Published · Cabo Verde

China Company Registration: Documents, Steps and Timeline for Founders from Cabo Verde

A practical guide for Cabo Verdean founders on registering a company in China: the documents you will need, the steps involved, realistic timelines, and common pitfalls to watch for. General information only, not legal or tax advice.

Setting up a business in China is a serious step for any founder, and if you are coming from Cabo Verde the distance—geographic, linguistic and regulatory—can feel daunting. The good news is that China's company registration process has become considerably more transparent over the past decade, and foreign investors are generally permitted to establish wholly foreign-owned enterprises (WFOEs) in most sectors. The bad news is that the paperwork is detailed, the process is sequential, and small errors can cost you weeks.

This article walks you through the documents, steps and realistic timeline for registering a company in China as a founder from Cabo Verde. It is general information only—not legal, tax or investment advice—and you should confirm current requirements with a qualified professional or the local market supervision authority before committing money.

First, understand what you are registering

Most Cabo Verdean founders choose one of two structures: a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE), which is a limited liability company owned entirely by foreign investors, or a representative office, which cannot generate revenue and is mainly for liaison. For anyone intending to trade, invoice customers or hire staff, the WFOE is the standard choice.

Since the Foreign Investment Law took effect in 2020, foreign-invested enterprises are largely treated the same as domestic companies, and the old case-by-case approval system has been replaced by a filing regime for most sectors. However, some industries remain on the negative list and restrict or prohibit foreign ownership. Check whether your planned business scope—trading, consulting, manufacturing, e-commerce, food and beverage—falls on that list before you do anything else.

Documents you will need

The exact list varies by city and by business scope, but a typical WFOE registration package includes the following. Prepare clean, consistent documents: mismatched names or addresses across papers are one of the most common causes of delay.

Corporate and identity documents

• Passport copies of every shareholder and legal representative, valid for a reasonable period. If a shareholder is a company, you will need its certificate of incorporation, articles, and a board resolution approving the investment.
• Proof of address for foreign corporate shareholders, often requiring notarisation and, depending on the jurisdiction, legalisation or an apostille. Cabo Verde documents may need translation into Chinese and certification.
• Notarised and legalised incorporation documents if the investor is a company rather than an individual. This step is frequently underestimated in time and cost.

Company setup documents

• Company name in Chinese, with two or three alternatives for the name pre-approval check.
• Articles of association (the company charter), usually drafted to a local template.
• Registered capital and shareholder structure, including contribution amounts and timing. Capital rules vary by industry and city, so confirm what applies to you.
• Registered address in China. This must be a real, lease-backed address suitable for your business; many founders use a serviced office or an incubator initially.
• Business scope written in the standard Chinese classification format.
• Appointment documents for the legal representative, supervisors and, if applicable, the general manager.

Post-registration items

• Company chops (official seals), including the company seal, legal representative seal and finance seal.
• Bank account opening, which usually requires the legal representative to appear in person.
• Tax registration and invoicing setup.
• Foreign exchange registration and, where relevant, customs registration for import/export.

The registration steps, in order

The process is sequential, and each step depends on the previous one being completed correctly. A typical path looks like this:

1. Name pre-approval

Submit your proposed Chinese company name to the local market supervision administration for a check against existing registrations. Names follow a fixed format: city + trade name + industry + company type. Approval is usually quick, but rejections happen, so have backups.

2. Prepare and submit the application

Once the name is reserved, assemble the articles, shareholder resolutions, address lease and identity documents, and file the establishment application, increasingly done through an online portal. Authorities may come back with queries, so build in buffer time.

3. Obtain the business licence

When approved, you receive the business licence, which is the company's foundational document. This is the milestone most founders wait for, but it is not the end of the process.

4. Carve the chops and open a bank account

Seals are made at authorised shops, then used to open the corporate bank account. Banks apply their own due diligence, and the legal representative generally must attend in person. Expect a few days to a couple of weeks depending on the bank and city.

5. Complete tax and other registrations

Register with the tax authority, set up invoicing, and complete foreign exchange and any sector-specific registrations. If you plan to hire staff, register for social insurance as well.

6. Arrange your visa and residence permit

Founders typically enter on a business visa and then apply for a work permit and residence permit once the company is operational. This step has its own document requirements, including educational and employment background paperwork, and should be planned early.

Realistic timeline

Timelines depend heavily on city, industry and how well your documents are prepared. As a rough guide: name approval can take a few working days; the establishment application and business licence commonly take two to four weeks; seals and bank account a further one to three weeks; tax and related registrations another one to two weeks. If foreign shareholder documents require notarisation and legalisation from Cabo Verde, add several weeks before the China process even begins.

In practice, founders should budget one to three months from a complete document set to an operational company, and longer if the business scope is regulated, the address needs changing, or documents must be re-issued. Anyone promising a guaranteed two-week setup for a complex case should be treated with caution.

Practical tips for Cabo Verdean founders

• Use a local professional. A reputable corporate services firm or lawyer in your chosen city can draft compliant articles, handle filings and flag issues early. The cost is usually far lower than the cost of fixing a bad registration.
• Choose your city deliberately. Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Beijing have deep experience with foreign founders; smaller cities may be cheaper but less familiar with foreign paperwork.
• Keep names and addresses identical across every document and translation.
• Plan the legal representative role carefully. This person carries legal responsibilities and usually needs to be present for banking and licensing steps.
• Budget for compliance after registration, including monthly bookkeeping, annual reporting and tax filings. Registration is the beginning, not the end.

Registering a company in China is achievable for founders from Cabo Verde, but it rewards patience and preparation. Get your documents right, work with people who know the local process, and treat every timeline as an estimate rather than a promise. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified lawyer or tax adviser in China.