Overseas new company
Setting up overseas subsidiaries, sales offices, R&D centres, factories, warehouses or regional operations.
Outbound investment compliance advisory
ODI Filing for Outbound Investment
For overseas start-ups, cross-border M&A, capital increases and industrial projects, we help enterprises build a consistent, verifiable compliance chain covering the investment path, funding sources, business purpose and filing documents.
NDRC filing guidance
MOFCOM filing guidance
Bank & forex registration
Real projectsProper filings
Three key authoritiesNDRC, MOFCOM and bank/forex registration
Five common scenariosNew setup, M&A, equity stakes, capital increases, industrial projects
One filing narrativeEntity, amount, shareholding and use of funds all consistent
Full-process trackingFrom pre-review to corrections and follow-up matters
Understand before filing
ODI is not a single certificate
It is a management process centred on the authenticity, reasonableness and compliance of an enterprise's outbound investment. Projects may require filing or approval, and the level and document requirements vary by region and project.
The core questions
Who invests, where, in what, how much, where the funds come from, how overseas funds are used, and how the business will be run after completion.
M&A and equity stakes
Acquiring overseas equity, obtaining control, joining joint ventures or buying overseas assets.
Capital increase
Adding registered capital to an existing overseas subsidiary for equipment, staff, inventory or operations.
Industrial projects
Manufacturing, energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, hotels, logistics and other genuine operations.
The filing chain
Three authorities, three different reviews
The authorities and the handling bank review independently within their own remits. Documents from one step do not exempt the next from re-verifying authenticity, use of funds and transaction documents.
Pre-filing self-check
Projects with these foundations are easier to file
Domestic entity in good standing
The company legally exists, and its operating status, credit record and business can support the investment.
Clear, genuine purpose
You can explain the reasonable link between the project and your existing business, supply chain or strategy.
Explainable funding
Own funds, shareholder input or financing that is verifiable and matches the company's financial position.
Clear overseas path
Overseas ownership layers, shareholding, ultimate destination and fund flows with no unexplained jumps.
Complete internal approvals
Shareholder or board resolutions and charter-required decisions are complete, with correct signatories.
No obvious red lines
The project complies with outbound investment guidance, industry regulation, AML and local rules.
Standard workflow
From pre-assessment to funds remittance, node by node
The actual order is adjusted by location, project type, authority requirements and deal progress.
Project pre-check
Review entity, industry, destination, amount, shareholding and funding source.
Structure mapping
Align the investment structure, overseas path, contribution method and filing narrative.
Document preparation
Collect decisions, financials, project, funding and overseas-entity documents.
Filing follow-up
Support acceptance, corrections, explanations and authority review nodes.
Banking handover
Prepare forex registration, remittance and project landing documents.
Document list
Documents must be complete — and consistent with each other
The lists below cover common items. Different regions, amounts, investment methods and industries may require audits, valuations, due diligence, contracts or specific statements.
Domestic investor documents
- Business licence, articles of association and registration details
- Ownership structure, ultimate controller and related-party statement
- Shareholder or board resolutions and powers of attorney
- Recent financial statements, audit reports or tax filings
- Proof of own funds, financing arrangements and source-of-funds statement
- Credit, operations and existing business materials
Overseas project and transaction documents
- Project description or feasibility analysis
- Proposed company name, jurisdiction, scope and ownership structure
- Acquisition, investment or capital-increase agreements and deal framework
- Target company registration, financial and shareholder documents
- Amount, contribution method, use of funds and implementation plan
- Genuineness undertaking, due diligence or other requested supplements
Common difficulties
Issues that often cause corrections, delays or dead ends
A closed information loop matters more than any single document
For example, the amount in the domestic resolution, the NDRC filing, the MOFCOM system, the overseas share capital, the contract price and the bank remittance purpose should all reconcile. Any mismatch in shareholding, amount, name or use of funds can trigger corrections.
Amount out of line with company strength
Company size, profitability, cash flow or financing capacity cannot reasonably support the amount.
Multi-layer structure unexplained
The commercial necessity of holding companies, SPVs or the ultimate destination is unclear.
Overseas company set up first
Existing entities, historical contributions and actual operations must be disclosed honestly and assessed separately.
Scope of service
Complex projects broken into checkable, workable items
Feasibility pre-assessment
Identify whether the project has a filing basis, touches sensitive factors and which level applies.
Structure mapping
Verify domestic entity, overseas companies, destination, shareholding, amounts and funding path.
Document coaching
Help organise project descriptions, decisions, funding sources, financials and deal documents.
Review-node tracking
Sync acceptance, corrections and feedback so explanations and supplements are ready in time.
Banking handover
Prepare forex registration and remittance-review documents around the genuine transaction.
Ongoing compliance tips
Flag changes, reinvestment, fund repatriation, ongoing reporting and entity maintenance.
How we work
Built on real business, real funds and real documents
We organise filing nodes and document checklists around each project's actual situation and keep every step verifiable. Each project is assessed on its own merits; past cases are not a promise of outcome or timeline for any other project.
No fabricated background
We do not package non-existent overseas business or fake contracts, statements, funding proofs or purposes.
No promised outcomes
Acceptance, review conclusions, corrections and timing are decided by the authorities and the bank.
No substitute for licences
Market access, antitrust, data, tax, SOE and local overseas licences need separate assessment.
Images are illustrative; the actual document list depends on project assessment.
Related services
Overseas investment usually needs these in place too
Depending on destination and project stage, company formation, document authentication, bank accounts and tax maintenance can be arranged alongside.
Further reading
Keep exploring around investment landing
ODI filing is usually one link in the going-global chain. Company setup, bank accounts, tax maintenance and document authentication should be planned together with the destination and business plan.
ODI practical guide
ODI filing: the three procedures, timelines and sticking points
Understand the scenarios, filing logic, key documents and how missing procedures can affect remittance and project implementation.
Read the guideAll services
Company formation, accounts, tax, IP and cross-border support.
Browse services →Industry insights
Overseas companies, bank accounts, tax compliance and cross-border operations.
Newsroom →Offshore bank account
Prepare account documents around your business background and flows.
Account services →About us
Team background, service scope and how we support cross-border business.
Company profile →Planning a specific destination? Evaluate it together with entity setup and ongoing maintenance.
View all related services →FAQ
Key questions to settle before filing
When is ODI filing usually required?
When a domestic enterprise acquires ownership, control, management rights or other interests in an overseas company through new setup, acquisition, capital increase or equity participation, filing or approval is usually required. Pure import/export trade, ordinary service payments or buying ordinary goods do not automatically count as ODI.
How does ODI filing relate to registering an overseas company?
Registering the overseas company settles the entity's legal existence locally; ODI settles the compliance of the domestic investment and outbound funds. Different rules apply, and the order depends on destination, deal structure and authority requirements.
Can an individual shareholder remit funds via corporate ODI?
Corporate ODI usually takes a domestic enterprise as the investor. Individual outbound investment follows different forex and investment rules and cannot simply borrow the corporate channel. The structure and nature of funds need separate compliance review.
Can a newly founded company apply for ODI right away?
Not based on age alone. Authorities look at actual operations, financial capacity, funding sources, necessity and authenticity. New companies without an operating base or financials often need fuller explanations.
If the overseas company already exists, can ODI be backfilled?
The setup date, historical contributions, ownership, operations and funding sources must be reviewed first. Cases differ widely, and hiding facts or dressing historical contributions up as new investment is not advisable.
Once filed, can funds definitely be remitted?
Not necessarily. The bank still independently reviews under forex, AML and due-diligence requirements. Companies provide filing documents, contracts, payment arrangements, funding sources and payee details.
How long does ODI filing usually take?
It depends on the company's location, amount, industry, destination, document completeness, project complexity and corrections. Follow the actual progress of the authorities and the bank rather than any uniform promise.
Which projects need extra caution?
Sensitive countries or industries, large M&A, multi-layer structures, real estate, hotels, cinemas, entertainment, sports clubs, equity platforms without real operations, and projects out of line with the investor's strength usually need cautious assessment. Current policy and project facts prevail.
Confirm the project first, then invest time in documents
Share the domestic company's basics, the destination, investment method, amount, funding sources and overseas use of funds — we can run an initial feasibility check and map the document gaps.
Scope, fees and timeline are subject to project assessment and the formal contract
