Latest news with #non-EU
NDTV
7 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Germany Is Offering A Visa For Rs 7500 That Lets You Live And Work There For 1 Year, See How To Apply
From the romantic Rhine Valley to the fairytale castles of Bavaria, Germany is known for its rich history, vibrant city life, and scenic landscapes. Plus, its robust economy, thriving creative sectors, and high quality of life make it a favourite destination for travellers and creative professionals. If you have been dreaming about living in Germany, the country offers a Freelance Visa for all non-EU residents, including Indians that you can apply for. What Is Germany's Freelance Visa? Also known as the Freiberufler visa, Germany's Freelance Visa is tailored for self-employed individuals. It allows you to work independently in the country without an employer as long as you have financial means. Who Is Eligible? According to German Missions in India, Section 18 of the German Income Tax Act includes the following categories of freelance employment: Independent scientists Artists, teachers, or those with an educational work Lawyers Notaries Patent agents Surveyors Engineers Architects Veterinarians Commercial chemists Accountants Tax consultants Consulting economists Sworn accountants Tax agents Dentists Non-medical practitioners Physiotherapists Journalists Photojournalists Interpreters Translators Pilots and other similar professions. What Is Required? A valid passport, issued within 10 years of applying, and with at least two empty pages. Proof of financial means for one year, which includes a minimal monthly income of approximately 1280.06 euros or about Rs 1,27,844 approximately (prices may change depending on the location, living costs, etc.) Proof of freelance work and proof of qualification, such as a University degree or higher education degree from a state or state-recognised institution. A valid health insurance is also required for the visa. Proof of business contacts in the relevant professional field in Germany/Europe. A well-structured and detailed description of your planned freelance employment. Your curriculum vitae. Degree from a state or a state-recognised higher education institute or comparable training institution in Germany. Someone over the age of 45 would require additional retirement benefits certificates, including a pension, owned assets, etc. Passport-sized photos which are not older than 6 months. A visa fee of 75 euros or Rs 7,486, approximately. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Germany 🇩🇪 Deutschland Travel | Hotels | Food (@ How To Apply? The application process for the German Freelance Visa for non-EU/EEA residents typically involves applying for a National D Visa from your home country before entering the country. Here are the steps: Step 1: Complete the National D Visa application form with accurate information. Save, download, and print a copy of the form. Step 2: Make an appointment with a German embassy or consulate in your country to submit your application. (For example: German Missions in India) Step 3: Prepare the required documents mentioned above. Also, check the language in which all documents are required to be submitted. Step 4: Visit the embassy or consulate to submit your application. Biometric data will also be submitted at this point. Step 5: The National D Visa is valid for 3-6 months. Step 6: You will have to register your address in Germany within two weeks of your arrival. After this, you will have to visit the local Foreigner's office to apply for your residence permit as a freelancer or self-employed person. Things To Know A Freelance visa for Germany is usually granted for one to three years and can be renewed if you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. After five years of continous residence in Germany, language proficiency, and proof of financial funds, a freelancer can apply for permanent residency if they meet the eligibility criteria. Freelancers are also required to register with the local tax office and and get a tax number.
Local Spain
16 hours ago
- Business
- Local Spain
Is the Student Visa still the easiest visa to get for Spain?
There are several ways to get residency in Spain as a non-EU national. One is via the Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) if you have a remote job or are self-employed and earn over a certain threshold, while another is the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV), where you aren't allowed to work but must prove you have enough in savings and passive income. The third most popular option is the Student Visa, which has often been said to be easiest visa to gain residency in Spain. With the recent changes to the Student Visa which came into force in May 2025, however, is this still the easiest visa to get? Firstly, there is no simple answer to this question. It entirely depends on what type of course you plan on taking. The rules are now very different if you want to take say a language course or if you want to take a higher education course. Previously, you could sign up to a language course and then exchange your visa later on to a different one whilst you were still living here, but now you can only stay a maximum of two years. This could be an excellent option if that's all you want to stay for. As long as you're accepted onto the course and can afford it, getting the visa should be relatively easy for this type of course. Year-long language courses in Spain can range anywhere from €3,000 to €7,000 depending on what it includes and where it's located. This is significantly cheaper than the €2,762 per month needed for the Digital Nomad Visa, as well as a lot less paperwork. It's also a lot less than the €28,800 per year needed for the Non-lucrative visa and less hassle than proving where all your passive income comes from. One point to keep in mind is that at end of your first year, you can only renew your Student Visa for a second year if you pass a language proficiency test first. So, you'll have to make sure you've actually been studying. It's no longer just a way to get residency. This is still a great and easy option if you only want to stay for two years, but if you want to stay longer, then you'll have to sign up to a higher education course. It could mean a significant amount of study time, not to mention quite a bit more in fees. According to Study in Spain, for a Bachelor's Degree at a private university in Spain, you can expect to pay from €2,400 to €30,000. Keep in mind that public universities are generally cheaper but it's likely the course will be taught in Spanish or other local languages such as Catalan in Catalonia. If you go to a public university, Master's courses can start anywhere from €800 for the year, but if you go a private university, it can range from €7,000 upwards. This could work out cheaper than the DNV or the NLV, but it could work out more expensive too, depending on what type of course you do and where you study. Doing a Bachelor's or a Master's is also a big commitment, so you have to be prepared for it, it's not just simply an easy way to get to live in Spain either. For some courses you may also need to prove previous experience or qualifications. This could be tricky depending on what country you're from and if Spain recognises your previous qualifications. Going through the recognition process to get them recognised here can be very difficult and time consuming. If you don't have to prove previous qualifications it will be a lot easier for you. One thing to keep in mind is that if you eventually want to move back to your home country or another country, you'll have to make sure that your qualification from the Spanish university is valid and you can use it elsewhere. If you are applying for the long-term Student Visa for a course that lasts more than six months, you will also need to provide proof of financial resources to support yourself and have private medical insurance. Both of these can again make the Student Visa slightly more complicated. According to Studying in Spain, it can take between 1-3 months to apply for the Student Visa, which is similar to the length of time needed for the DNV or NLV. Another point to be aware of is that you can only apply for a Student Visa outside of Spain. This is similar to the NLV, however for the DNV you can apply for it once you're already in Spain. This makes the DNV slightly easier in that respect. All in all, the Student Visa is still one of the easiest visas to get to live in Spain provided you're accepted onto a course and can pay for it, it's just a lot harder to apply for than it was before.
Local Spain
17 hours ago
- Business
- Local Spain
Spain's Extremadura is still offering digital nomads €10,000 to move there
While many areas in Spain are suffering from overtourism and locals are complaining about foreign remote workers driving up rental prices and cost of living in general, there are still some areas of the country which are actively trying to attract digital nomads. One of these is Extremadura, one of the least populated regions in the country. It lies to the west of Spain, boarding Portugal, Andalusia to the south and Castilla y León to the north. In fact, the local government has a plan in in place to try and draw in more people and reverse the effects of depopulation, which is scheduled to continue all the way until 2030. In August 2024, The Local Spain broke the news in English that Extremadura was offering up to €15,000 for digital nomads to move there, which led to a lot of international coverage from Fox News, New York Post, CNBC, The Sun, Forbes and other media outlets overseas. Almost a year after the initial report, we can confirm that Extremadura is continuing to give grants of up to €10,000 to those who move to the region. To date the government has received 470 applications and already 195 of those have been approved. Given the high demand, Extremadura's regional government have also said they expand the aid by €1 million. Applications are currently open until October 8th 2025, so if you want to benefit and think Extremadura would be a good place for you, then you only have a few months left to apply. The aid is specifically aimed at highly qualified professionals in technological sectors who can work remotely or are self-employed. This makes it ideal for digital nomads and remote workers from abroad too. It's available to those who are already legally living in Spain and want to move from other regions, as well as those moving from abroad. Keep in mind, however, if you're from a non-EU country and want to move from abroad, you will first need to apply for Spain's digital nomad visa and meet all the requirements for that. Once you have been granted the visa and you have your TIE residency card, then you can apply for aid. The requirements to apply for the €10,000 grant are as follows: Workers must carry out all their professional activity remotely and "through the exclusive use of media and IT systems, telematics and information fields", in other words fully online. You must keep your remote job and continue to live in Extremadura for at least two years following the application. You must have been living outside of Extremadura for at least six months before you apply. Foreigners must be living here legally and already have a NIE - foreign identity number as well as their green EU certificate or their non-EU TIE residency card. Will I get the full €10,000? That depends. You will receive the full amount if you are under the age of 30, female or move to a town with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. All other people who qualify and do not fall into those categories will receive €8,000. The grant is paid as single payment, once your application has been successful and you can provide proof registration in Extremadura. Why should I consider Extremadura? Filled with natural parks and meadows of holm and cork oaks, Extremadura is a great region for those who love the outdoors with lots of opportunities for hiking, mountain biking and climbing. It's also ideal for history buffs with several historic cities including Mérida with its countless ancient Roman sites and UNESCO World Heritage Cáceres with its mix of architectural styles and old stone walls. It's not just what Extremadura has that can be attractive, however, it also has a much lower cost of living than many other regions in Spain. With skyrocketing rents, house prices and general costs in Spain's big cities, many will be looking at where their money can go further. For example, according to cost of living comparison site Expatistan living in Cáceres is 46 percent less than in Barcelona and 37 percent less than Madrid. How to apply Your application must be submitted electronically via the Extremadura General Electronic Access Point. In order to apply you must have a digital certificate or electronic Spanish ID card so that you can identify yourself online. You will also need to provide: An official document issued by your country or other region in Spain to show where you've been living. A certificate from the company you work for which authorises you to work in Extremadura or remotely in Spain. If you are self-employed, a document(s) that proves the terms and conditions in which you will carry out your professional activity remotely. If you are moving from another region in Spain, you will need: An original report, issued by the General Treasury of Social Security, showing you are up to date with any payments. A document that certifies you are up to date with your tax obligations with the State Treasury. A certificate that proves you don't have any debts with the Treasury of Extremadura. All documents must be officially translated if they're not already in Spanish. Processing of the application takes a total of three months.
Morocco World
a day ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Official: Álvaro Carreras is Back at Real Madrid
Real Madrid have completed the signing of Spanish left-back Álvaro Carreras from Benfica for €50 million, making it the club's fourth signing of the summer. The 22-year-old joins on a six-year deal, with Real Madrid activating his release clause without entering formal negotiations. The club moved swiftly to secure Carreras, who has impressed with his recent performances in Portugal. A product of Madrid's La Fábrica academy, Carreras was part of the youth system between 2017 and 2020 before leaving for Manchester United, where he did not make a senior appearance. He gained first-team experience during loan spells at Preston North End and Granada, before joining Benfica in 2024 – initially on loan and later permanently for around $7 million. Carreras made 32 appearances and scored three goals last season, helping Benfica to a second-place finish in the Primeira Liga, and was also part of the Club World Cup squad in the US. Madrid paid the full release clause for several reasons: his Spanish nationality benefits the squad under La Liga's non-EU player rules, and the club's current left-backs, Fran García and Ferland Mendy, have been struggling with injuries. Benfica confirmed that: 'Manchester United will be entitled to receive a 20% capital gain on the transfer of the aforementioned player.' Tags: Álvaro CarrerasBenficaReal Madrid
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
German customs officials find 1,500 tarantulas hidden in biscuit packaging from Vietnam
This photo dated June 18, 2025 and provided by the main customs office Cologne, shows plastic containers holding young tarantulas that had been hidden in chocolate sponge-cake boxes shipped to Cologne Bonn airport, western Germany. (Haupzollamt Koeln via AP) COLOGNE: German customs authorities have found some 1,500 tarantulas concealed within biscuit packaging at Cologne/Bonn Airport during a seizure that took place about three weeks ago. Cologne customs spokesman Jens Ahland said on Monday (July 14) the package, which came from Vietnam, had a "distinctive smell" that did not match the declared 7 kilogrammes of biscuits. Crammed into small plastic containers and hidden in biscuit packaging, the tarantulas were apparently intended for a recipient in the western German Sauerland region. "My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by prohibited package contents from all over the world, but finding around 1,500 small plastic containers with young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless," Ahlands said in a statement. Ahland said it was an "extraordinary seizure," but it had saddened authorities to see what some people do to animals for profit. A number of the animals had died, while the remaining living spiders were handed over to specialists. A criminal investigation had been launched, as animals of any kind must be declared to customs and import duties paid for parcels sent from a non-EU member state. - dpa
