China RO Registration Service
Hotline: 86-755-82148419, Email: susiehu@citilinkia.com, Wechat: 13823131503
1. Prerequisite
In accordance with the prevailing rules and regulations, a foreign company which applies to register a representative office in China must have been in existence or have been registered for more than two years before it submits such an application for registration.
2. Features of Representative Office
(1) Legal status of an RO
The RO is a non-legal entity operating representing its parent company. A RO is not allowed to engage itself in business activities, issue invoices on its own, remitting outward, signing sales or purchase contracts, or receiving income from services performed but may act as a liaison and promotion office for its parent company.
(2) Name of the RO
The name of the RO should be in the form of “Name of Country where the investor is registered + Name of the Enterprise + Name of the City + Representative Office”.
(3) Business Address
Before submitting the application for the registration of the RO, it is required that an office premise which is to be used by the RO by taken and a tenancy agreement for that office premise be executed.
Please note the business address must be located in commercial buildings approved by the local Chinese government and it must be located in a building that is specifically allowed to be for business purpose by foreign enterprise.
(4) Recruitment of Chinese employee(s)
An RO shall entrust a local labour services agency for foreigners or other service units designated by the Chinese Government to recruit and employ Chinese personnel in accordance with laws and regulations of the PRC.
3. Pre-registration and Registration Procedures
2.1 Preliminary
(1) Lease of Office Premise
Firstly, the investor will have to enter into a tenancy agreement in relation to the office space to be used by the Representative Office for a term of not less than 12 months. The office must be located in a commercial building.
(2) Legalization of Identity Documents of the investor
The investor is also required to arrange to have its incorporation documents legalized by the Chinese Embassy in the country where it is registered.
(3) Legalisation of Bankers’ Reference Letter
The investor needs to arrange with its banker to issue a bankers’ reference letter.
(4) Legalisation of the appointment letter and identity document and resume of the Legal Representative/General Representative
(5) Other Documentation
The investor at the same time needs to prepare other documents, such as photocopy of passports/Hong Kong Identity card/Home Returning Card of the Representative.
2.2 Application for Registration
(1) Step 1: Application for Certificate of Registration
The registration of a RO in Shenzhen starts with the submission of application documents to the Shenzhen Administrative Bureau of Industry and Commerce to apply for registration certificate.
(2) Step 2: Graving of Common Seal (Office Seal)
The RO then proceeds to apply for approval from Shenzhen Municipal Police Office for graving of common seal and order the graving of common seal with designated seal graving company.
(3) Step 3: Application of “Enterprise Code” and Card
The RO applies for Enterprise Organisation Code and Card from Shenzhen
Technology and Quality Supervision Bureau.
Registration of Representative Office in China
(4) Step 4: State and Local Tax Registration
The RO applies to register with State Tax Bureau Shenzhen Branch and Shenzhen Municipal Tax Bureau and apply for State Tax Registration Certificate and Shenzhen Local Tax Registration Certificate.
(5) Step 5: Opening of Bank Accounts
After all registrations are being performed, Kaizen then proceeds to set up the bank accounts in China for your representative office.
4. Documents required for application
You are responsible for the preparation of the following information and documents:
(1) A set of legalised (by Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the country where the applicant company is registered) incorporation documents of the investor. For a company registered in Hong Kong, the incorporation documents shall be attested by the notary public in Hong Kong who is authorized by Chinese government authority.
(2) A set of legalised (by Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the country where the applicant company is registered) banker’s reference letter.
(3) A set of legalised (by Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the country where the applicant company is registered) appointment letter and identity document and resume of the chief representative and general representative legalised by the Chinese Embassy.
(4) A set of legalised (by Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the country where the applicant company is registered) authorization document for the authorized signatory of the investor legalised by the Chinese Embassy.
(5) 2 sets of original Lease Agreement of the office premise to be used by the RO.
(6) A brief summary of the operations and business of the investor, such as the principal business activities, registered address, contact phone number, name of the applicant company; the address and contact number of the managing director of the applicant company.
(7) A copy of resume, 4 pictures, passport copy, contact number of the Chief Representative and the address where the Chief Representative will be staying while she/he is in China.
Contact Us
For further queries, please do not hesitate to contact ATAHK at anytime, anywhere by simply calling China hotline at 86-755-82143422, 86-755-82143512, or emailing to anitayao@citilinkia.com.