number of different clients, but don't necessarily own their own company. The typical image is of freelance graphic designers, coders and writers sitting in slick cafes with glossy laptops, but you can freelance in almost any profession there is. 

In Berlin, there's also a special type of freelance visa known as an artist's visa, which is aimed at freelance musicians, artists and writers in particular and tends to be issued faster than an ordinary freelance visa. 

American artist Adela Andea stands in front of her light installation at an exhibition in Unna, Germany. Freelance artists can apply for a special artist visa if they plan to live in Berlin. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Dieter Menne

To get hold of a freelance or artist visa in Germany, you'll have to prove that you're able to support yourself and contribute to the country financially. This generally involves getting letters of intent from future or current clients stating that they plan to use your services in the coming months. In addition, you'll need to show you have a decent stock of savings in case any of your work falls through - usually around €10,000. 

Crucially, you'll also have to prove that there's a local or regional interest in your work. Put in plain English, this means that if none of your clients are German, you won't be granted a the freelance visa. If you don't have any German clients right now and plan to work as a digital nomad in Germany for a prolonged period, it could be worth making contact with some German firms and seeing if they'd be interested in your services.

With a buzzing international start-up scene in places like Berlin and Cologne, it may not even be necessary to speak brilliant German to win clients - though it certainly helps when dealing with the day-to-day bureaucracy involved in running a freelance business. 

READ ALSO: The complete guide to getting a freelance visa in Germany

What else should digital nomads know?

If your main residence is in Germany and you're carrying out work on German soil, you will generally be expected to declare your freelance income and pay tax in Germany - even if many of your clients are based elsewhere. 

If you're a bit daunted by the task, it can be worth hiring a tax consultant who can help you find out all your tax deductible expenses like coworking spaces and travel.

It's also a requirement of most visas that you have some form of health insurance while living and working here, which can get expensive.

However, if you don't plan to stay for too many years, you can probably find cheaper private options of health insurance for freelancers for the duration of your stay. 

With all the rules involved in staying on the right side of German law, it may seem to defeat the object of the footloose and carefree digital nomad lifestyle. But once you're set up in the country, you'll be part of a vibrant community of remote workers in the heart of Europe - the perfect location from which to see other cultures and tick numerous other European countries off your bucket list.