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Guides for foreign founders in China

Ten questions we answer every week, written out properly: cost, timeline, documents and what gets rejected.

Company formation Register a company in China as a foreigner What a WFOE actually requires, how long each step takes, and where applications usually fail. Read the guide Wholly foreign-owned enterprise WFOE registration in Shenzhen The Shenzhen process end to end, including what changes by district and what the bank will ask you. Read the guide Budgeting What it really costs to set up a company in China Government fees are close to zero. The money goes to the address, the bank and the ongoing filings — here is what to expect. Read the guide Hong Kong Hong Kong company incorporation for non-residents One to three working days to incorporate, then a predictable annual cycle of renewal, filing and audit. Read the guide Banking Opening a China bank account for a foreign-owned company The licence is the easy part. This is where most foreign-owned companies lose weeks. Read the guide Accounting & tax Bookkeeping and tax compliance for foreign-owned companies Filings are due whether or not you have revenue. Missing them is the most expensive mistake a new entity makes. Read the guide Intellectual property Registering a trademark in China China grants trademarks to whoever files first — not to whoever used the brand first. Read the guide Cross-border structuring ODI filing for outbound investment Three regulators, three filings, one sequence. Without them the bank will not remit the money. Read the guide Address & premises A registered address in Shenzhen that actually passes Since 2023 addresses are cross-checked against property records. An unlicensed address fails, and the failure follows the company. Read the guide Visas & immigration China work permit and residence permit A work permit first, then a Z visa, then a residence permit within 30 days. In that order. Read the guide