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Doc 1041/germany proof of company reg #293

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Germany proof of company reg
ntombing Apr 25, 2025
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fixup! Germany proof of company reg
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Changelog 24 April 2025
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fixup! Changelog 24 April 2025
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fixup! fixup! Changelog 24 April 2025
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fixup! fixup! fixup! Changelog 24 April 2025
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fixup! fixup! fixup! fixup! Changelog 24 April 2025
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fixup! Germany proof of company reg
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fixup! Germany proof of company reg
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion changelog/2025/2025-04-24.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -29,4 +29,4 @@ It now shows the precise timestamp from Mastercard, giving you additional visibi
## Update

🧾 Starting May 1st, invoices will be issued through our new billing provider, Lago.
The format will change, but the content will remain the same.
The format will change, but the content will remain the same.
78 changes: 68 additions & 10 deletions docs/partnership/document-center/company-registration/germany.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -8,13 +8,71 @@ import DocumentsIntro from '../partials/_intro-registration.mdx';

<DocumentsIntro country="🇩🇪 Germany" />

| Legal entity | Proof of registration | Articles of association | Other documents |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts - GbR | *None* | ✓ **Required** | Proof that the members are either self-employed or do liberal professions |
| Offene Handelsgesselschaft - oHG<br /><br/>Kommanditgesellschaft - KG<br /><br/>Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung - GmbH<br /><br/>GmbH & Co. KG<br /><br/>GmbH & Co. oHG<br /><br/>Unternehmergesellschaft (haftungsbeschränkt) - UG<br /><br/>Aktiengesellschaft - AG<br /><br/>Societas Europaea - kurz SE | Handelsregister- / Unternehmensregisterauszug | ✓ **Required** | Declaration of UBOs (Ultimate Beneficial Owners; collected by Swan) |
| Europäische wirtschaftliche Interessenvereinigung - EWIV | Handelsregister / Unternehmensregister | ✓ **Required** | *None* |
| Partnerschaft | Partnerschaftsregister- / Unternehmensregisterauszug | ✓ **Required** | *None* |
| Genossenschaft<br /><br/>Societas Cooperativa Europaea - SCE | Genossenschaftsregister- / Unternehmensregisterauszug | ✓ **Required** | Declaration of UBOs (collected by Swan) |
| Associations | Local court registration - Vereinsregisterauszug | ✓ **Required** | Declaration of UBOs (collected by Swan) |
| Freiberufler - Liberal professionals | *None* | ☒ Not required | Proof of exercise of the activity (chamber membership, proof of qualification, tax registration, a bill, an invoice…) |
| Selbständig / Gewerblich tätig - Self employed | Proof of registration at the local administrative office - Gewerbeschein | ☒ Not required | Proof of exercise of the activity (a bill, an invoice…) |
## Companies {#companies}

### Legal forms {#companies-types}
The following table introduces the various legal forms typically found for companies in Germany.

| Legal form (German) | Description |
| :------------------------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Offene Handelsgesellschaft (oHG) | General Partnership |
| Kommanditgesellschaft (KG) | Limited Partnership |
| Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH) | Limited Liability Company |
| Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung & Compagnie Kommanditgesellschaft (GmbH & Co. KG) | Limited Partnership with a Limited Liability Company as General Partner |
| Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung & Compagnie offene Handelsgesellschaft (GmbH & Co. oHG) | General Partnership with a Limited Liability Company as General Partner |
| Unternehmergesellschaft (haftungsbeschränkt) (UG) | Entrepreneurial Company (limited liability) |
| Aktiengesellschaft (AG) | Joint-stock Company |
| Societas Europaea (SE) | European Company |
| Europäische wirtschaftliche Interessenvereinigung (EWIV) | European Economic Interest Grouping |
| Societas Cooperativa Europaea (SCE) | European Cooperative Society |
| Genossenschaft | Cooperative Society |
| Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts (eGbR) | Registered Civil Law Partnership |

### Accepted documents {#companies-documents}
The following table lists the proof of registration documents accepted for German companies.
:::info Document request
*Swan retrieves documents marked with an asterisk.
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Can we say "Swan retrieves documents marked with an asterisk independently." - just to make it clear what we're referencing.

All other documents may be requested from your end users on a case-by-case basis.
:::

| Document type (German) | Description |
| :--------------------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Nachweis der Firmenregistrierung* | Proof of Company Registration* |
| Gesellschaftsvertrag/Satzungen* | Articles of Association* |
| UBO-Zertifikat* | Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBO) certificate* |
| Personalausweis der wirtschaftlich Berechtigten (UBOs) | Identity documents of UBOs |
| Vollmacht und Personalausweis | Power of Attorney and legal representatives identity card |
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Power of Attorney and the legal representative's identity card

| Formular für politisch exponierte Personen (PEP) | Politically Exposed Person (PEP) form |
| Finanzberichte | Financial statements |
| Eidesstattliche Erklärung | Sworn statement |
| Organigramm des Unternehmens | Company structure chart |

## Self-employed individuals and freelancers {#self-employed}

### Legal forms {#self-employed-types}
The following table describes the different legal forms relevant to self-employed individuals and freelancers.
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remove "different" - doesn't add anything.


| Legal form (German) | Description | Mandatory documents |
| :--------------------------------- | :------------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Freiberufler | Liberal professionals or freelancers | - Berufsanmeldung or Berufszulassung or Freiberufler-registrierung <br/> - Brief vom Finanzamt, Bescheinigung über die steuerliche Erfassung or Steuerbescheid |
| Selbständig/Gewerbetreibende | Self-employed in trade or business |Gewerbeschein |
| Partnerschaft | Partnership | Satzung der Gesellschaft or Partnerschaftsvertrag |
| Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts (eGbR) | Civil law partnership | - Satzung der Gesellschaft <br/> - Gewerbeschein (if available) |

### Accepted documents {#companies-types}
The following table lists the accepted proof of registration documents for self-employed individuals and freelancers in Germany.

:::info Document request
Swan requests proof of registration documents from self-employed individuals and freelancers.
:::

| Document type (German) | Description |
| :----------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------- |
| Gewerbeschein | Business or trade license |
| Berufsanmeldung or Berufszulassung | Professional registration or professional license |
| Freiberufler-registrierung | Freelancer registration |
| Satzung der Gesellschaft (Partnerschaft) | Articles of Association – Partnerships |
| Gesellschaftsvertrag | Articles of Association |
| Bescheinigung über die steuerliche Erfassung | Tax registration certificate |
| Brief vom Finanzamt | Letter from the tax office |
| Steuerbescheid | Tax Declaration (most recent) |