Welcome to our document guide! Here you’ll find all the documents needed for your WorldFirst journey, including helpful explanations and samples tailored to your country.
Before starting onboarding, please have the following documents ready:
1. Certificate of Incorporation (please provide one of the following)
- Handelsregisterauszug for Company (HRB) / Handelsregisterauszug for Sole Trader (HRA)
- Gewerbeschein
2. Articles of Association
3. Personal ID Documents (please provide one of the following)
- National ID card
- Passport
- Driving License
4. Proof of Address (please provide one of the following)
- Bank statement
- Utility bill
- Council letter
- Tenancy agreement
5. Proof of Trading (submit only if requested during review)
- Bank statement
- Warehouse rental agreement
Note: To help us process your application smoothly, please make sure all documents are up-to-date, clearly legible, and match the information you will provide during onboarding.
1. Certificate of Incorporation
We need to verify your company’s details with a Certificate of Incorporation. In Germany, Certificate of Incorporation refers to “Business Registration Documentation (Dokumente zur Unternehmensregistrierung)“. It’s divided into following different types depends on your business’s legal structure and issuing authorities.
Please refer to the details and samples below.
a. Handelsregisterauszug for Company (HRB) / Handelsregisterauszug for Sole Trader (HRA)
Handelsregisterauszug is an official extract from the German Commercial Register (Handelsregister). It serves as proof of your company’s existence and official registration in Germany. It is issued by Handelsregister B des Amtsgerichts[1] or Handelsregister A des Amtsgerichts[2].
The document includes:
- Company’s legal name and registration date
- Registration number
- Registered address
- Managing Directors/Board Members
- Capital Stock (if applicable)
[1] Handelsregister B des Amtsgerichts is the section of the Commercial Register specifically for corporations, including GmbHs, AGs, Publicly Traded Company, and similar entities.
[2] Handelsregister A des Amtsgerichts is for sole traders registered in Commercial Register.
Sample of Handelsregisterauszug for Company (HRB)
Sample of Handelsregisterauszug for Sole Trader (HRA)
b. Gewerbeschein
Gewerbeschein is the German equivalent of business registration of Sole Proprietorships (Einzelunternehmen) that are registered in local trade office (Gewerbeamt), ensuring that businesses are properly documented and regulated.
The document includes:
- Personal Information: Name, address, nationality, contact details, etc.
- Business Information: Name and legal form of the business, business address, registered business activities, start date of operations, and the business premises address.
Sample of Gewerbeschein for Sole Trader
2. Articles of Association
Your Articles of Association (called “Satzung/Gesellschaftsvertrag” in Germany) set out how your company is governed, your share capital structure, and other important operating rules. They usually include:
- Your company’s name
- Registered office
- Business purpose
- Details about the share capital (number of shares and their nominal value), and information about shareholder contributions
Please refer to the sample below.
3. Personal ID Documents
As the applicant (serving as a director or business owner), please prepare your original ID document for identity verification. We can accept one of the following documents, provided it is valid and unexpired.
- National ID card
- Passport
- Driving license
Please refer to the details and samples below.
a. National ID card
A national ID card must:
- Be in colour
- Show a clear image of the individual
- Be issued by the government of the country in which you are a citizen or resident
- Show front and back images
For examples from other regions, please refer to the European Council website.
b. Passport
A passport must：
- Be in colour
- Show a clear image of the individual
- Be issued by the government of the country in which you are a citizen or resident.
For examples from other regions, please refer to the European Council website.
c. Driving License
A driving licence must:
- Be in colour
- Show a clear image of the individual
- Be issued by the government of the country in which you are a citizen or resident.
- Show front and back images
For examples from other regions, please refer to the European Council website.
4. Proof of Address
Proof of Address is a document used to verify your personal address. Please ensure it matches the residential address submitted in your application. We can accept one of the following documents, provided it is no older than three months and clearly displays both your name and full residential address.
- Transactional bank statement (from a licensed and regulated bank)
- Utility bill (not a mobile phone bill, but inclusive of broadband bills)
- Government issued tax statement (e.g. council tax)
- Tenancy agreement, the agreement should still be valid at the time of onboarding
- Government issued household register/resident register
Please refer to the details and samples below.
a. Bank statement
A bank statement must include:
- Bank’s name / logo
- Your full name and address
- Account number
b. Utility bill
A utility bill must include:
- The utility provider’s name / logo
- Your full name and address
- Account number
c. Council letter
A council letter must include:
- The council’s name / logo
- Your full name and address
d. Tenancy agreement
A tenancy agreement must include:
- The landlord’s name and address
- Your full name and address
- The period of residency
5. Proof of Trading
Proof of Trading is a document used to demonstrate that your company has a local presence/actual trading activity within the EEA region. We can accept one of the following documents, provided it is no older than three months and clearly displays the company name and full address.
- Company transactional bank statement dated within the last 3 months, from a licensed EEA bank
- Utility bill under your company name within the last 3 months, such as a gas, electricity or water bill
- Current proof of local office/warehouse, such as corporate tenancy agreement of warehouse or company office
- Proof of ownership of your marketplace platform or online store (e.g. screenshot of the back end page/admin page and the store front link)
Please refer to the details and samples below.
a. Bank statement
A bank statement must include:
- Bank’s name / logo
- Company’s full name and address
- Account number
b. Warehouse rental agreement
A warehouse rental agreement must include:
- The lessor’s name and address
- Company’s full name and address
- The lease term for the warehouse
