Associations; registration of a foreigners' association or a foreign association
Brief description
The formation, amendment and dissolution of a foreign association or a foreigners' association based in Germany must be registered within two weeks with the respective district administrative authority, i.e. the competent district-free municipality or the competent district office.Description
A foreign association is an association whose members or leaders are predominantly foreigners. A foreign association is an association based abroad whose organization or activities extend to Germany. The board of directors is required to register. If an association does not have a board of directors, the obligation to register applies to the members authorized to represent the association. In the case of an organizational structure of a foreign association, the obligation to register also applies to the persons who manage the structure.
The application must be in German and contain the following:
- the articles of association of the association or, if the association has no articles of association, details of the name, registered office and purpose of the association
- Names and addresses of the members of the Management Board or persons authorized to represent the company
- Information on the countries in which the association has sub-organizations
The authorities will issue a registration certificate free of charge.
Violation of the obligation to register is subject to a fine.
Required documents
Statutes of the associationCosts
free of chargeLegal basis
- § Section 14 Act on the Regulation of Public Association Law - Associations Act (VereinsG)
Foreigners' associations
- § Section 15 Act on the Regulation of Public Association Law - Associations Act (VereinsG)
Foreign clubs
- § Section 19 Ordinance on the Implementation of the Law on the Regulation of Public Associations (VereinsG-DVO)
Obligation to register for foreigners' associations
- § Section 21 Ordinance on the Implementation of the Law on the Regulation of Public Associations (VereinsG-DVO)
Obligation of foreign associations to register and provide information
- § Section 14 Act on the Regulation of Public Association Law - Associations Act (VereinsG)