Germany has permits for workers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs — and a discretionary route retirees can use. Here they all are with 2026 numbers, including the parts other sites gloss over.
Figures verified 8 July 2026| Route | Who it's for | Money requirement (2026) | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| §7 residence permit Full guide → | Retirees and the financially independent — Germany's closest thing to a retirement route | No statutory figure. Authorities expect a secure livelihood — in practice roughly €1,200–1,500/month plus housing — and full health insurance | 1-yr permit, renewable → permanent residency possible at 5 yrs (with catches — see guide) |
| §21 freelance / self-employment | Freelancers in liberal professions (§21(5)) and business founders (§21(1)) | Proof you can finance the activity and your living costs; over 45, you must also prove old-age pension provision | Permit up to 3 yrs → settlement permit possible after 3 yrs if the business succeeds |
| EU Blue Card | Degree-holders with a German job offer | Salary ≥ €50,700/year (shortage occupations and IT specialists: €45,934.20) | Settlement permit after 21 months with B1 German (27 months with A1) |
| §18a/b skilled worker | Workers with a recognised qualification and a job offer | Salary sufficient to live on; qualification recognition is the real hurdle | Settlement permit typically at 5 yrs (faster for some categories) |
Consular D visa (€75), then Anmeldung and your Ausländerbehörde appointment in Germany. First permits often run 1–3 years depending on route.
Renew before expiry (€93). Keep livelihood and health insurance provable — the Ausländerbehörde re-checks both every time.
Niederlassungserlaubnis after 5 years — but it normally requires 60 months of German pension contributions plus B1 German. A real hurdle for retirees; Blue Card holders qualify in 21–27 months.
5 years since the June 2024 reform, with dual citizenship allowed. B1 German + civics test. The 3-year fast-track was abolished, effective 30 October 2025.
There's no retirement visa. What the discretionary §7 permit requires, what officers look for, and who it realistically suits.
Read the guide → GuideThe 2024 nationality reform, dual citizenship, the B1 and test requirements — and what the 2025 rollback removed.
Read the guide →Freiberufler vs Gewerbe, the over-45 pension-provision rule, and what Berlin actually asks for.
How Schengen counting works now that EES is live, and ETIAS (expected late 2026, €20).
Appointments, Fiktionsbescheinigung, and what to do when nothing moves.
Thresholds, shortage occupations, and the 21-month settlement track.
Visa applications fail on paperwork details. We'll introduce you to an English-speaking immigration lawyer we've independently vetted — licensed, and experienced with expat cases in Germany.