Online Operations Manual for Registering Foreign NGOs (V 1.0)

Source:http://ngo.mps.gov.cn/ngo/portal/view.do?p_articleId=22651

In order to facilitate FNGOs setting up representative offices and to improve efficiency, we have put fillable forms online and provided for online completion of relevant materials; each time, before you go to the handling office you need to make an appointment on line to reduce the time that everyone needs to wait in line. Below is a detailed explanation of the process.

FNGOs establishing a representative office within the territory of China, please click "foreign NGOs service platform" to handle registration.

The following three methods can all be used to log in:

1. Access the website of any province's office for FNGO management to login;

2. Access the Ministry of Public Security's foreign NGO service platform (http://ngo.mps.gov.cn) to login;

3. Access the Ministry of Public Security's website (http://www.mps.gov.cn), and click on "foreign NGO work service platform" in the services section to log on.

Preparations for online registration:

In accordance with the published "Catalog of Areas and Projects, and directory of Professional Supervisory Units for Foreign NGOs Carrying out Activities within Mainland China (2017)", and based on the organizations' operational scope, the field of activities, and the needs of carrying out activities; FNGOs are to submit applications to corresponding departments to have them serve as the professional supervisory unit for the representative offices established by that organization, and obtain consent documents from the professional supervisory unit.

Step 1: Online sign-up:

After accessing the platform's registration page, please enter your mobile phone number, send a verification code, select a user role (select foreign nongovernmental organization if establishing and registering representative offices); select Chinese partner unit for filing temporary activities), and after filling in the password and verification code, complete the system registration.

Step 2: Logging in and choosing type of operation:

After logging in, please click the "representative offices+", enter the process for registration and set up. After reading the relevant legal provisions, follow the prompts to fill in information, items with "*" are required.

Items to note in completing forms:

A. Determining the name of FNGO representative offices

The names of a FNGO representative office shall consist of the following parts in the given order: “name of FNGO”, “place of office”, “Representative Office (Branch Office, Liaison Office, etc.)”.

The “place of office” refers to the name of the administrative region at the county level or above where the FNGO representative office is located.

Where the name of the FNGO does not include its original place of registration (country or region), the original place of registration (country or region) shall be added, specifically: "name of FNGO", "original place of registration in brackets", "place of office", "Representative Office (or Branch Office, Liaison Office, etc.)".

B. Determining the region of activity for FNGO representative offices.

For a FNGO to establish and register a representative office, it shall specify a region of activity within mainland China, which may be within a provincial level administrative region, or alternatively be above a single provincial level administrative regions. However, in any case, the chosen region of activity must correspond to the scope of operations of the representative office and the actual circumstances of its activities. Where a FNGO is establishing two or more representative offices, there must be no overlap or cross over between the regions of activity of different representative offices.

Step 3: Preparing Materials

After all information has been completely filled in, five forms will be automatically created (if the organization only has a chief representative and no other representatives, "Form 13" does not need to be completed, nor submitted via upload), which are:

(1) Application for Establishment of Foreign NGO Representative Offices (Form 1);

(2) Registration Form for Foreign NGO Representative Offices (Form 2);

(3) Registration of Chief Representatives for FNGO Representative Offices (Form 3);

(4) Proof or declaration that the Chief Representative has no criminal record (Form 4);

(5) Registration of Representatives for FNGO Representative Offices (Form 13);

After printing, affix a seal to them and to the other eight pieces of materials that need to be printed separately.

Other materials include:

(6) Written Authorization for registration of the establishment of FNGO representative office;

(7) Documents and materials showing the FNGO's legal establishment outside the territory of mainland China;

(8) Charter of the FNGO;

(9) Proofs that the foreign NGO's continued existence outside of mainland China for two or more years, and that is has actually carried out activities.

(10) Proof of identity and resume of the representative offices' proposed Chief Representatives;

(11) Proof of domicile for the proposed representative offices.

(12) Proofs of sources of capital;

(13) Documents of consent from the professional supervisory unit;

Step 4: Preliminary Review of Materials;

Scan the completed materials above to create PDF electronic documents, select "online initial review"[“线上初审”] and follow the instructions to upload all documents and conduct a preliminary review (all documents must be uploaded or they cannot be submitted). After uploading, click "submit for initial review" [提交初审]. You will be informed of the results of the review by text message. After passing the initial review, move on to the next process. Those that have not passed will be informed of the reasons, and please follow the instructions to apply again after revisions.

Step 5: Acceptance of Materials

After passing the initial review, please choose scheduling an appointment time [预约办理时间] on the service platform, and the system will create business codes and QR codes (must be photographed to be retained). At the time of your appointment, please bring hard copies of all materials, a two-inch photograph of the chief representative (required), and two-inch photos of representatives (required if there are representatives), to the service window, and take a receipt after handing over all materials.

Step 6: Notification of Final Outcome

You will be notified of the final outcome by text message, and you may use the online platform to schedule a time for on-site collection of credentials and receive a generated reference number and a QR code (to be photographed and saved).

Step 7: On-site Collection of Credentials

At the time of your appointment, please go to the office window to obtain the following credentials: "Certificate of Registration of Foreign NGO Representative Office", "Chief Representative Card", "Representative Cards" (if the organization has representatives), and sign the "Registration Form for Receipt of Documents".

Step 8: Preparing to file materials

Use your registration certificate to handle tax registration, have official seals made, and open bank accounts in accordance with law.

Step 9: Filling in filing information

Please login in to the service platform and click "file materials" [材料报备”], and after following the instructions to fill in the information and produce a "Matters related to FNGO Representative Offices Filing Form" (Form 5), and after printing it, affix a seal and attach a copy of the proof of tax registration and upload it to the system. Schedule a time for on-site filing of materials online and receive a generated reference code and a QR code (to be photographed and saved).

Step 10: Filing of Materials

At the time of your appointment, please go to the window of the handling office to provide hard-copies of materials for filing, which will taken by the police in the office who will give you a receipt, and this completes the entire establishment and registration process.