Attention Yiwu Business Owners/Foreigners: Starting September 15, 2026, Visa and Residence Permit Intermediaries Must Be Registered; How to Check Official Lists
📅 2026-10-09
For foreign business owners in Yiwu, one issue is almost unavoidable: hiring someone to handle visa extensions, residence permits, company registrations, and subsequent procedures. In the past, this industry was a mix of good and bad—some took money but failed to deliver, while others submitted false documents, ultimately resulting in penalties and entry restrictions for the foreigner themselves.
Starting September 15, 2026, the rules have changed. According to the 'State Council Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration' (State Council Order No. 841) and the 'Administrative Measures for the Filing of Institutions and Personnel Engaged in Exit and Entry Intermediary Services' (Announcement No. 6 of 2026 by the National Immigration Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation), all intermediaries and personnel who accept commissions to provide policy consultations, document processing, and procedural services for exit and entry individuals and charge fees, must be registered.
This is not just news about regulating intermediaries; it directly affects who you choose to handle your documents in Yiwu, how to verify their credentials, and who is responsible if something goes wrong.
I. What Exactly Has Changed with the New Regulations
- Institutions Must Register: Institutions providing exit and entry intermediary services must register with the local public security exit and entry administration within 15 days of establishment; those with branches in different regions must register separately in each location.
- Personnel Must Also Register: The legal representative or person in charge, managers, and staff directly providing services to exit and entry individuals must be registered by their institution.
- 90-Day Transition Period: Institutions already engaged in this business before the new regulations take effect must complete the registration process within 90 days of the implementation date, which is by December 14, 2026.
- National Unified Publicity: The National Immigration Administration has established a unified national registration information publicity platform on its government website (www.nia.gov.cn) to publish the information of registered institutions and personnel.
- Overseas Institutions Cannot Operate Directly in China: Overseas enterprises and institutions are not allowed to provide exit and entry intermediary services within China.
II. Three Key Concerns for Foreigners
1) Check the List Before Signing a Contract
Under the new regulations, there is now a public verification method to determine the reliability of an intermediary: check the National Immigration Administration's registration information publicity platform on its official website to see if the institution and its personnel are listed. If they are not, it means they either have not registered or do not meet the requirements, and the risk is on you.
2) Direct Orders from Overseas Headquarters Are Not Compliant
Some foreigners are accustomed to having overseas intermediaries or friends collect applications abroad and then process them in China. According to the new regulations, overseas enterprises and institutions are not allowed to provide exit and entry intermediary services within China. If such cooperation goes wrong, you will have no registered entity in China to hold accountable, and no one to vouch for the authenticity of the documents.
3) You Have the Right to Request Contracts, Receipts, and Records
Article 12 of the measures requires that registered institutions establish service ledgers and user archives, accurately recording service recipients, content, and outcomes, and properly keeping service contracts, personal information, and financial vouchers. This means that legitimate institutions should provide you with standardized contracts and receipts; those who are vague and only accept WeChat transfers without leaving a trace are a red flag.
III. Registered Institutions vs. Unregistered Agents: A Clear Comparison Table
| Comparison Item | Registered Agency | Unregistered Private Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Officially Verifiable | Can be found on the national unified public platform, verifying the institution and personnel | Cannot be found, identity cannot be verified |
| Registration Certificate | Obtain a registration certificate within 5 working days if all materials are complete | No certificate, or the source of the certificate is unknown |
| Record Keeping | Legally establish service ledgers, user archives, and retain contracts and certificates | Typically no record keeping, making it difficult to provide evidence in case of issues |
| Supervision | Subject to regular inspections, spot checks, and complaint verifications by the public security exit and entry administration | No supervision, any issues must be borne by oneself |
| Changes and Cancellation | Name, location, personnel, etc., changes must be processed within 15 days; cessation of business requires cancellation and return of the certificate | No changes, no cancellation, may disappear at any time |
IV. Timeline: Key Dates to Remember
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 22, 2026 | The State Council Order No. 841, 'Provisions of the State Council on Exit and Entry Administration' (国务院关于出境入境管理的规定), announced, effective from September 15 |
| September 14, 2026 | The National Immigration Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation issued Announcement No. 6 of 2026 and the registration management measures |
| September 15, 2026 | The provisions and measures take effect simultaneously, and the management of intermediary services and personnel registration begins |
| Before December 14, 2026 | Institutions already in operation must complete supplementary registration within 90 days from the date of implementation |
V. Four Common Misconceptions
- Misconception 1: Registration guarantees success. Registration manages the qualifications of institutions and personnel but does not guarantee any application results. Visas and residence permits are ultimately reviewed by the competent authorities according to law.
- Misconception 2: Registration is the intermediary's own matter, unrelated to foreign merchants. The registration information is publicly available for your verification; using an unregistered person can affect your visa and entry records if the materials are falsified.
- Misconception 3: It's okay to have the intermediary 'beautify' the materials. According to Article 3 of the State Council Provisions, the reasons for applying for exit and entry must be true and legal; providing false materials or making false statements can result in the refusal to issue exit and entry documents. Article 5 also stipulates that foreigners who provide false materials or make false statements when applying for visas abroad or at the port of entry can be barred from entering for 1 to 5 years.
- Misconception 4: Once done, no further action is needed. The measures require that changes in name, location, personnel, and business scope must be registered within 15 days, and cessation of business requires deregistration. Before long-term cooperation, it is worth regularly checking whether the other party is still registered.
VI. How to Proceed in Yiwu
Yiwu is a county-level city, and the registration acceptance unit is the Yiwu Municipal Public Security Exit and Entry Administration. For foreign merchants doing business in Yiwu, it is recommended to follow these three steps:
- The first step is to log in to the National Immigration Administration's Government Service Platform or the official website's public announcement platform to verify whether the intended agency and the person in charge have been registered.
- The second step is to sign a written entrustment contract, clearly stating the service items, fees, and list of materials; make payments through traceable channels and keep the contract and receipts.
- The third step involves daily matters such as accommodation registration, which can now also be handled online by yourself — starting from September 21, 2026, online processing for foreigners' accommodation registration outside hotels has been promoted nationwide. This can be done through the National Immigration Administration's government service website, the 'Immigration Bureau 12367' mini-program, etc., and has the same effect as on-site processing at public security organs. For parts that you can handle yourself, there is no need to spend extra money to hire someone.
If you find that an agency is operating without registration or engaging in fraudulent activities, you can report it to the local public security exit-entry administration, or consult and report through the 12367 service platform.
Official Sources
- Announcement No. 6 of 2026 by the National Immigration Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation, 'Administrative Measures for the Registration of Institutions and Personnel Engaged in Exit-Entry Intermediary Services': https://www.nia.gov.cn/n897453/c1801636/content.html
- Press Release of the National Immigration Administration (September 14, 2026): https://www.nia.gov.cn/n897453/c1801612/content.html
- State Council Order No. 841, 'Regulations of the State Council on Exit-Entry Management' (Chinese Government Website): https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/202607/content_7077172.htm
- Announcement No. 7 of 2026 by the National Immigration Administration on the Nationwide Promotion of Online Processing for Foreigners' Accommodation Registration Outside Hotels: https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741542/c1806111/content.html
Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on the above-mentioned public documents. The specific conditions, materials, and time limits for handling procedures are subject to the requirements of the competent authorities and do not constitute legal advice.
