China company setup for European businesses +44 1422 489000 WhatsApp hello@chinacompanysetup.eu

CHINA MARKET ENTRY FOR EUROPEAN BUSINESSES

Your company
in China.
Run from Europe.

We help European entrepreneurs, SMEs and corporate groups register a wholly foreign-owned company in China, open a bank account, arrange work visas and stay compliant afterwards. One team in Shenzhen, one fixed-scope quotation.

From €2,230 · fixed scope English, German & Russian spoken
Shenzhen skyline beside green parkland and the waterfront
SHENZHEN, CHINA
Your partner on the ground.

A local team in Shenzhen, working with you in your language.

CITIES WE COVER Shenzhen Shanghai Beijing Wuhan Hainan Changsha

OUR SERVICES

From registration
to running smoothly.

Whether you are a founder sourcing products, a Mittelstand manufacturer opening a sales office or a group setting up a subsidiary, we handle the filings, the follow-up with local authorities and the paperwork in between.

CHINA COMPANY SETUP PACKAGES

Transparent prices.
Defined scope.

Choose the package that suits your plans. Before you pay, we confirm your business activity, city and requirements in writing.

REGISTER YOUR COMPANY

NO VISA

Company Registration & Bank Account

Your China company (WFOE) registered with a lawful business address, plus hands-on support opening the corporate bank account.

≈ €2,230
One-off fee, invoiced as RMB18,478 · includes 1-year virtual office
  • Company name search & reservation
  • Articles of Association drafted
  • 1-year virtual office with formal lease
  • Registration filing & official fees
  • Company seal (公章) & financial seal (财务章)
  • Bank account documents prepared
  • VIP bank account opening service
Plan for ongoing compliance Monthly accounting and tax filing is charged separately. This package does not include a work visa.
Enquire about this package ↗

Euro figures are approximate, based on RMB8.3 = €1. We quote and invoice in RMB, so the euro amount you pay depends on the exchange rate on the day. Final scope and city availability are confirmed in your proposal. Company registration, bank accounts and immigration approvals are decided by the relevant authority or bank. Any third-party charges are listed in your quotation.

FOR EUROPEAN FOUNDERS & GROUPS

The European side of
a China company.

Setting up in China from the EU raises questions that general guides skip. These are the points European clients most often need to plan for. We handle the China side and work alongside your lawyer or Steuerberater at home.

01 / DOCUMENTS

Apostilles, not consulate visits

All EU member states and China are parties to the Apostille Convention, so Chinese consular legalisation is no longer needed. Your passport copy or commercial register extract is apostilled by the designated authority in the issuing country, then translated into Chinese.

02 / OWNERSHIP

Your GmbH, SAS or BV can own it

Hold the China company personally or through your European company, whether a GmbH, SAS, BV, SRL or SL. We prepare the shareholder documents China asks for, such as an apostilled Handelsregisterauszug or Kbis extract.

03 / TAX

A tax treaty for every EU country

Every EU member state has its own double tax treaty with China. China's standard 10% withholding on dividends can fall to 5% for company shareholders with a substantial holding under many of them. Your adviser should also check home-country CFC rules.

04 / PEOPLE

Social security agreements

China has social security agreements with several EU countries, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark and Finland. Employees seconded from these countries may be exempt from some Chinese contributions for a limited period.

China company setup at a glance, for European applicants
Entity typeWholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE): a Chinese limited liability company, 100% owned by you or your European company in most sectors
Setup costFrom about €2,230 (RMB18,478), including a 1-year registered address
Business licence timelineAround 10–20 working days once documents and address are complete; banking and visas follow
Minimum capitalNo general minimum; subscribed capital is generally paid in within 5 years
Do I need to travel?Most steps can be handled from Europe; plan one trip for bank verification
Ongoing costsAccounting from about €180/month, plus your address or office renewal

General information, not legal or tax advice for your home country. Sources: HCCH: Apostille Convention members · China MFA: apostille guidance · State Taxation Administration (English)

WHY CHINACOMPANYSETUP

Clear plans.
Reliable follow-through.

Entering a new market raises plenty of questions. Knowing what happens next should not be one of them.

01 / FOCUSED EXPERTISE

China setup is our speciality.

Practical support with the services you need to establish and operate a company in China, and nothing you don't.

02 / EVERYTHING IN WRITING

Scope, checklist, timeline.

A defined scope, document checklist, milestones and timeline before you commit.

03 / ON THE GROUND

Shenzhen headquarters.

Operated by Shenzhen Jitu Business Service, headquartered in Shenzhen, with regional offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Dubai and Manila.

04 / PROGRESS UPDATES

Always know where you stand.

Ask your adviser for online tracking access and regular application updates.

Setting up your China company, in 3 steps.

Start with a free consultation ↗
01

Share your plans

Tell us your business activity, preferred city, who will own the company and whether anyone needs a visa. We confirm the scope, price and your document checklist.

02

Sign & apostille

Review the documents we prepare, sign them and have your European documents apostilled. We guide you through any identity verification.

03

We submit & update you

Courier the originals to our Shenzhen team. We handle the submission and keep you informed until your licence, seals and bank account are ready.

Allow around 10–20 working days for the business licence once complete documents and an acceptable address are in place. This is a planning estimate, not an official deadline. Banking, visas, apostilles and international courier follow their own timelines.

CHINA VISAS FOR EUROPEANS

Relocate to China,
with your family.

Short business trips are often visa-free for EU citizens, but working in China is not. We help with the Z work visa and visas for your spouse and children, including apostilled criminal record certificates and civil status documents.

China Work Visa (Z Visa)

For eligible EU nationals and other foreigners taking up employment in China, including at their own company. We guide you through the work permit, Z visa and residence permit.

≈ €1,020 / person
Invoiced as RMB8,500 · 1-year application · validity set by the authorities
01 Work permit notification issued in China 02 Z visa at a Chinese visa centre in Europe 03 Work permit & residence permit after arrival

Medical examination excluded. A Z visa alone does not allow you to work; you also need the work permit and work-type residence permit.

Check my eligibility ↗

Family Visa (S Visa)

For a spouse, parents, parents-in-law and children under 18 joining a foreign national who lives and works in China.

≈ €480 / person
Invoiced as RMB4,000 · S visa application support
  • Advice on the right family visa (S1 or S2)
  • Checklist for marriage, birth and other civil status documents
  • Application preparation support

S visas cover family visits and private affairs. They do not permit work. Visa type, length of stay and residence requirements depend on the application.

Plan my family's move ↗

ACCOUNTING & TAX FILING

Orderly books in China.
Clean consolidation at home.

Monthly bookkeeping and Chinese tax filings to your company's schedule. Our team explains the figures in English or German and provides reports your group accountant can consolidate.

View accounting & tax plans ↗
Monthly fee by transaction volume
Transactions / month Monthly fee
Up to 50 €180 / mo · RMB1,500
51–200 €300 / mo · RMB2,500
201–500 €420 / mo · RMB3,500

Interpreter support included. More than 500 transactions a month? Ask for a tailored quotation.

Not every Chinese tax is filed monthly; frequency depends on the tax and your company's status. Your adviser confirms your filing calendar and how transactions are counted.

VIRTUAL & SERVICED OFFICES

A compliant address
in the right city.

Every Chinese company needs a lawful registered address in China. Choose a virtual office for registration, or a private serviced office if you are applying for a work visa or need a base on site.

Compare office options ↗

Virtual office

A registered business address with a formal lease. One year is included in the Company Registration & Bank Account package.

Included in the €2,230 package

Standalone from about €360/year. We check the address suits your activity and city.

Serviced office

A private office with a formal lease and property documents, as required for the Company Registration, Bank Account & Work Visa package.

From about €360 / month

Charged separately, from RMB3,000/month. Availability confirmed by our team.

MARKETING IN CHINA

Your European channels
stop at the border.

Google, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube are blocked in mainland China. Chinese buyers find suppliers and brands on WeChat, Xiaohongshu (RED), Douyin and Weibo, and our Hangzhou creative team builds your presence there.

PLAN 1 / ESTABLISH

One platform, done properly.

8 posts / month

WeChat or Xiaohongshu

  • Setup & verification support for 1 platform
  • Content & copywriting by our Hangzhou team
  • Monthly performance report
  • Chat support

Tailored quotation

Discuss Plan 1 ↗

PLAN 2 / BUILD

Two platforms, one message.

20 posts / month

WeChat + Xiaohongshu

  • Setup & verification support for 2 platforms
  • Content & copywriting by our Hangzhou team
  • Monthly report & strategy session
  • Chat support

Tailored quotation

Discuss Plan 2 ↗

PLAN 3 / GROW

Reach a wider audience.

40 posts / month

WeChat + Xiaohongshu + Weibo

  • Setup & verification support for 3 platforms
  • Content & copywriting by our Hangzhou team
  • Up to 2 influencer (KOL) outreach activities / month
  • Fortnightly reports & strategy sessions
  • Chat plus on-demand calls and video meetings

Tailored quotation

Discuss Plan 3 ↗

Post numbers are monthly totals per package. Platform registration and verification depend on eligibility and platform approval. Influencer fees are excluded. Deliverables and any platform or third-party fees are confirmed in your proposal.

Need a Chinese website, a Douyin account or a Chinese brand name?
Ask us about website localisation, translation and basic brand creation.

Build my China presence ↗

CLIENT STORIES

Real clients.
Real experiences.

Client stories will appear here once our clients approve them for publication.

Verified testimonials coming soon

CLEAR ANSWERS

What European clients
ask us most.

Can an EU company own 100% of a Chinese company? Which tax treaty applies? Do I need a visa for a business trip? Find clear answers on ownership, tax, banking and visas.

Browse all FAQs ↗

FREE CONSULTATION

Tell us your plans.
Receive a clear quotation
and timeline.

Share what you want to do in China and where. We'll recommend the right package and send you a document checklist and a realistic schedule.

WhatsApp: +66 2 118 8966 ↗ hello@chinacompanysetup.eu ↗ UK: +44 1422 489000 China: +86 177 8876 2363

Team in Shenzhen · Calls arranged around European time zones.

We'll prepare an email for you to review and send to our team. Nothing is submitted automatically or stored on this website. Please don't include passport numbers or other sensitive documents.

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