Meeting customers, selling goods, opening premises and employing people involve different arrangements. A Hong Kong entity does not automatically permit a mainland shop, and a mainland entity does not automatically obtain Hong Kong licences or permission for staff to work. Use the checks as a starting sequence, not a universal approval.
What to have ready
Describe the cross-border activity first
Specify whether the activity is remote contracting, on-site service, import/export, leasing premises, entity establishment or recruitment, then identify the city. Each can involve separate entity, licensing, customs, tax and personnel requirements. Hong Kong uses Registry, IRD and business-licensing routes; Shenzhen provides AMR registration and enterprise-service entry points. A document list from one Greater Bay Area city's counter is not a universal nine-city checklist. Record which authority answered each question and for which proposed activity.
For example, a Hong Kong design company can distinguish delivery from Hong Kong, short visits and an ongoing Shenzhen establishment before asking about contracts, tax, data and staff. This organises the decision rather than establishing that visitor status permits work or any paid on-site service. An employee, shareholder or director cannot infer work permission solely from a company role. Check the person's nationality, residence and documents through the relevant entry route before scheduling work or promising local delivery.
Check CEPA and establishment separately
CEPA trade in services has sector measures and Hong Kong service-supplier eligibility and certification requirements. TID provides current agreements and certificate routes; incorporation in Hong Kong alone does not establish qualification. Identify the service, operating evidence, mainland authority and required licences. A market-access measure, completed registration and permission to carry on the actual operation can remain separate stages. For goods, check origin and customs arrangements rather than applying a service-business explanation to a shipment.
Before leasing or paying an intermediary, obtain the official list and written service scope, with setup costs, ongoing costs, exit terms and exposure if approval is unavailable. Banking, invoices, employment, data handling and accounts should match the real two-jurisdiction operation; fictitious addresses, transactions or funding evidence cannot resolve requirements. For legal, tax or investment-structure decisions, give an appropriate professional the business map and facts and retain the advice and follow-up responsibilities rather than relying on a generic cross-border package.
Choose the actual business model and city, then check entities, licences, personnel and CEPA separately.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.