English 
Français The short version
- Germany grants a longer initial stay (36 months vs 12), and it is renewable.
- Only Germany offers a direct path to permanent residence on this permit.
| Criteria | Germany Freelance | Indonesia E33G |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | No fixed threshold | €4,320 |
| Income basis | Freelance income | Salary / employment contract |
| Initial duration | 3 years (better) | 1 year |
| Renewable | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum total stay | No fixed limit | No fixed limit |
| Path to permanent residence | Yes (better) | Indirect (switch required) |
| Path to citizenship | Yes | Via permanent residence |
| Family inclusion | Yes | Yes |
| Working for local clients | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax treatment | Standard resident taxation | Standard resident taxation |
| Health insurance | Required (explicit) | Not required |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | — |
| Application fee | ≈ €100 (better) | ≈ €337 |
| Where to apply | Embassy / consulate, In country | Online |
| Processing time | — | 1 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Germany Freelance →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Indonesia E33G →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Don't forget insurance
Both programs have their own health-insurance rules — we match plans against each one's published requirement, with the evidence shown.
Sources
- Government Visa for freelance business — Make it in Germany (Federal Government) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Visa for self-employed business — Make it in Germany (fees, health insurance) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Official gazette Residence Act (AufenthG) §21 — official English translation (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Official Indonesian eVisa - E33G General Information & FAQ (USD 60,000/yr income, USD 2,000/3-month bank statement, document checklist without insurance, Rp 7,000,000 cost, work prohibitions) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi - E33G Visa Rumah Kedua Pekerja Jarak Jauh (PNBP fee components under PP 45/2024, Rp 7,000,000 1-year visa, requirements, legal basis incl. Kepmen Imipas M.IP-08.GR.01.01/2025) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi - E33G page (online application via evisa.imigrasi.go.id, 5-working-day processing after payment, no sponsor, online extension and alih status conversion) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Official gazette Permenkumham No. 22/2023 on Visas and Stay Permits, Berita Negara 2023 No. 651 (Art. 63 E33G requirements, Art. 113(1) 6-year ITAS cap, Art. 33(2)(h) family unification) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Direktorat Jenderal Pajak - Determination of domestic vs foreign tax subjects (PER-23/PJ/2025 effective 9 Dec 2025; >183 days in 12 months = domestic tax subject; worldwide income; partial days count as full) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Imigrasi press release - mandatory in-person photo and interview for stay-permit extensions effective 29 May 2025 (Circular IMI-417.GR.01.01/2025) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government BPK official regulation database - Permenkumham 22/2023 status: in force ('Berlaku'); amended by Permenkumham 11/2024; partially revoked by Permen Imipas 3/2025 (Arts. 43, 45, 52-55 only - Art. 63 untouched) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government BPK official regulation database - Permen Imipas No. 3/2025 (Diaspora visas; enacted 7 Feb 2025, in force 6 May 2025; revokes only Arts. 43/45/52-55 of Permenkumham 22/2023) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates, 9 June 2026 (USD 1.1573, IDR 20,773.82) - basis for all EUR conversions (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Law firm EY Global Tax Alert - Indonesia implements new visa for remote workers (effective 1 April 2024; renewable for an additional year) - Tier 2, supports launch date and renewability interpretation only (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Law firm Fragomen (2 July 2024) - The Rise of Indonesia's Remote Worker Visa (up to one year, extendable for an additional year, max ~2 years) - Tier 2 interpretation only (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10