Relocate your business to Germany
Europe
Thinking about business immigration to Germany? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
16
federal states
9
neighbouring countries
84M
people, the most of any EU country
- Capital
- Berlin
- Population
- About 84 million
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- German
Best things about doing business in Germany
- Europe's largest economy
- A strong engineering and manufacturing base
- A central position for trade across Europe
Fun facts
- Parts of the German autobahn have no general speed limit.
- Germany has well over a thousand breweries.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Eingetragener Verein (e.V.) Non-Profit Registration
Official source: bmi.bund.de
GmbH / UG Company Registration (Handelsregister)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: make-it-in-germany.com
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in Germany
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: bafin.de
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in Germany
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by the local tax office (Finanzamt), the Federal Employment Agency (employer number) and the social insurance funds.
Official source: arbeitsagentur.de
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (DPMA)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: dpma.de
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (DPMA)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office.
Official source: dpma.de
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
EORI Number and Import Permits
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by German Customs (Zoll).
Official source: zoll.de
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by the local tax office (Finanzamt) for your tax number and VAT ID.
Official source: bzst.de
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the sector regulator and the local trade office.
Official source: make-it-in-germany.com
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA).
Official source: bafa.de
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM).
Official source: bfarm.de
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety and the state food control authorities.
Official source: bvl.bund.de
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through laboratories accredited by DAkkS.
Official source: dakks.de
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM).
Official source: bfarm.de
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
Residence Permit for Self-Employment (§21 Residence Act)
No fixed statutory investment minimum since 2012 — assessed on economic interest and financing, not a set dollar figure.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: make-it-in-germany.com; auswaertiges-amt.de
Questions about moving a business to Germany
What business immigration options are there for Germany?
ORBIZLY lists business and entrepreneur routes (Residence Permit for Self-Employment (§21 Residence Act)). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to Germany?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in Germany give me residency?
No. Registering a company does not give you the right to live in Germany on its own. Residency needs a separate visa or residence permit.
What do I need to set up a business in Germany?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For Germany, ORBIZLY lists drug and health licences, import permits, company registration, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to Germany?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
Dreaming of Germany?
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Brands built in Germany
Well-known companies from Germany, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
SAP
Business software used by large companies worldwide
Siemens
Industrial technology and automation
Zalando
Europe's online fashion platform
Celonis
UnicornProcess-mining software
DeepL
UnicornAI translation used worldwide
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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