GmbH formation with one team on the Berlin–İstanbul axis.
GmbH/UG formation in Germany for Turkish entrepreneurs and companies: the notary process, commercial register, bank account, tax registrations and the first-year compliance schedule from a single source.
The right vehicle: GmbH, UG or a branch?
There are three main vehicles for a lasting entry into the German market. GmbH: €25,000 in share capital (at least half paid in at formation), the standard the market recognises and banks favour. UG (haftungsbeschränkt): a “mini-GmbH” that can be formed from €1; suitable for a quick start but with limited commercial standing and a mandatory profit-reserve requirement. Branch (Zweigniederlassung): no separate legal entity; the Turkish head office’s liability is directly engaged. The choice must be made according to the client profile, public tenders, visa/permit plans and the tax setup — we detail the comparison in our GmbH guide.
Formation steps and the real timeline
The process begins at the notary: certification of the articles of association (also possible remotely with a Turkish-German power of attorney and apostille arrangement), opening the capital account and documenting the payment, registration with the commercial register (Handelsregister), then tax-office registrations and notification to the transparency register (Transparenzregister). The practical bottleneck is often the bank account: in structures with Turkish shareholders, compliance reviews can extend the timeline; the right choice of bank and a complete KYC file shorten it by weeks. A realistic end-to-end time, if the file is ready, is a few weeks.
The first year after formation
Registration is not the end but the beginning: the accounting and VAT-return setup, processes equivalent to e-invoice/e-archive, social security registrations in the case of hiring, and the managing director (Geschäftsführer) liability regime. For executives to be assigned from Türkiye, the EU Blue Card timeline must run in parallel with the formation. If an intra-group flow of goods/services is planned, transfer pricing documentation must be set up from the first year.
The handover pack: a “ready to trade” file
We close the engagement with a handover pack of six items: the pre-clearance report on the structure and the company name; the Turkish-German power of attorney and apostille set; the notarised articles of association, in the form the GmbHG requires; evidence of the capital payment and the KYC file held at the bank; the outputs of the commercial, tax and transparency register filings; and the compliance calendar for the first year. The Turkish shareholder’s side of the decision is prepared from İstanbul: board resolutions that satisfy the Turkish Commercial Code (No. 6102), the signature and representation arrangements, and intra-group service agreements where the structure needs them. The structural analysis that comes before the decision to incorporate is done against the two-country comparison in our company formation service.
Who forms a GmbH?
Three profiles stand out: manufacturers and exporters who want to give their German customers a local entity to deal with; e-commerce brands that need an EU legal entity for returns logistics and marketplace requirements; and services and software companies about to put a team on the ground in Germany. The rhythm after formation is planned from the outset: the bookkeeping and filing regime, payroll and the social security registrations all run on one calendar with our accounting & payroll team.
We are by your side for GmbH Formation in Germany
Our Germany Desk, through its RA-Kammer Berlin membership, handles the notary and registry processes on the ground, while the İstanbul office runs the shareholder-facing side in Turkish. We deliver the formation as part of the Expansion into Germany focus in a single project, with the tax, employment and contract infrastructure — not “registered,” but all the way to “ready to operate.”
Other Applications of This Service
Company Formation & Registration — our other specialised solutions in this area.
Matter Connections
The focus areas, practice areas, desks and legislation connected with this sub-service.
Our Matters in This Service
The anonymised examples of our work that relate to this service.
The Team Delivering This Service
With our multilingual team of lawyers, well-versed in Turkish and German law, we are by your side.
Related Publications
Fresh perspectives and guides from the Knowledge Centre.
Yes, the Geschäftsführer is not required to reside in Germany; however, the place of effective management can trigger tax consequences, and banks ask for a resident contact person. Tax and operations should shape the structure together.
Yes — entry can be tested through a distributor, trade fair participation or e-commerce channels; at a certain turnover, a GmbH turns into the advantageous option. We plan the transition strategy in our Expanding into Germany focus area.
Largely yes: with an apostilled power of attorney and the proper certification arrangements, the notarial steps can be carried out by proxy; some banks offer remote identity verification. The critical point is preparing the document set in line with German…
In a GmbH, at least €12,500 must be paid in at formation; the shareholders remain liable for the remainder. The payment documents are a precondition for registration.
GmbH Formation in Germany — get the right legal support.
Let us identify the right solution together, drawing on our experience in Türkiye and the DACH region.