Influencers abroad: no free pass from German laws

Many influencers dream of escaping the German winter and their local obligations – be it to Dubai, Madeira or the nearest tropical island. The supposed freedom abroad is often justified with myths about legal and tax “loopholes”. Have you ever heard, “No German court can prosecute me abroad” or “If I’m not in Germany for 183 days, I don’t have to pay taxes”? Sounds tempting, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, the reality is different. Whether it’s lawsuits in Germany, the delivery of court mail, frozen bank accounts, 30 years of enforcement or tax traps – here you can find out why a residence in Dubai & Co does not automatically protect you from German jurisdiction and the tax office.

1. civil lawsuits: Why you can be sued even if you are not resident in Germany

Myth: “I can’t be sued if I’m not resident in Germany – I’m out of reach abroad.”

Reality: Whether you are perched on a skyscraper in Dubai or lying on the beach in Madeira – if your actions have an effect in Germany, German courts may have jurisdiction. It doesn’t just depend on where you are located, but where the success or damage of your action occurs. Lawyers call this the place of success. On the internet in particular, if your content can be accessed in Germany and affects German persons or consumers, then the success (or damage) also occurs in Germany.

In concrete terms, this means

• Violations of personal rights: If you insult or defame someone online, the person concerned can sue in Germany if their reputation is damaged here. Example: You publish an “investigative video” from Dubai about a German businessman that damages his reputation with millions of German viewers. A German court will then say: The content was in German, the majority of viewers are in Germany – so we are responsible! Your place of residence abroad does not protect you from an action for injunctive relief or damages.
• Competition law infringements: If you do not comply with German advertising regulations, competitors or associations can send you a warning and sue you from a distance. For example, surreptitious advertising (lack of labeling of advertising) or misleading information about products trigger German competition law (UWG) if the advertising is aimed at the German public. Even if you “only” post your Instagram story from Dubai: as soon as it reaches German consumers or the market is affected, you are in the sights of German courts.
• Copyright infringements: If you use protected material (music, photos, videos) that can be accessed from Germany, the rights holder can take action against you in German courts. For example, if you upload a video with someone else’s song in Madeira – a German musician could demand injunctive relief and license fees in a German court because users in Germany can stream the video and music.

Typical mistake: “I’m no longer registered in Germany, so German laws don’t apply to me.” Wrong! The decisive factor is not your registration address, but where your actions take place. The German court looks: Is there a domestic connection? If so, it will allow the action. Incidentally, this is not just a German peculiarity – it is also recognized at EU level that any country in which the content can be accessed and causes damage can be responsible for internet crimes. In case of doubt, a comprehensive lawsuit can even be filed in your “main place of interest” (often the victim’s home country).

Practical example: A German consultant was called a “fraudster” in YouTube videos by an influencer in Dubai – without any evidence, pure defamation. Despite the YouTuber’s residence abroad, the Frankfurt Regional Court issued a temporary injunction against him in 2024 and had the videos banned. Reasoning: The baseless accusations of fraud were seen millions of times by German viewers and damaged the reputation in Germany. Result: Dubai domicile or not – the German courts took action.

Remember: A life as a “digital nomad” does not absolve you of responsibility for what you do online. “No place of residence = no lawsuit” is a myth. If you violate people, companies or rights in Germany, you can end up in German civil courts – no matter where you live.

2. delivery abroad: When the letter carrier can’t ring…

Myth: “I can’t be served with a statement of claim if I’m in Dubai. No service means no trial – so I’m safe.”

Reality: The lack of a German address makes service more complicated, but it is not impossible. German courts have ways of “reaching” you abroad – with public service if necessary.

Let’s take a look at this step by step:

• Normal service abroad: If your place of residence is abroad, the German court will first try to serve you by official means. Within the EU, this usually runs relatively smoothly thanks to uniform regulations. Outside the EU – e.g. in the UAE (Dubai) – it becomes more difficult. There, the statement of claim often has to be served via the Ministry of Justice or consular channels, usually with a certified translation into the local language. This costs time and nerves. Some countries (such as the UAE) do not have a direct agreement with Germany for this and sometimes even refuse to accept foreign court documents. In short: normal service in Dubai can take forever or fail.
• Public service (Section 185 ZPO): It is precisely for such cases that the Code of Civil Procedure provides the option of public service. Sounds dramatic, but it means that the court places the documents on its notice board or on the Internet and announces the service in an official gazette. After a certain period of time, the item is then deemed to have been delivered, even if you have never personally held an envelope in your hand. Public delivery takes place if normal delivery abroad would be impossible or unreasonably delayed. And courts interpret what is “unreasonable” generously – for example, if it is unclear how long the Emirates will take to process or whether they will cooperate at all. The threat of extreme delay alone justifies public service.
• Consequence: From the date specified by the court, the action or order is deemed to have been served and the proceedings continue, even if you are not aware of any of this in Dubai. So you can be sitting in a faraway beach café and have no idea that a default judgment has already been issued against you in Germany because you have not responded to the lawsuit. Ignorance is no defense here, because from the court’s point of view you have “effectively received” the documents.

Practical example: In the above-mentioned case in Frankfurt (influencer in Dubai), the court ordered public service of the interim injunction because normal service in the UAE would have been too lengthy. The orders were therefore officially announced by notice and announcement. For the influencer, this means that the clock is ticking, even if the letter carrier never rang. As soon as the delivery deadline expired, the resolution was delivered with legal effect – whether he read it or not.

Defense options: Of course you can ask yourself: “Isn’t that unfair? I don’t know anything!” Theoretically, there is the option of applying for reinstatement, i.e. the restoration of your deadline, if you really didn’t know anything through no fault of your own. In practice, however, this is a rocky road. You would have to subsequently explain why you were completely unaware of the public service and could not have been aware of it despite taking reasonable care. This is rarely successful – after all, it was you who no longer had a domicile in Germany that could be served. The courts then like to argue that anyone who “flees” to a legal no-man’s land simply accepts the risk of public service.

Remember: Relying on “I’ll never get the lawsuit” is extremely dangerous. German courts will have you searched for and found if necessary. If you are unlucky, proceedings against you will run their full course without you noticing in time. As a result, you suddenly find yourself with a German judgment or a temporary injunction – even though you thought you wouldn’t receive any mail from the local court in Dubai.

3. attachment in rem and provisional measures: Your money in sight despite residence abroad

Myth: “If someone in Germany wants money from me, let them sue – no bailiff can get it here abroad anyway. My assets are safely out of reach.”

Reality: The only people who are completely out of reach are those who have nothing in Germany or the EU – and will never come back. In all other cases, there are ways and means of exerting pressure quickly and preventively. Two important keywords: temporary injunctions (for injunctions and orders to cease and desist) and attachment in rem (for monetary claims).

• Temporary injunctions: As already shown in the example of Frankfurt Regional Court, courts can issue injunctions in summary proceedings, e.g. to stop further infringements of the law immediately. These proceedings often take place without an oral hearing and sometimes even without hearing the other party beforehand (i.e. without you being able to defend yourself in advance) if there is particular urgency. Relevant for influencers: Cease and desist orders due to damage to reputation, false factual claims or competition law infringements. Such an injunction is a court order to remove certain content or to no longer disseminate it in future. If you violate this, you could face a fine (up to €250,000 per violation) or imprisonment. Even if you are far away personally – the order can be enforced against platforms (YouTube, Instagram), for example, so that your content is blocked/deleted. You then have a choice: either you comply or you risk high fines and escalation as soon as you are within reach.
• Attachment in rem: This is not a penalty order, but a civil law security order against your assets. Suppose someone in Germany has a monetary claim against you (e.g. compensation, repayment, contractual penalty) and fears that you, as the debtor, will put your money in security – then they can file an application for attachment. If this is granted, the court can freeze your tangible assets before the main proceedings have even been concluded. Examples: Your bank balance in Germany can be temporarily blocked, valuables or real estate can be secured by order. The highlight: the attachment can also come without prior notice so that you don’t have to get rid of everything beforehand.
  • Risk of absconding as a reason for arrest: An important reason for arrest is the assumption that subsequent enforcement would be thwarted without arrest. Your move abroad can serve as a strong indication of this. If you moved to Dubai shortly before or after the claim arose, the creditor will argue: “Obviously he wants to evade seizure – risk of absconding!” Courts do require concrete evidence that you are going to seize assets, but a sudden move abroad makes it much easier for the creditor to establish credibility. Residence abroad alone is not automatically a reason for seizure – but combined with conspicuous behavior (e.g. you quickly sell your house in Germany or empty your accounts), a seizure order can be issued very quickly.
  • Example scenario: Imagine you owe a former business partner €100,000. Shortly after the dispute, you emigrate to Madeira. Your former partner applies for attachment and explains that you have already started to liquidate your German assets (sold your car, given notice on your apartment). A German court will probably say: Yes, before there is nothing left in the end, we will secure what is still tangible in Germany as a precaution. In a flash, your remaining bank balance or your condominium may be confiscated by court order – you can no longer dispose of it freely.
• “Digital nomads” and the illusion of untouchability: many who are constantly jetting around the globe believe they have beaten the system. However, if you really don’t have any assets left to grab, the question arises as to whether you are liquid at all – and whether it is desirable to have no more realizable assets just to frustrate creditors. After all, most influencers have something: a business account, ongoing contracts, perhaps property or at least valuable trademark rights. In principle, all of this can be the subject of security measures. Even claims you have (e.g. payment claims against advertising partners or against YouTube/TikTok for payment of your earnings) can be seized in Germany as long as these companies or contractual partners have a branch here and must comply with the German order. In other words: If your company earns money from German customers or if you have contracts with companies in the EU, creditors can seize these payment flows before the money reaches you abroad.

Note: The reach of the courts does not necessarily end at the national border, at least as far as summary proceedings are concerned. Residing abroad can even increase the risk of harsh measures being taken against you without a prior hearing – out of the justified concern that you could otherwise evade enforcement. Your account can be frozen and your property in Germany blocked without you being able to say “stop” in time. Only afterwards could you try to take action against the arrest – but by then, facts may have been created.

4. enforcement and risk of return: a German title will haunt you for 30 years

Myth: “Let them sue me in Germany – even if they get a judgment, they can’t enforce it in Dubai anyway. I’ll just stay here, problem solved.”

Reality: Yes, enforcement abroad is tricky. But a German judgment is not a paper tiger: it has a damn long lifespan and may take effect later – sometimes exactly when you least expect it. And within the EU, the following applies anyway: if you only flee as far as Madeira, enforcement will catch up with you much quicker than expected.

Let’s first look at two scenarios – other EU countries (e.g. Madeira/Portugal) vs. third countries (e.g. Dubai/UAE):

• Within the EU: EU legal cooperation applies here. A German judgment (e.g. from the regional court or local court) is generally recognized in Portugal, Spain and other countries. Thanks to EU regulations, enforcement is almost a formality: the creditor can have a European enforcement order issued by the German court and then go straight to the Portuguese bailiff. This means that if you have a villa or a full bank account in Madeira, for example, the German creditor can have these assets seized by the Portuguese authorities. Portugal does not have to re-examine the content of the German judgment; it is treated as a domestic judgment throughout the EU. In short, there is no safe haven from German debt instruments within Europe – the judiciaries of the member states work hand in hand.
• Outside the EU (example Dubai): Here the situation looks worse for creditors – and supposedly better for you. There is no enforcement agreement between Germany and the UAE for civil judgments. The courts in Dubai are very reluctant to recognize foreign judgments. In practice, this means that a German judgment against you is initially worthless in Dubai. The creditor would have to sue again in the UAE and win there in order to obtain your assets there – which is unlikely to be successful due to different laws and language barriers. In fact, Dubai courts often refuse to enforce foreign judgments on the grounds that they themselves would have had jurisdiction (and consider their sovereignty to have been violated). This sounds like a free ride for you, but there’s a big catch: a German title only becomes time-barred after 30 years. In other words, the creditor can revive his claim again and again for three decades, add interest and wait for an opportunity to cash in after all.

Return risk – the invisible leash: You may be planning to stay in Dubai “forever”. But life writes its own stories – and it’s not uncommon for expats to return home at some point (be it due to homesickness, a change in living conditions or because the tax benefits crumble– more on this later). As soon as you set foot on German soil again, the old judgment catches up with you. In concrete terms:

• Bailiff and seizure: If you still have outstanding titles against you in Germany, you cannot lead a quiet life here. If, for example, you open a bank account in Germany again at some point or buy a car or property – creditors with a 10-year-old judgment can take immediate action. The seizure and monitoring measures can be resumed practically seamlessly as soon as you are available or property appears in Germany. A debt instrument also increases through interest: the amount grows year by year (5 percentage points above the prime rate of interest on arrears for judgment sums is common). A debt of €50,000 can easily become €70,000 after a few years. So you might come back and realize that the old claim is now even bigger.
• Debtor register and Schufa: If you refuse to make a payment and do not submit a statement of assets (see below), you will end up in the official debtor register (§ 882c ZPO). This data is transmitted to Schufa and other credit agencies, for example. This means that if you later want to finance anything in Germany – a cell phone contract, car leasing, renting an apartment – you will have an extremely difficult time. Anyone who does a credit check will see: “Watch out, he has a hard negative note.” Even business partners or larger clients might check this and shy away. In other words, your business reputation is ruined. This entry usually remains for three years after the debt has been settled – as long as you don’t pay anyway. And the funny thing is: you’ll get the entry even if you’re comfortably living in Dubai and the German court enforces your debt without success. The register in your home country will note you as an unwilling debtor – no matter where you are. So it’s a long-term shadow on your financial vita.
• Arrest warrant to enforce the disclosure of assets (§ 802g ZPO): This is where it gets drastic. If a creditor has an enforceable title and you don’t pay, they can demand that you drop your pants – in other words, that you make a declaration of assets (formerly known as an oath of disclosure). If you refuse or simply go into hiding, the court will issue an arrest warrant. This is not a criminal warrant, but an arrest warrant under civil law to force you to make a declaration of assets. The police can take you into custody with such an enforcement warrant. In your absence, the warrant may lie dormant in a drawer for years – but imagine you come back to Germany one day and during a normal police check (e.g. in road traffic) or at passport control at the airport, the officers discover that there is an arrest warrant for this person. You may then be taken directly into custody. This can last up to 6 months (§ 802j ZPO) – at least until you either make a statement of assets or you are released. What a reception! Even if you only come to visit, you risk unpleasant scenes. And don’t think that such an arrest warrant will forget you in 30 years: it will be deleted as soon as you provide the information or the matter is resolved, but if nothing ever happens, it can last forever.

German titles also continue to have an indirect effect abroad: even if you never return, a German creditor can make life difficult for you. For example, they can regularly try to put pressure on your domestic environment – perhaps family members in Germany still have business ties with you or you are running a German company. Court orders can force third parties to hand over information about your assets (e.g. banks, business partners). This can put a strain on your network. In addition, you might want to settle in another country that cooperates with Germany at some point. Then the problem will arise again, only in a new form.

Remember: gone is not the same as gone. A German debt title sticks to your shoe like chewing gum. Even if you can shake it off in Dubai, it becomes hard as soon as you set foot on European soil. 30 years is a long time in which a lot can happen. So think carefully about whether you really want to go into “exile” for life just to escape a judgment. Most people underestimate how restrictive this is in the long term.

A little reality check: some influencers who loudly praised Dubai’s tax-free status returned to Germany in remorse after a few years – for example, when it became known that German authorities had purchased and analyzed data from Dubai returnees. Suddenly the question arose: what about all the legacy issues? Many a “returnee” found themselves confronted at home with claims and proceedings that had accumulated in the meantime.

5. tax traps: 183-day rule, exit tax & co – misconceptions about emigration

Let’s move on to the favorite topic of many expats: saving taxes. The internet is full of tips and half-truths such as “You don’t pay income tax in Dubai!” or “If you’re in Germany for less than 183 days, you won’t be taxed here.” What is true, what do you need to watch out for?

5.1 Unlimited tax liability – when are you exempt from German tax?

Myth: “I simply deregister in Germany and spend less than 6 months a year there. Then I’m no longer liable for tax in Germany – 183-day rule, right?”

Reality: It’s not that simple. First of all, the 183-day rule is often misunderstood. This rule (in double taxation agreements and German law) simply states: if you are in a country for more than 183 days, you will definitely be resident there (for tax purposes). However, the reverse is not automatically true! Just because you are in Germany for less than 183 days does not mean per se that Germany will leave you alone. The decisive question is: Do you have a place of residence in Germany (Section 8 of the Tax Code) or your habitual residence (Section 9 of the Tax Code) here?

• Residence: You have a residence for tax purposes if you have a permanent home that you can use at any time. Important: You don’t even have to use it very often – availability is enough! In plain language, this means that even if you are officially deregistered but keep your condominium in Germany, for example, and it is perhaps empty and furnished (or is only used by you occasionally), the tax office assumes that you still have a place of residence in Germany. Formal deregistration at the Bürgeramt alone does not end your tax liability. It is the actual circumstances that count. Only when you really no longer have your own accommodation here – e.g. apartment sold or permanently rented to someone else, no key of your own, no power of disposal – only then is your residence in Germany given up.
• Ordinary residence: Even if you do not have a permanent residence, Germany can still apply to you if you “usually” stay here. Habitual means: continuously for more than 6 months per year (short visits do not interrupt this). This is relevant for digital nomads who travel around: For example, if you spend 5 months a year in Germany staying with family/friends and 7 months traveling around the world, it could be argued that your habitual residence is still in Germany (because over 183 days in a 12-month period here, if you add the times together). However, scattered stays are subject to close scrutiny. As a general rule, if you are neither resident nor >physically in Germany for 183 days, you are exempt from unlimited tax liability for the time being.
• Center of life and DBA tie-breaker: If you could live in two countries (e.g. you have not completely given up an apartment in Germany and an apartment abroad), then it depends on your center of life. Where are your most important personal and economic relationships? This ultimately determines where you are considered to be resident. Double taxation agreements between Germany and other countries (if there is one, there is none with the UAE!) regulate such cases with criteria: permanent residence, center of vital interests, habitual residence, citizenship, etc. For you, this means: half-and-half doesn’t work well. If you still have many ties in Germany (family, club memberships, company shareholdings, etc.), Germany could argue that the center of your life is still here despite emigration. You will then remain subject to unlimited tax liability – even if you are physically located somewhere else.

Example: You move to Dubai, but your wife and children stay in Germany in the house you share, and you come home for a few weeks every few months. In such a case, it is very likely that the tax office will continue to treat you as having unlimited tax liability. This is because your center of life (family, house) is obviously still in Germany. The 183 days in Dubai will then be of little use to you; Germany will say: tax liability remains. The awakening usually comes one or two years later, when the tax office demands proof of where you have been and for how long, and where your center of life is. If you are then unable to convincingly demonstrate that Germany really is passé, you could face hefty back taxes.

Remember: there is practically no such thing as complete tax exemption “anywhere” legally. Some country always wants to have you as a tax resident. If you escape Germany, you must be able to prove that another country considers you a resident instead (e.g. by means of a residence permit, tax certificate, etc.). Simply traveling around and hoping that you won’t end up in any country is dangerous: Germany could still consider you to be a “stateless” tax resident as long as it is not clear where else you have the right of taxation. In case of doubt, the tax office would rather assume a tax liability than leave a gap – and the onus is on you to prove the opposite.

5.2 Exit taxation: When the tax office holds out its hand on departure

Entrepreneurs and shareholders often fall into a nasty trap: exit taxation (Section 6 AStG).

Myth: “I’ll set up my company in Dubai or simply take my GmbH shares with me – then I’ll avoid German tax on sales.”

Reality: The German tax authorities have made provisions for precisely such cases. If you own at least 1% of a corporation (e.g. shares in a GmbH, AG or even larger blocks of shares) within the last 5 years before moving away, Germany treats you as if you were selling your shares when you move away – and taxes the fictitious profit! This means that even if you have not actually received any money, you will be taxed on the paper profit that your company has made since acquiring the shares. This tax is assessed as soon as you are no longer subject to unlimited tax liability in Germany (i.e. when you move away). As a result, you may receive a hefty tax bill, especially if your business has grown successfully. This is known as the exit tax. It is intended to prevent people from moving abroad in order to turn their company into tax-free money.

• Example: Imagine you founded an influencer agency as a limited company a few years ago. Your share in it is now worth a small fortune – the company is doing great. You decide to move to Madeira and deregister in Germany. Surprise: The tax office calculates the value of your GmbH shares at the time of your departure and establishes that considerable hidden reserves have formed (increase in value). The tax office now wants capital gains tax on this profit from the increase in share value. Assuming an increase in value of €500,000, this could result in around 25% = €125,000 tax (simplified calculation). This tax is due even though you haven’t sold anything!
• Deferred payment? In the past, if you moved to an EU country, you could defer (postpone) the tax as long as you did not actually sell the shares. However, if you moved to a non-EU country such as Dubai, you always had to pay immediately. Since 2022, the rules have been even stricter: the deferral is limited in time and linked to payment in installments, even in EU cases. If you move to Dubai, there is usually no deferral – the tax is due with the assessment. If you don’t pay it, your tax debt will grow. And don’t forget: tax debts are just debts. Payment pain or not, Germany can try to enforce the tax (as far as possible) and, in the event of non-payment, also place you on the debtor register or even initiate criminal tax proceedings if it looks as if you have deliberately thwarted payment.
• Abuse of tax planning and repatriation cases: Many people think: “I’ll go abroad for a year or two, sell my company tax-free during that time and then come back.” Be careful – this can be seen as an abuse of tax planning. If the tax office realizes that you only left to take a one-off tax advantage with you, you could be taxed retrospectively on your return. There are certain deadlines in the law: If you return to Germany within 5 or 7 years (depending on the case group), the previously waived departure tax can be revived or the waived tax can be reclaimed. The legislation here is complex, but the trend is clear: “Leave for a short time, cash in, come home ” – this model is working less and less well. The authorities take a close look at whether a move abroad is seriously intended to be permanent or was just a tax-saving stopover.

5.3 Typical misconceptions of influencers in tax matters

Let’s debunk some common misconceptions in a nutshell:

• “I don’t have to pay any taxes in Dubai – paradise!” – True, the UAE does not levy income tax on private individuals. BUT: For this to apply to you, you really have to move your tax residence to Dubai and be completely out of Germany (see above). In addition, the UAE usually requires that you have a permanent status there (e.g. an investment, company foundation or job so that you can get a residence visa). Simply living in a hotel in Dubai and hoping that you will be accepted as a tax resident there is not enough. However, if you have completed the move correctly, you can actually be legally taxed at a very low rate. However, many people underestimate the effort involved in getting it right.
• “I’m not in Germany for 183 days, so I’m tax-free here.” – Wrong, as explained. If you still have any connections in Germany (home, family, management of a company, etc.), you may still be liable for tax. Even without such links, there may be incidents: Example, you take on paid jobs during a longer stay in Germany or accept fees for a performance – bang, you have generated taxable income in Germany even though you are officially an emigrant. Tax exemption does not depend on the magic number of 183 days, but on the overall circumstances of your life.
• “Deregistered with the Citizens’ Registration Office = out of sight, out of mind (for the tax office).” – Nope. The deregistration is reported to the tax office, but the tax office then checks independently whether there is really no longer any tax liability. Despite deregistration, you may still be asked to submit tax returns as long as there is any indication that you still have income related to Germany. And let’s not forget: you are still subject to limited tax liability for certain domestic income anyway. This means that even if you are no longer taxed here on your global income, rental income from your German property or profits from a German company, for example, could still be subject to German tax (in isolation as a limited tax liability). So you may never be completely “out” of the German tax system unless you cut all economic roots.
• “I’ve moved my company abroad, so I no longer have anything to do with the German tax office.” – Tax advisors often see this misunderstanding: influencers set up a new company abroad (such as Dubai Freezone) to which all income flows, and think that Germany is out of the picture. But: Where is the service provided? If you personally produce videos or carry out orders from Germany, Germany can argue that the company is only a front and the activity actually takes place from here – then the profits may be taxed here (keyword: permanent establishment or suspicion of evasion). Furthermore, as long as you remain a shareholder of the old German company or still have business assets in Germany, there are subsequent tax obligations (e.g. trade tax, corporation tax on old reserves, etc.). Such structures must be planned watertight, otherwise the tax trap will snap shut.

Remember: Half-knowledge can be expensive, especially in tax law. What worked for one person may not necessarily work for you. Every case is different and German tax law has little mercy for obvious tax evasion. You can quickly be accused of tax evasion if you “cheat”. In addition to back payments, you could also face criminal prosecution. That’s why we urge you to seek expert advice before taking such steps. The 183-day rule and the like may be presented simply in YouTube videos – the reality is more complex.

Conclusion: freedom yes – but with a sound plan, please

To summarize: Moving to a sunny country can have many advantages, but legal sanctity is not one of them. As an influencer or agency, you should be aware that German courts and authorities may still have access if you commit legal violations through your online activities in Germany or if you do not properly manage your tax obligations.

Let’s dispel the myths in a nutshell:

• No action without residence: Wrong. Internet content with effect in Germany can be sued in German courts – you are not automatically immune just because your registration form now says “Dubai”.
• Service does not work abroad: Wrong. The justice system finds ways, if necessary by public announcement. The trial and judgment can proceed even if you are physically far away.
• My money is safely out of the country: Yes and no. What is tangible in Germany/the EU can be frozen or later enforced. And if you come back, your belongings can be seized – it is not unusual for a creditor to wait 30 years.
• In Dubai, I am tax-free with no ifs and buts: Yes and no. Only if you really cut off all German connecting factors and observe the German tax rules. Otherwise the tax office will catch up with you sooner or later – with exit tax or the accusation that you are still liable to pay tax here.
• 183 days outside Germany is enough: Wrong. The reality of your living circumstances counts, not just calendar days. A residence or center in Germany makes you liable for tax, even for short stays.

My advice: Enjoy your life as a globetrotting content creator, but do it with a clear understanding of the rules of the game. Get professional advice, plan your move properly from a legal and tax perspective and don’t blindly believe the seemingly simple hacks on the internet. This will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and allow you to enjoy the benefits of moving abroad without any old obligations falling on your shoulders.

In the end, real freedom also means taking responsibility. If you keep this in mind, nothing will stand in the way of your adventure abroad – except perhaps your next flight 😉. Good luck and stay on the safe side!