Setup process & timeline

For a foreign individual investor, your passport is the main personal identity document. We first check your nationality, previous visits to China, current location and whether the original passport is available.

Depending on the city’s identity verification process, you may need the original passport, a translation, entry records, or identity documents with the appropriate notarisation, apostille or authentication. Some cities may also request current visa or residence documents.

You provide shareholder, proposed officer and business details and sign the registration documents; we help organise the remaining incorporation materials. An overseas corporate shareholder needs a separate corporate-document checklist.

Let us confirm the document requirements before you pay for notarisation. An absent entry stamp does not automatically establish the same requirement in every city.

Start by deciding:

• Business activity: what you sell or provide and how payments will work.
• Ownership: who invests, their shares and who runs the company.
• Registered capital: an amount consistent with your plans and ability to contribute.
• City and address: whether you need registration only or an actual workspace.
• Name and appointments: proposed company names and the people taking the required roles.

New limited liability companies generally require subscribed capital to be paid within five years of establishment under their articles, subject to special rules.

Registered capital is a funding commitment. Choose an amount you can fulfil, rather than a large figure simply to look established.

Based on our handling experience, allow approximately 3–10 working days for business licence processing once complete, suitable documents are ready for submission. Timing depends on the city, review and any requests for additional information.

This estimate excludes document preparation, notarisation or authentication, translation and shipping. Bank account opening, tax identity verification and industry licences are separate steps.

Receiving the business licence and being fully ready to operate are different milestones.

Company registration: many steps can be arranged remotely when the documents and identity verification requirements are met. Certain locations or stages may still require personal attendance for verification or collection.

Banking: remote arrangements depend on the bank and account. Some of our available arrangements require your original passport. Attending personally can make identity checks and document confirmation more straightforward.

Tax identity verification: based on our handling experience, the legal representative may need to attend personally. Where the legal representative and finance officer are two different foreign nationals, it is normally the legal representative who needs to attend.

If the legal representative is foreign and the finance officer is Chinese, some cities may allow the finance officer to attend instead; in most cases we encounter, the legal representative still needs to attend.

We confirm the local requirements before you plan your trip and aim to group necessary appointments to reduce repeat visits.

Next, arrange the bank accounts, tax information confirmation, identity verification, accounting and filings required for your business. Imports, exports and other regulated activities may need additional registrations or licences.

A business licence does not by itself authorise every regulated activity. We identify what must be completed before you start and what can be arranged in stages.

Confirm the first filing deadline and required identity checks promptly. An unfinished online setup or identity check does not automatically suspend filing obligations.

We help review company names, business scope, foreign investment access, ownership, registered capital and address suitability before registration.

Depending on your selected services, we also coordinate registration, banking, tax procedures and applicable customs or other business formalities. Industry licence assistance is confirmed separately.

You provide complete and accurate information, sign the necessary documents and attend when required.

We aim to combine appointments that need your attendance, reducing repeat travel. Same-day completion depends on availability and processing progress and is not guaranteed.