Ways of application:

Where a foreigner or a foreign enterprise intends to apply for the registration of a trademark or handle other trademark-related matters in China, it shall appoint a trademark agency that is established in accordance with the law to act as its agent. The foreigners or foreign enterprises having habitual residence or business office in China are not subject to this requirement.  

The requirements and necessary documents for foreigners to apply for the registration of a trademark on their own: 

A foreigner or foreign enterprise that intends to apply for the registration of a trademark in China shall appoint a trademark agency that is established in accordance with the law to act as its agent. The foreigners having habitual residence in China may file an application on their own. If a foreigner directly files an application in the trademark registration service hall on his/her own, the following documents shall be submitted: the Application Form for Trademark Registration with the signature of the applicant; the reproduction of the trademark; the photocopy of the identity document of the applicant; and the photocopy of the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card or the Foreigner's Residence Permit with the valid period of over one year issued by the public security organs. For the specific requirements for the application form for trademark registration and the reproduction of the trademark, please check the "Application Guidance" column of "Trademark Application" on the official website of Trademark Office of China National Intellectual Property Administration.      

The foreigners having habitual residence in China can also submit their applications via the online application system on the official website of Trademark Office of China National Intellectual Property Administration. Please check the "Online Application" column on the official website of Trademark Office of China National Intellectual Property Administration for the specific application procedures. 

FAQs

As a foreign company, can we handle the application for the trademark registration on our own? 

A foreigner or foreign enterprise without any business office that intends to apply for the registration of a trademark or handle other trademark-related matters in China shall appoint a trademark agency that is established in accordance with the law to act as its agent. Note: The wholly foreign-owned branch established by a foreign enterprise in China shall be considered as a Chinese enterprise, instead of the business office of the foreign enterprise in China.

As a representative office of a foreign enterprise in Beijing, can we apply for the registration of a trademark?

Representative offices or offices of foreign enterprises are not eligible for applying for the registration of a trademark in their own names.