How the 90/180 rule applies here
If you are visa-exempt, you can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The limit applies to the Schengen Area as a whole, not to Germany: days spent in France or Austria count towards the same 90-day limit.
- The 180 days are a moving window, not a calendar period. For any given date, count back 180 days, including that date, add up the days you spent in the area, and the total must never exceed 90.
- The day you arrive and the day you leave both count as full days, even if you are only there for a few hours.
- Crossing from Germany into another Schengen country changes nothing: the days are part of the same shared count.
- Only the passage of time restores your allowance. The European Commission states it plainly: an uninterrupted absence of 90 days gives you a fresh 90 days.
Staying longer than 90 days
For stays beyond 90 days you need a national visa, applied for before you travel at the German mission responsible for your place of residence. Germany designs these routes for people who will work there, and the two people ask about most differ above all in one respect: whether you already have the work lined up.
Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
For looking for a job in Germany. You qualify either with a foreign qualification recognised as fully equivalent, or through a points system: a degree or a vocational qualification of at least two years, German at A1 or English at B2, and at least 6 points for things like experience, age and ties to Germany. It is issued for up to one year, and while you search you may work up to 20 hours a week, including trial work.
Money: at least €1,091 a month for the whole stay — €13,092 for a year — usually shown with a German blocked account, according to the German embassy's April 2026 checklist.
Residence permit for self-employment or freelancing (Section 21 Residence Act)
For running your own business or working as a freelancer. Liberal professions such as doctors, interpreters, artists, writers and architects face less strict conditions; other businesses must show that their financing is secured and that they will benefit the regional economy. Over 45, you also need to show adequate provision for old age. The permit is issued for up to three years at first.
Money: there is no fixed amount. You must show that your activity is financed and, for a business, submit a business plan that the authorities assess.
The mistake worth avoiding
Treating the Opportunity Card as a way to live in Germany while keeping a job abroad. It is a job-search permit: its purpose is finding work in Germany, and any work while you look is capped at 20 hours a week. Germany has no digital nomad visa, so if you plan to work remotely full time, ask the German mission which route fits before you apply.
Common questions
Do days spent in other Schengen countries count against my time in Germany?
Yes. There is no separate German allowance; there is one Schengen allowance. A week in Vienna and a week in Berlin count towards the same 90-day limit.
Does leaving and coming back reset the count?
No. Only the passage of time does. Each day drops out of the 180-day window 180 days after you spent it, and an uninterrupted absence of 90 days restores a full 90-day stay.
Does a German residence permit change how the rule applies to me?
Once you hold one, your stay in Germany is governed by that permit rather than by the 90/180 rule. Travel to other Schengen countries is still subject to limits, so check the terms of your permit before planning long trips elsewhere.
Check it at the source
Immigration rules change, and the financial thresholds change most often of all. These are the official pages this guide is based on.
Count your Schengen days
Open the Schengen 90/180 calculatorThis guide is a planning aid, not legal advice. The final decision on entry and length of stay rests with the border officer or the consulate. Confirm the rules with the official sources above before you travel.