A foreigners' association is an association whose members or leaders are predominantly foreigners. A person is a foreigner within the meaning of the Association Act if he or she is not a citizen of a member state of the European Union.

A foreigners' association whose registered office is in the state capital of Wiesbaden is obliged to register with the Public Order Office within two weeks of its establishment (registration with the Wiesbaden Local Court). The association then receives a certificate which can be used to prove that the registration obligation has been fulfilled.