We are a trading company based in Lagos, Nigeria. We are into trading of Agricultural commodity as well as purchase of other goods to Nigeria. It would be interested to find out how a foreign company like ours would need to start and register our business in Germany. We need to know what it could take us to actualize this.
Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. Our mission is to promote Germany as a location for industrial and technological investments and to identify investors for the German market.
Foreign enterprises planning to establish their business operations in Germany can obtain information on the business environment, such as the corporate investment framework, tax regulations, and subsidies. Our range of services includes comprehensive project management and support services from site selection to the final realization of the investment. All inquiries are kept confidential and our investment services are free of charge.
With regard to your inquiry, we can provide you with the following information:
In general, any entrepreneur who wishes to start a business in Germany may do so, irrespective of nationality or place of residence. There is no specific investment legislation in Germany, nor is there a minimum percentage of German shareholdings required for foreign investments within Germany. The capital amount needed is mainly determined by the chosen legal form and the planned business activity. Non-EU citizens, in addition, will have to make sure to have the appropriate type of visa. Depending on the intended business activities in Germany, different types of visas are relevant to entrepreneurs. Business operators who are from non-EU countries and who manage their company on location in Germany as a self-employed person require a residence permit for the purpose of self-employment ("Aufenthaltserlaubnis für selbständige Tätigkeit"). For further visa-related information, please see our Investment Guide to Germany at: www.gtai.de (www).
Information on the setup procedure for business operations in Germany is available in the Investment Guide to Germany on our website at: www.gtai.com/investment-guide (www). Foreign investors can select from a variety of legal forms for conducting business in Germany. There are certain criteria which are decisive for choosing the most suitable legal form for your planned business activities. If you wish further assistance kindly provide us with more details on the planned business in Germany, e.g. location requirements, scope of business activity, jobs to be created, your questions, etc. by just contacting invest@gtai.com . After reviewing the venture, a project manager will contact you as soon as possible and assist you with your questions and all further steps.
We hope you find this initial information helpful. If you have any questions on the above, please let us know.
Quelle:
Germany Trade and Invest
Gesellschaft für Außenwirtschaft und Standortmarketing mbH
www.gtai.com (www)
September 2013
