Published · Burkina Faso

China Company Registration: Documents, Steps and Timeline for Founders from Burkina Faso

A practical guide for Burkina Faso founders on registering a company in China: required documents, step-by-step process, realistic timeline, and common pitfalls, with a general-information disclaimer.

Setting up a company in China is a well-trodden path for African entrepreneurs, and founders from Burkina Faso are increasingly looking at the Chinese market for sourcing, trading, logistics and manufacturing partnerships. This guide walks you through the documents you will need, the steps involved and a realistic timeline. It is general information only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules change and are applied differently from city to city, so always confirm details with a licensed local professional before you commit money or sign documents.

First, understand what you are actually registering

Most foreign founders choose one of two vehicles:

• A wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) — a limited liability company owned 100% by you or your Burkina-based company. This is the standard choice for trading, consulting, sourcing and many service businesses.
• A joint venture (JV) — a company shared with a Chinese partner. Useful when local relationships, licences or distribution networks are essential, but it requires a carefully drafted shareholders' agreement.

There is also the representative office, but it cannot generate revenue, so it suits only market research or liaison work. For most founders from Burkina Faso planning to invoice Chinese suppliers or customers, a WFOE is the practical starting point.

Two structural points matter early. First, every company needs a registered address in the city where it is set up; many founders use a serviced office or an incubator address rather than leasing full premises. Second, you must choose a business scope — the list of permitted activities — that accurately covers what you intend to do. Getting this wrong causes problems later when you try to open bank accounts or apply for tax invoices.

Documents you will need

Requirements vary by city and by the specific business scope, but the core file usually includes the following.

Company and ownership documents

• Proposed company names (two or three alternatives, in Chinese, with the English version).
• Articles of association, usually prepared using the local template and then customised.
• The registered capital amount and the contribution schedule. China now generally uses a subscribed-capital system, but the figure still affects credibility with banks and partners, so choose it deliberately.
• Proof of the registered office address — a lease or a service agreement plus the landlord's property documentation, depending on the city.
• Business scope wording.

Identity and corporate documents for the foreign investor

• Passport copies of the legal representative, directors, supervisor and shareholders.
• If the shareholder is a Burkina Faso company: its certificate of incorporation, articles, register of directors/shareholders and a board resolution approving the China investment. These are typically notarised in Burkina Faso and then legalised — either with an apostille where applicable or through consular legalisation — and translated into Chinese by an accepted translator. Confirm the current legalisation route with the Chinese embassy or consulate and with your local notary before you start, because this step is the most common source of delay.
• Proof of address for the foreign corporate shareholder.
• Bank reference letters in some cities.

People and practical items

• A legal representative — often the founder. This person carries legal responsibility for the company and must usually be present, or represented by a notarised power of attorney, for certain steps.
• A supervisor who cannot be the same person as the legal representative or executive director.
• A Chinese company seal set, carved after registration.
• If you will live in China to run the business, a work permit and residence permit process follows the company setup; you cannot simply work on a business visa.

Translation and notarisation costs, courier fees between Ouagadougou and China, and the time needed for legalisation should all be budgeted for from the outset.

The registration steps, in order

Step 1: Name pre-approval

You submit proposed Chinese names to the local market regulation authority. Names must be unique and follow naming conventions. This is usually quick, but rejections are common, so have backups.

Step 2: Prepare and legalise the investor file

While the name is being checked, assemble the notarised and legalised corporate documents. This runs in parallel and is often the longest task.

Step 3: Secure the registered address

Sign the lease or service agreement and collect the supporting property documents. Some cities require the address to be zoned for commercial use.

Step 4: Submit the establishment application

The application — now largely handled through the online enterprise registration system in most cities — includes the articles, business scope, shareholder and officer details, and address evidence. On approval you receive the business licence, which is the company's birth certificate.

Step 5: Seals and chops

Have the official company seal, financial seal, legal representative seal and, where relevant, invoice seal carved at an approved shop and registered. In China, the company seal carries real legal weight — control it carefully.

Step 6: Bank account opening

Open the basic RMB account and, if needed, a foreign-currency capital account. Banks apply their own due diligence, including on the beneficial owners, so expect questions and allow time. The legal representative often must attend in person.

Step 7: Tax, customs and foreign-exchange registration

Register with the tax authority, sign the tripartite tax-bank agreement, and register with customs and foreign-exchange authorities if you will import, export or receive foreign capital.

Step 8: Post-setup compliance

Bookkeeping, monthly or quarterly tax filings, annual reporting and, if you employ staff, social insurance registration all begin immediately. Many founders appoint a local accounting firm at this stage.

Realistic timeline

Assuming your documents are complete and the address is ready:

• Name approval: a few working days.
• Notarisation and legalisation in Burkina Faso: commonly several weeks, depending on appointments, translation and courier time.
• Business licence: roughly one to three weeks after a complete submission, though some cities are faster and some slower.
• Seals: a few working days.
• Bank account: one to four weeks, sometimes longer depending on the bank's checks.
• Tax and customs registration: one to two weeks.

In practice, founders should plan for two to three months from a standing start, with the legalisation of foreign documents and bank onboarding as the usual bottlenecks. If your business scope requires a special licence — food, logistics, education, certain imports — add further weeks.

Practical advice for founders from Burkina Faso

• Start the document legalisation early. It is the step you control least and it blocks everything else.
• Choose the city deliberately. Yiwu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen suit trading and sourcing; Shanghai and Beijing suit services and headquarters functions. Rules and banking practice differ.
• Budget beyond the registration fee. Include translation, notarisation, legalisation, address services, accounting, seal carving and travel.
• Do not use a tourist or business visa to manage the company. Plan the work permit properly.
• Keep a clean paper trail for capital contributions and shareholder loans; it matters for tax and for future visa applications.
• Use a local professional. A licensed Chinese lawyer or corporate services firm is not a luxury when documents must satisfy both the Chinese authorities and cross-border banks.

China rewards preparation. Founders who treat registration as a project — with a document checklist, a realistic calendar and local advice — usually avoid the expensive detours that catch out the unprepared. This article is general information only and should not replace professional legal or tax advice tailored to your situation.