Foreign Company Establishment in China

No restrictions on foreign residents to set up a business in this fast-growing market, the whole process of business registration is the same as local citizens.

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    joy zhao cs manager

    Joy: Customer Manager

    Oversea Company Services

    Welcome to SMEsChina platform, here you can learn everything of incorporating a foreign company in China, this guidance includes timetable, prices, requirements and required documents and other useful information, and also provides detail guidance to assist your Chinese company operated confidently and comfortably through our experienced teams. Below is the complete guide on Chinese company establishment as a foreign business entity.

    Notably, China is attracting more and more foreign businesses and companies to establish their business entities here through bring technologies, products, ideas and brands to the Chinese market since the implementation of the business registration system and the preferential policies of taxation. With the reforms of government initiatives, incorporate a local enterprise looks like quicker and simpler right now.

    Timetable of Foreign Companies Establishment

    From our experience, a service industry can be set up within 20 working days, a Chinese trade company needs another 5 working days to obtain import and export permits.

    Description of Timeline:Processing Time:
    Submit the application of company name search and registration.3 workdays
    Draft out the documents of incorporation and legal forms, files of business registration.5 workdays
    Apply for the 5-in-1 business license and the certificate of foreign owned company.5 workdays
    Apply for the company stamps, corporate seals.2 workdays
    Corporate account opening and activate the internet banking.5 workdays
    Import and export permits (The Customs Registration Certificate).5 workdays

    Prices of Enterprise Establishment

    Our prices include all service package for foreign companies registration.

    – Collection, approval, and verify the documentation prepared by customers.
    – Offer a legal virtual office address to obtain the approval of registration.
    – Name search and submit application, get the approval of the corporate name.
    – Documents and forms preparation, and signature of the corporate shareholder(s).
    – Apply for the certificate of registration of foreign owned enterprise approved by the local Municipal Commission of Commerce.
    – Obtainment of the business registration license from the local licensing authority, know as: 5-in-1 business license.
    – Issuing of the corporate stamps, known as corporate seals.
    – Documents collection and submitting for tax registration, and VAT taxpayer application.
    – Basic and capital accounts opening and capital account declaration.
    – Government cost, translate fee, and drafting of the legal files and forms.
    – Import and export license registration and permits application.
    – Yearly administrative and maintaining services, such as license renew.
    – Annual bookkeeping and tax declaration services for income tax report, annual audit, government inspection, tax final settlement.

    Service Industry

    $4,950first year
    • Government Costs
    • Certificate of Registration
    • Business License
    • Seals/Stamps
    • Virtual Business Registration Address ( 12 months )
    • Annual Tax Compliance ( 12 months )

    Trade Industry

    $6,450first year
    • Government Costs
    • Certificate of Registration
    • Business License
    • Seals/Stamps
    • Virtual Business Registration Address ( 12 months )
    • Annual Tax Compliance ( 12 months )

    Company’s shareholder, executive director, supervisor, financial manager

    Shareholder(s):
    Known as owners, as the investors of the company to operate daily transactions, you can learn the detail requirements from our guidance <Qualifications and Legal Requirements of Shareholder>. Shareholder(s) can be an existed business or individual(s).

    Executive Director:
    As well as the legal representative of a company, appointed by the shareholders and sign the contracts, agreements on behalf of the company. You can learn its qualifications from our guidance <Legal Representative Requirements>. Executive director can be a Chinese citizen or a nonresident, no restriction on nationality.

    Supervisor:
    Known as: secretary, on behalf of the shareholder(s) to supervise the senior management teams, no nationality restriction. You can learn supervisor’s requirements from our guidance <Legal Requirements of the Supervisor>.

    Finance Manager:
    You have to hire a local accountant as the financial manager to report the tax returns each month, and report your VAT and profits depending on your daily operations.

    How Selecting Business Activities

    Different business entities can apply for the different business scope from industrial selections. You can choose the business activities from different selections and industrial classifications. For example, if your China company is a garment business to operate daily purchase and sale (trade classification), also you can select garment design from service classification, even you can select electronics as the business scope if you need. In China, most companies have already obtained the approval of cross-industry business.

    What Requirements and Documents You have to Prepare

    Here, SMEsChina has listed a table of required documents you have to prepare in your home country, and call a courier to send these documents to SMEsChina offices. Our lawyers need to submit the documents to local government office to verify and check.

    Key Structure of the Company:Required Documents you have to prepare in your home country:Remarks:
    Corporate ShareholderNotarization and authentication documents for the certificate of registration of foreign parent company issued by the Chinese embassy. Learn more: Embassy Notarization Authentication Documents2 sets, bilingual
    Individual ShareholderDigital photo, notarization and authentication documents for the passport issued by the Chinese embassy. 16 years old at least. Learn more: Embassy Notarization Authentication Documents2 sets, bilingual
    Legal Representative – Chinese PeopleOriginal ID card, 16 years old at least. Digital photo.none
    Legal Representative – NonresidentDigital photo. Notarization and authentication documents for the passport issued by the Chinese embassy. 16 years old at least. Learn more: Embassy Notarization Authentication Documents2 sets, bilingual
    Supervisor – Chinese PeopleOriginal ID card, photo, 16 years old at least. Digital photo.none
    Supervisor – NonresidentPassport copy, photo, 16 years old at least. Digital photo.none
    Financial ManagerLocal ID copy, photo, 16 years old at least. Digital photo.none

    What Information Need to Decide

    Here, SMEsChina has listed a refer links for your studies, you have to decide the following information of company registration through our related guidance links.

    Steps:Topics of Study:Links of Reference:
    Step 1Decide what types of software company, depends on your key structure of corporation (shareholder’s structure).Selecting a company type
    Step 2How to choose an available company name with bilingual for your private limited company.Naming rules and requirements
    Step 3List detail business activities from 10 industrial categories.Selecting business scope
    Step 4Set up the registered capital for your limited company.Company registered capital
    Step 5Set up core people of your local corporation, and key positions.Decide corporate structure
    Step 6Required documents you have to prepare in your country.Documents required to register a company
    Step 7Prepare notarization and authentication documents issued by China embassy.Notarization and authentication documents
    Step 8Download application forms and legal files and after filling and signing, courier to SMEsChina offices.Company formation documents download

    Required Documents of China Company Registration

    You have to look for a local lawyer and fill in the information and files of a foreign company establishment and business registration, SMEsChina also provides the services to our foreign customers. Here is a list of required documents and forms of company formation for your studies. Detail documents you may refer to the page <Registration Documents Download> to get more studies.

    Documentation Download List (PDF):Signatory:Remarks:
    Letter of Commitment of Establishment of Foreign Investment EnterpriseShareholder(s)Bilingual, print double, black pen
    The Letter of Attorney for Appointed or Authorized AgentShareholder(s)Bilingual, print 4 copies, black pen
    Foreign Company Registration (Record) ApplicationLegal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen
    Information of Legal RepresentativeLegal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen
    Information of Executive DirectorDirectorBilingual, print double, black pen
    Information of SupervisorSupervisorBilingual, print double, black pen
    Situations of Investors ( Shareholder Roster )Needn’tBilingual, print double
    The Letter of Attorney of Services of Legal Documents of Foreign Investment EnterpriseLegal Representative and Shareholder(s)Bilingual, print double, black pen
    Commitment of the Registry AuthorityLegal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen
    Commitment of New EstablishmentShareholder(s)Bilingual, print double, black pen
    Virtual Registered Address AgreementLegal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen
    Letter of Attorney of Application of Company SealsLegal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen
    Letter of Attorney of Corporate Digital CertificateLegal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen
    Appointment DocumentShareholder(s)Bilingual, print double, black pen
    Sample of the Articles of AssociationShareholder(s)Bilingual, print double, black pen
    Application of Foreign Trade Operator CertificatesLegal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen, import and export businesses need it
    General Taxpayer Application (VAT Qualification)Legal RepresentativeBilingual, print double, black pen
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    Check if setting up a private company is right for you, how you launch a corporation depends on what business activities your company does. It can also affect the processes of registration and different requirements for your preparation.

    SMEsChina focus on the growth of enterprise and providing a variety of business solutions in the area of strategy consultancy, WFOE setting up services, business registration, company formation, incorporation of domestic invested enterprise, finance and audit services, HR and payroll, corporate bank account, resident permit, immigration and visa, trademarks and legal compliance. If you have everything to set up a private business in Mainland China, you can get in touch with our teams to get more useful information and online guidance.

    More than 47 million companies and small medium enterprises have registered their business entities in mainland China and over 3.5 million new enterprises are incorporated during each financial year with comfortable process of registering companies due to China government implemented new rules and regulation on business registration laws since Oct. 2014. That’s Why SMEsChina is Here.

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