How it works
Setting up in China is a sequence of offices, forms and phone calls, mostly in Chinese. Here is each step: what happens, what we need from you and what you get at the end of it.
Typically three to six months from first call to first payroll.
Choose a station to see the detail.
- 01PlanCompany type and city
- 02ParkOffers in writing
- 03RegisterLicence and seals
- 04Bank and taxAccounts and capital
- 05PermitsYou and your team
- 06HirePayroll and books
Step 01 of 06
Plan
We talk through what you're building, then recommend a company type and the cities and parks that fit it.
Typical time
Your pace, plus the time to notarise and apostille documents abroad.
What happens
- A wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) can sign contracts, invoice and hire. A representative office can only do non-profit liaison work.
- There's no general legal minimum for capital, but what you commit must be fully paid in within five years.
- We tell you which documents to notarise and apostille, so you can start on them early.
What we need from you
- What you're building, who for, and your plans for China
- Who will hold the company roles, such as legal representative and director
- A rough budget and timeline
What you get
- A recommended company type and capital plan
- A shortlist of cities and parks
- A document checklist and a fixed-fee quote
The film
The same route, start to finish: from the first call to your first payroll, and who does what along the way.
Before you start
Four things to have in hand. Documents from abroad can take a while to prepare, so we start on them at the first step.
01
Your parent company's documents
Certificate of incorporation, constitution, and register of directors and shareholders, notarised and apostilled where it's registered. China joined the Apostille Convention in November 2023, so documents from member countries such as Singapore need no embassy legalisation.
02
Passports
For the company's officers, such as the legal representative and directors, with Chinese translations. We arrange the translations.
03
A registered address
Every company needs one, and the district must accept it: not every desk or flat qualifies. Parks can often provide one.
04
A plan for capital
How much you'll commit and when you'll pay it in. There's no general legal minimum, but it must be fully paid in within five years.
Questions
Ready for the first station?
Tell us what you're building. We'll walk you through the route for your company and what you'll need for each step.