WFOE Registration
in Mainland China
A Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) gives you 100% ownership, full revenue rights, and the ability to hire local staff — making it the most powerful and flexible structure for foreign investors entering China.
What a WFOE Allows You to Do
Full Revenue Rights
Issue Chinese VAT invoices (fapiao), collect RMB revenue, and repatriate profits to your Hong Kong holding company.
Direct Employment
Hire Chinese nationals directly under Chinese labour law, without the need for a labour dispatch agency.
Import & Export Rights
Apply for import/export trading rights to conduct cross-border trade directly from your China entity.
100% Foreign Ownership
Retain full control of your China operations without requiring a local Chinese partner (for non-restricted industries).
Contractual Capacity
Sign contracts, open bank accounts, own property, and engage in all commercial activities within your registered business scope.
Multiple Business Types
Register as a Trading WFOE, Service WFOE, or Manufacturing WFOE depending on your industry and operational needs.
Three Types of WFOE
The right WFOE type depends on your business activities. We help you select and register the correct type from the start.
Trading WFOE
Import, export, and wholesale/retail distribution of goods within China. Requires import/export licence for cross-border trade.
- Consumer goods distribution
- Industrial equipment supply
- Cross-border e-commerce (B2B)
Service WFOE
Provision of professional, consulting, technology, or other services to Chinese clients. Most common for B2B service companies.
- Management consulting
- IT services & software
- Marketing & advertising
- Education & training (limited)
Manufacturing WFOE
Production and processing of goods in China. Requires a physical factory or production facility and environmental compliance.
- OEM/ODM manufacturing
- Food & beverage production
- Electronics assembly
Documents Required
Echo Olesen Global prepares and coordinates all documentation on your behalf. Foreign documents typically require notarisation and apostille — we manage this entire process.
- Valid passport or corporate registration documents for all shareholders and directors
- Proof of registered address in China (lease agreement for office space)
- Proposed business scope (经营范围) — we help draft this correctly
- Registered capital amount (no statutory minimum for most industries)
- Articles of Association (we prepare this)
- Notarised and apostilled foreign documents (we coordinate this process)
How We Register Your WFOE
Consultation & Structure Planning
We assess your business model, target city, industry restrictions, and registered capital requirements. We recommend the optimal WFOE type and holding structure (typically via a Hong Kong company).
Company Name Reservation
We submit your proposed Chinese company name to the local Administration for Market Regulation (AMR) for pre-approval. We advise on naming rules and common rejection reasons.
Document Preparation & Notarisation
We prepare all required documents: Articles of Association, investment agreement, director/shareholder KYC, and registered address proof. Foreign documents require notarisation and apostille.
Government Registration
We file with the AMR (formerly SAIC/AIC) to obtain your Business Licence (营业执照). For certain industries, prior MOFCOM approval may be required.
Post-Registration Compliance
We handle tax registration, company chop (seal) production, bank account opening, and initial accounting setup to get your WFOE fully operational.
Real WFOEs. Real Results.
How Echo Olesen Global helped foreign businesses establish fully operational WFOEs in mainland China.
ScanTech Nordic AB, a Swedish manufacturer of precision industrial sensors, had been exporting to Chinese distributors for six years. Growing demand and margin pressure from intermediaries prompted the board to consider direct market entry via a wholly-owned subsidiary in Shenzhen.
The Swedish parent had no existing Hong Kong entity, and the Shenzhen Free Trade Zone required a foreign investor with a clean corporate structure. The client also needed to issue Chinese VAT invoices (fapiao) to qualify for government procurement contracts.
Echo Olesen Global first incorporated a Hong Kong holding company (completed in 7 days), then used it as the foreign investor to register a Trading WFOE in Shenzhen Qianhai FTZ. We coordinated notarisation, apostille, MOFCOM filing, and bank account opening with a major state-owned bank — all within 14 weeks.
VerdeTech Solutions, an Australian B2B SaaS company providing supply-chain management software, secured a pilot contract with a Shanghai-based Fortune 500 manufacturer. The Chinese client required a locally registered entity to sign the service agreement and receive RMB payments.
The pilot contract had a 90-day signing deadline. VerdeTech had no prior China presence and needed a Technology Services WFOE in Shanghai with a registered capital plan that satisfied the client's procurement compliance requirements — under severe time pressure.
Echo Olesen Global fast-tracked the Hong Kong holding company incorporation (5 days) and simultaneously prepared all WFOE application documents. We leveraged our Shanghai partner network to complete the SAMR registration and tax enrolment in 11 weeks — 3 weeks ahead of the contract deadline.