FAQ
Common questions.
Which countries have a freelance visa?
31 countries in our list: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
Which freelance visas set a money figure?
In our list: Austria (EUR 1,308.39 a month), Czechia (CZK 156,500 in savings), Estonia (EUR 16,000 invested), Finland (EUR 15,000 a year), France (EUR 1,867.02 a month), Italy (EUR 8,500 a year), Latvia (EUR 3,630 a month), Netherlands (EUR 1,766.77 a month), Poland (PLN 1,010 a month), Portugal (EUR 920 a month), Sweden (SEK 200,000 in savings) and United Arab Emirates (AED 360,000 a year). The others ask for enough money to live on, without a set figure.
Which one lets you stay the longest?
Estonia and United Arab Emirates: up to 5 years at first. Many others can be renewed. Each country page shows the rule.
Do EU citizens need a freelance visa in Europe?
No. Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland can live and work for themselves in each other's countries under free movement rules. They may need to register after 3 months. The EU and EEA permits here (22 in our list) are for everyone else.
Is this every freelance visa?
It is every scheme we could check on an official government page. If we cannot find the facts on an official page, we leave the country out. Rules and amounts change, so check the official page before you apply.
Sources
Every fact comes from the host country's official government page. Exchange rates come from the European Central Bank.
- Albania: Unique permit for self-employed persons (leje unike si i vetëpunësuar) (asp.gov.al)
- Armenia: Temporary residence status on the basis of entrepreneurial activity (hartak.am)
- Austria: Stay permit - Self-employed person (Aufenthaltsbewilligung - Selbständiger) (oesterreich.gv.at)
- Belgium: Professional card for self-employed foreign nationals (economy-employment.brussels)
- Bulgaria: Permit to work as a freelancer (свободна практика) (az.government.bg)
- Costa Rica: Special category: self-employed worker in a specific occupation (trabajador de ocupación específica por cuenta propia) (sinalevi.go.cr)
- Czechia: Long-term visa for the purpose of doing business (ipc.gov.cz)
- Estonia: Temporary residence permit for business (sole proprietor) (politsei.ee)
- Finland: Residence permit for an entrepreneur (elinvoimakeskus.fi)
- France: Temporary residence card 'entrepreneur / liberal profession' (service-public.gouv.fr)
- Georgia: Work residence permit (for entrepreneurs and self-employed people) (sda.gov.ge)
- Germany: Residence permit for freelance work (Section 21(5) Residence Act) (gesetze-im-internet.de)
- Hungary: Residence permit for guest self-employment (oif.gov.hu)
- Italy: Self-employment visa for liberal professionals (lavoro autonomo - libero professionista), then permit to stay for self-employment (vistoperitalia.esteri.it)
- Latvia: Temporary residence permit for a self-employed person (pmlp.gov.lv)
- Luxembourg: Residence permit for self-employed workers (guichet.public.lu)
- Montenegro: Temporary residence and work permit for entrepreneurs (preduzetnik) (zzzcg.me)
- Netherlands: Residence permit self-employed person (ind.nl)
- Norway: Residence permit for self-employed persons (lovdata.no)
- Poland: Temporary residence permit for conducting business activity (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy w celu prowadzenia działalności gospodarczej) (mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl)
- Portugal: Residence visa for independent professional activity (D2), then residence permit for independent work (vistos.mne.gov.pt)
- Romania: Long-stay visa and residence permit for professional activities (D/AP) (igi.mai.gov.ro)
- Serbia: Single permit for temporary residence and work, self-employment basis (welcometoserbia.gov.rs)
- Slovakia: Temporary residence for the purpose of business (prechodný pobyt na účel podnikania) (static.slov-lex.sk)
- Slovenia: Single permit for self-employment (infotujci.si)
- Spain: Initial temporary residence and work authorisation for self-employment (cuenta propia) (ciudadaniaexterior.inclusion.gob.es)
- Sweden: Residence permit for self-employed persons (migrationsverket.se)
- Switzerland: Permit for self-employment (non-EU/EFTA nationals, Art. 19 FNIA) (sem.admin.ch)
- Taiwan: Employment Gold Card (goldcard.nat.gov.tw)
- Turkey: Independent work permit (bağımsız çalışma izni) (csgb.gov.tr)
- United Arab Emirates: Green residence visa for freelancers and self-employed people (icp.gov.ae)
General information, not legal advice. Last checked 11 Oct 2026.