Q&A about Import & Export Right of China Trading WFOE

Application for import & export right/license of trading Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise(WFOE/WOFE) in China can be called a necessary certificate of China trading companies. Many enterprises have a smattering knowledge of the policies and laws related to import & export right certificate of China trading WFOEs, today, we simply share the experience with you about several conditions the enterprises often encounter and hope to help the entrepreneurs!


No.1 Q: Our company did not apply for import & export right at the beginning, but now plans to carry out international trade, how shall we additionally apply for import & export right?

A: If you want to engage in foreign trade business, you must apply for import & export right. Although you can look for a foreign trade agency, we sincerely do not recommend you to do so since it only throws more money away and the profit is taken away by the others, you’d better to apply for import & export right, which is once for all. However, the formalities of handling export rebates are tedious and complex, if you are not familiar with the process, you’d better find an agency so as to avoid waste of unnecessary time and manpower.

The process of applying for import & export right is as follows:

• Handle the filing registration formalities for foreign trade operator with the foreign trade and economic cooperation department to obtain the import & export qualification.
• Add the operation scope “import & export of goods, technologies and agency for import & export” with the industrial and commercial bureau.
• Register in the Customs and enter the Customs system to obtain the Customs import & export code for use of customs clearance in case of import and export.
• Carve a “Special Seal for Customs Clearance”.
• File with the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau and obtain the quarantine filing code.
• File and handle approval of IC card in the China E-Port Data Center, Hangzhou Branch, network the data of several departments such as customs department, quarantine department, State Administration of Foreign Exchange and State Administration of Taxation for use of import payment and export application verification sheet, foreign exchange collection and tax reimbursement.
• Obtain the permit for opening foreign exchange account in the provincial administration of foreign exchange and file for export.
• Handle formalities for tax reimbursement registration in the provincial SAT

No.2. Q: Is it required to pay any expenses for applying for import & export right?

A: The formalities for applying for import & export right are extremely tedious and complex, and generally, various expenses sum up to be several Thousands Yuan, which differs, we suggest that you’d better apply for and handle through an agency, which is worry-free and convenient, and you can input more efforts to developing company business.


No.3. Q: What qualifications does application for import & export right require?

A: The following are the conditions to be possessed by the enterprises for applying for import & export right (with no limit on registered capital, and small-scale taxpayer can also apply):
1. Has obtained business license;
2. Has handled tax registration with the SAT and local taxation bureau and legally pay taxes;
3. Has handled organization code certificate.



Import & export right is the qualification of the import & export enterprises for carrying out import & export business, whose handling requires a relatively complex approval process, the enterprises planning to apply for import & export must obtain the approval from relevant departments such as Bureau of Commerce, the Customs, Inspection and Quarantine, Administration of Foreign Exchange and E-Port, and obtaining the approval certificate of the above departments indicates that the company possesses the right of self-support of import & export. The enterprises having import & export right can engage in the import & export business independently by themselves. Whether to engage in the import & export business immediately is determined by the enterprises themselves. Unlike before, the import & export right may be canceled for those having obtained the foreign trade right but having no certain import & export performance.

Application documents:

• Original of the original and duplicate of the business license;
• Original of organization code certificate;
• Original of the original and duplicate of the SAT;
• Original of permit of opening bank;
• Copy of Articles of Association of the company;
• Original of ID card of legal representative;
• Copy of ID card of financial staff and customs declarer;
• Official seal of the company and private seal of legal person;
• Original of lease contract;
• Original of approval certificate (foreign trade company shall provide);
• Office phone, fax and e-mail of the company;
• Accurate English translation of the name and address of the company;
• Customs declarer certificate, Customs declarer card and foreign exchange auditor (do not need to provide if not available);
• The original shall be submitted for those items not indicating submitting the copy. The submitted copy shall be checked with the original, if the original can not be submitted, it shall be indicated with “consistent with the original” with official seal affixed by the company.

No.4. Q: What certificate shall be handled for sales of imported food?

A: Sanitary certificate shall be issued by the entry-exit inspection and quarantine when imported food is imported, and the seller shall handle permit for food circulation.


No.5. Q: What formalities shall be handled for adding the import & export operation right?

A: No pre-approval is required, you can directly go to the market supervision administration department for handling change registration of operation scope. Only the laws, administrative regulations and the decisions of the State Council can stipulate the licensed business items, and other rules and regulations, normative documents, etc. can not.


No.6. Q: Can newly-built enterprises operate import & export tax reimbursement exemption business?

A: Newly-built enterprises can directly apply for import & export right, it has no special requirements for fund and other aspects, however, it requires that the operation scope in the business license of the enterprise shall possess import & export-related content. An agency can be entrusted to handle application for import & export right and tax reimbursement exemption.


No.7. Q: How many relevant certificates shall be applied for application for import & export right?

A: 5 certificates shall be applied for, including filing registration form of foreign trade operator of Bureau of Commerce, filing registration certificate of enterprise self handling declaration for inspection and quarantine, customs clearance registration certificate of import & export consignee and consignor of the Customs, e-port legal person card and operator card, etc. The official cost of production fluctuates along with the commodity price.


No.8. Q: What services does the agency applying for import & export operation right have?

A: The services of the agency include: handle addition of operation scope in the industrial and commercial bureau, handle filing registration of foreign trade operator in Bureau of Commerce, handle registration of enterprise self handling customs clearance in the Customs, handle filing registration in Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, handle Chinese e-port registration and receive IC card in the E-Port, handle opening of foreign exchange account of current items of domestic institution and cancellation registration of import (export) foreign exchange collection in Administration of Foreign Exchange and handle export tax reimbursement registration in local SAT until import & export right is possessed and self-run import & export business can be carried out.


No.9. Q: How to handle application for import & export right?

A: To apply for import & export right, you shall handle filing registration of foreign trade operator in Bureau of Commerce firstly, with about 7 departments including industrial and commercial department, tax department, the Customs, Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, E-Port, Administration of Foreign Exchange, etc.
involved.


No.10. Q: Which kind of enterprises can apply for import & export right?

A: Since the Foreign Trade Law was issued in 2014, the national policy for the enterprises to apply for import & export has been completely loosened with no limit on the registered capital and annual import & export amount, those with complete and consistent basic certificates such as business license can apply for import & export right.


No.11. Q: What is the use of import & export right of the company?

A: If you company has import & export right, you can engage in general trade import, hire a customs broker to help you declare at the Customs and apply for export rebates. If you engage in general trade import, generally, you have to pay all customs duties and handle many customs clearance formalities. You can consider Hong Kong express import, so you will not need to handle formalities, directly hiring an agency for customs clearance is OK.