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Can an international student, holding student resident permit invest in the German stock market? As international students are not allowed to start a business so does that restrictions also apply to investing in stock market?

If so, what is the procedure?

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    Do you have a bank account ? If so ask your banker. Otherwise go to a well-known bank that has brokerage accounts and ask them. – xyious Aug 7 at 16:04
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    I'd... try. They can only say "no", and won't kick you out... :) – RonJohn Aug 7 at 16:20
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    Can you please link the legislation restricting you as an international student from "starting a business"? Given that we might can give you an indication if investments are also restricted. I don't think so, but I'm not a lawyer anyway. – Peter Wippermann Aug 7 at 16:36
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    As long as you are able to pay the money to own the stock and pay the tax(with a tax number), no broker will reject you. – mootmoot Aug 8 at 18:58
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    @PeterWippermann: students have a different residence permit ("zum Zweck des Studiums") from the one needed to start a business ("zur Ausübung der selbständigen Tätigkeit"). They need different paperwork, and the study version explicitly says studying must be main purpose (basically full time student). The business one apparently asks for business plan, financial plans and prediced earnings etc. to be submitted. I'd think investing in stock market like a private person should be OK for a student, though - just like having a checking and/or savings bank accounts. OP may not be allowed to... – cbeleites supports Monica Aug 9 at 21:07
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If you have a German registered address and bank account, you can. There are various German online banks that will give you an account within hours. Those require a smartphone and an international travel document. You indentify yourself via their app and services like WebID or PostIdent. One (amongst many) possible setups would be N26 (bank) and degiro (online broker). The latter requires you to be a German tax resident, which may or may not be the case for international students.

NB: I don't have a stake with any of those products/services in any way.

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