Checklist: Registration Requirements for a Foreign-Invested Travel Agency in China (2025)

Checklist: Registration Requirements for a Foreign-Invested Travel Agency in China (2025)

Establishing a travel agency in China with foreign investment is governed by a specific set of legal and administrative requirements. Below is a concise overview of the current regulatory conditions applicable as of 2025:

1. Type of Travel Agency

Foreign investors are permitted to establish the following types of travel agencies:

• Domestic Travel Agency — May be registered directly upon meeting standard requirements.

• International Travel Agency — May be established only after two full years of uninterrupted and compliant operation as a domestic travel agency in China.

2. Registered Capital

• Domestic Travel Agency: Minimum registered capital of RMB 600,000.

• International Travel Agency: Minimum registered capital of RMB 1.6 million.

Previous thresholds, such as RMB 2.5 million in capital and RMB 600,000 as deposit, are no longer in effect.

3. Security Deposit

• A RMB 1.6 million deposit is mandatory for international agencies.

• The deposit may be replaced by a valid bank guarantee, subject to regulatory approval.

4. Office Premises and Technical Equipment

• A fixed office location is required, verified by a lease agreement (minimum 1 year) or ownership certificate.

• The premises must be equipped with standard office infrastructure, including computers, telephones, and essential office equipment.

5. Operational Track Record and Compliance

• A minimum of 2 years of uninterrupted activity in the domestic tourism market is required. This can be done simultaneously with outbound tourism.

• The agency must have no history of major violations or administrative penalties.

• Full compliance with applicable Chinese business and tourism regulations is mandatory.

6. Staff Requirements

• At least 3 full-time staff members must hold valid tour guide licenses or certificates in tourism management.

• The general manager must have documented professional experience in the tourism sector.

• A minimum of 3 certified tour guides is required, with guides making up at least 20% of total staff.

• The agency must also employ a qualified accountant and a tour operations coordinator (计调人员).

Checklist: Registration of a Foreign-Invested Travel Agency in China

The establishment of a travel agency with foreign investment in China involves a multi-stage legal and administrative process. As of 2025, the procedure includes the following key steps:

I. Preliminary Procedures

• Company Name Pre-Approval (for a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise — WFOE)

• Preliminary Approval for Foreign-Invested Travel Agency (FITA) by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the PRC

II. Company Formation and Government Registrations

• WFOE Registration with the local Municipal Administration of Commerce

• Organizational Code Certificate application

• Business License Registration with the Administration for Market Regulation

• Registration with the Public Security Bureau (PSB) for security compliance

• Company Seal Carving (official stamp production and registration)

• Tax Registration with the local Tax Bureau

• Registration with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE)

• Opening of a Corporate Bank Account in a licensed Chinese financial institution

• Financial Registration with relevant authorities

• Statistical Registration with the Bureau of Statistics

• Customs Registration (if international logistics or import/export services are involved)

III. Required Documentation

• Application Form for Company Registration

• Articles of Association (company charter)

• Feasibility Study Report outlining the proposed business model and investment strategy

• Resumes of the General Manager and Deputy Director

• Proof of Capital Source and Creditworthiness (bank-issued documentation)

• Verification of Prior Experience in the tourism industry

• Proof of Membership in professional tourism associations (if applicable)

• Office Lease Agreement or Property Ownership Certificate

• Inventory of Office Equipment and IT infrastructure

• Notarized Copies of Passports and Identification Documents of foreign investors and key stuff