I. Enterprise name inquiry (3 Working Days)
1. The Corporate identity of the shareholders or the natural person’s ID card (copy). (The foreign party can be a natural person. If it is a Sino-foreign joint venture, the Chinese party must not be a natural person);
5. Application of Approval Notification of Enterprise Name signed by all investors
6. Evidence of designated representative or common commissioned agent signed by all investors;
7. The designated representative’s or the common commissioned agent’s ID (copy);
8. For name applications with features like “China”, “Chinese”, “State”, “National”, “International”, shall have an approval document from state council, its copy should be submitted.
(After the enterprise name is approved, the Approval Notification of Enterprise Name shall be given, which stays valid for 6 months.)
II. Pre-approval
1. Approval Notification of Enterprise Name;
2. Legal person and shareholders’ IDs (original documents);
3. The first decision of the board of directors or the shareholders;
4. Articles of association;
5. Other pertinent documents;
If there are special items in the business scope, the enterprise should first get an approval document from the government.
There’re pre-approval and post-approval in consideration of different situations. Some special items should first get a permit. (Such as guard and defense, fire fighting, security, environmental protection, and science and technology commission, etc.)
III. Application for Certificate of Approval for Establishment of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (12 Working Days) (click to see an example)
1. The name list of the chairman, vice-chairman, directors designated by the investors and the letter of appointment;
2. The investor's main body qualifications proof or the ID card of the natural person;
① If the foreign party is a company, the documents required are: Proof of business registration (copy) and the Chinese translation (original document), Notarized document of local notary public (original document), the certification from local Chinese embassy (original document), and the Identification of legal representative (copy);
② If the foreign party is a natural person, his/her passport and one copy (of the 1st page of passport ) is needed;
③ For Sino-foreign joint venture, the Chinese party’s business license copy (seal affixed), legal representative’s ID card copy (seal affixed) are required;
3. Reference letter of foreign investors’ banking credibility and Chinese translation;
4. Approval Notification of Enterprise Name (copy);
5. The property ownership certificate of the place of business registration (must be a commercial property) seal affixed by the property party, and contract of house leasing (original document);
6. Foreign-investment enterprise establishment application letter;
7. For Sino-foreign joint venture, contract of enterprise with foreign investment signed by legal representatives of all investor parties is needed;
8. Contract & articles of association;
9. Commission Letter For Delivery of Legal Documents (original documents), contact address, zip code and other contact information.
1. Approval documents from Foreign Investment Commission (official reply and certificate of approval duplicate 1) original document;
2. Articles of association (original document);
3. Approval Notification of Enterprise Name (original document);
4. The investor's main body qualifications proof or natural person’s ID;
① If the foreign investor is a company, required documents are: Proof of business registration (copy) and its Chinese translation, Notarized document of local notary public (original document), the certification from local Chinese embassy (original document), and the legal representative’s ID (copy);
② If the foreign investor is a natural person, his/her passport and its copy (for the ID page and the entry stamp page) are required;
③ If it is a Sino-foreign funded enterprise, the Chinese party should provide Business license, Legal representative’s identification copy with the official seal.
5. The Application Form of Registration of Foreign-funded Company signed by the legal-representative-to-be.
6. Reference letter of foreign investors’ banking credibility and Chinese translation;
7. Appointment letter of the managers, supervisors, members of Board of Directors & their valid ID copies;
8. Appointment letter of the legal-representative-to-be and his/her valid ID (original document and copy)
9. Identification on the verification of capital (original document);
10. The property ownership of the place of operation (must be a commercial property) seal affixed by the property party, and contract of house leasing (original document);
11. Commission Letter for Delivery of Legal Documents (original documents), contact address, zip code and other contact information;
12. Pre-approval documents or certificates (original document and copy).
V. Foreign Exchange Registration Certificate Application in State Administration of Foreign Exchange (5 Working Days)
1. Duplicate of business license;
2. Approval documents from foreign trade department and approval certificate;
3. Approved contract of cooperation on the joint-venture, and the articles of association;
4. Enterprise’s organization code certificate;
5. Enterprise’s public seal;
6. Other pertinent documents.
VI. Opening Enterprise Account for Foreign Currency and RMB Account in the Bank (7 Working Days)
You can choose the most suitable bank for you according to your specific situation.
1. Business License (Original document and 3 copies);
2. Official reply and certificate of approval from Foreign Investment Commission (Original document and 3 copies);
3. Enterprise Organization Code (original document and 3 copies);
4. Foreign exchange registration certificate and the IC card (original document and 3 copies);
5. Official seal, legal representative seal, special financial seal;
6. Report on verification of capital;
7. FCY Account Card;
8. Contract and Articles of association;
9. The Chinese party’s Enterprise Organization Code and the duplicate of Business License;
The foreign party should provide the foreigner’s valid identification and the foreign organization’s registration documents.
Usually you can pick the basic account managing card within one week.
Tip: The voucher of bank account closing, if the enterprise has one, should be handed in to the bank when opening an account. If the enterprise’s legal person doesn’t handle with the bank account opening himself, the agent’s ID card (original) is required.
Tip: The above documents are required in common banks. There might be other pertinent documents required in different banks.
(According to the regulations of People's Bank of China, the enterprise should have its own basic bank account. The enterprise can choose whichever bank that is most suitable. Please consult with the bank for detailed information on bank account opening.)
VII. Record Filing and Registration of Foreign Trade Operators (5 Working Days)(
click to see an example)
1. Shanghai Record Filing and Registration of Foreign Trade Operators form with signature and official seal;
2. Business license copy;
3. Organization code certificate copy;
4. Legal representative’s ID copy;
5. Certificate of approval for establishment of enterprises with foreign investment copy;
6. Self-employed laborer should provide property notarization proof from a legal notary public; enterprise of foreign country (region) should provide financial credibility proof from a legal notary public.
VIII. Self-inspection Registration Certificate (5 Working Days)
1. The application form of self-inspection registration affixed with company's official seal;
2. Business license and one copy affixed with company’s official seal;
3. Organization code certificate and one copy affixed with company’s official seal;
4. A proving letter of import and export operation right (only for those enterprise which has import and export operation right).
IX. Custom Registration Application (7 Working Days)
1. Duplicate of business license and one copy, Application Form of Registration of Foreign-funded Company and one copy;
2. Record Filing and Registration of Foreign Trade Operators Form and one copy (apply in Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce. Except those enterprises who don’t need to register according to pertinent regulations) ;
3. National tax, local tax registration certificate duplicate and one copy;
4. RMB basic account opening license and one copy;
5. Organization code certificate duplicate and one copy;
6. Articles of association copy (not necessary for non-corporation);
7. The commission letter of the agent;
8. The agent’s ID.
X. Apply for Invoice Purchase Register Booklet (5 Working Days)
(Apply in local tax bureau. The company should show the invoice purchase register when purchasing invoices. )
1. Business License copy;
2. Tax affairs certificate of registry duplicate and copy;
3. Special nationwide invoice stamp, public seal;
4. Tax officer’s contact card;
5. Agent’s ID card and copy;
XI. Invoice Purchase & Business Opening
1. Invoice purchase register and invoice application form;
2. Tax officer’s (usually the enterprise’s legal person or employee) ID card, 2 certificate photos, for tax officer’s contact card application;
Public seal, Legal representative seal, Special nationwide invoice stamp, Tax affairs certificate of registry. The tax officer himself and the finance supervisor should go to the tax department together; the legal person is required to sign on the first invoice purchase.
1. Certificate of approval for establishment of enterprises with foreign investment with duplicate;
2. Business License with duplicate;
3. Public seal, Legal representative seal, Special financial seal;
4. Foreign exchange registration certificate with IC card (Foreign trade enterprise’s foreign exchange registration record);
5. Customs registration certificate (Foreign trade enterprise’s Customs registration record);
6. Form of Record Filing and Registration of Foreign Trade Operators in Shanghai (Foreign trade enterprise record in Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce);
7. Record certificate for manufacturer's self-declaration (Foreign trade enterprise’s inspection and quarantine registration record);
8. Export tax refund (Foreign trade enterprise’s export tax refund record);
9. E-port registration record (Foreign trade enterprise’s self-declaration on e-port registration record).
