How long is the application process to establish a foreign-invested commercial enterprise (FICE) in China?

Depending on the region of registration, planned business scope, and complexity of the business plan, the application process to establish a FICE generally takes five to six months and can be divided into two parts: pre-registration, i.e., what happens before the company formally exists; and post-registration, i.e., what happens after the company formally exists. Following the issuance of the business license, the FICE must complete a number of formal registrations with various Chinese government entities, including applying to carve various seals to authorize documents on behalf of the company, as well as opening a RMB account for managing daily operating expenses and a foreign capital account for receiving foreign currency.