Breaking down the ODI filing process | How to take the first three steps for 2026 enterprises to go global, on-site docking at the Shanghai exhibition in November

Business people know that the difficulty in going global is not in making decisions, but in implementing them. Selling products, dispatching teams, and transferring funds are all linked to a set of compliance procedures behind every step. Overseas direct investment, also known as ODI, is an unavoidable process for domestic enterprises to go overseas. After the further refinement of the management rules for foreign investment in 2026, many business leaders have found that the material list and audit criteria for setting up companies and buying assets are different from previous years.

Why is ODI worth preparing for three months in advance

ODI filing is not a single point of action, but a process that connects three departments. The first step in the development and reform department is for the enterprise to submit a project application, stating the destination, industry, amount, and source of funds for overseas investment; The second step is to obtain the overseas investment certificate of the enterprise in the business department; The third step is to handle foreign exchange registration at the bank, and only after completion can the funds be legally exported. The three stages are interconnected, and if any material has problems, the timeline will be pushed back.

From practical experience, it usually takes several weeks to several months for a medium-sized enterprise to complete foreign exchange registration from preparation to launch. Projects involving sensitive industries, large investments, or multi-layered equity structures will have longer review cycles. This is also why companies with overseas plans tend to prioritize ODI filing before business expansion - not for formality, but to provide legal channels for subsequent fund allocation, personnel deployment, and overseas account opening.

What can enterprise leaders ask clearly on site

When many people first encounter ODI, the problem is not abstract. It is difficult to understand through a screen whether one's own company is suitable for filing, whether simplified channels can be used, what certificates are required for funds to be transferred from domestic accounts, and what maintenance needs to be done annually after the establishment of overseas subsidiaries.

From November 20th to 22nd, 2026, the Shanghai World Trade Exhibition Center, Overseas Immigrants, Study Abroad, Real Estate, and Enterprise Going Global and Financial Services Expo will open an ODI Enterprise Going Global Zone. The exhibition area gathers cross-border compliance consulting firms, law firms, accounting firms, bank cross-border business departments, and service providers familiar with different destination markets. Enterprise leaders can assess several key issues on-site based on their project situation: whether their own project falls within the scope of filing or approval, whether the target industry is on the restricted list, how to design a smoother funding path, and whether the overseas structure should be established in advance.

The practical impact of exhibiting on enterprises

The exhibition is not a place to sign a contract, but a place to fill in the gaps in information. An enterprise that plans to go to sea can usually accomplish three things in the exhibition: first, cross compare the process information scattered in the official account and agency scripts in the same time window; Secondly, have face-to-face conversations with service providers from different destinations to determine which market entry path is more suitable for your business; Thirdly, put ODI filing and subsequent overseas company registration, bank account opening, and tax structure together to avoid having to go through the procedures before discovering that the structure needs to be reworked later.

The three-day exhibition is expected to attract around 8000 attendees, a significant proportion of whom are business decision-makers with real overseas needs. For the service provider, this is a scenario of close contact with the target customer; For enterprises, this is an opportunity to gather scattered inquiries from the past three months in just three days.

how to come

The exhibition will be held at the Shanghai World Trade Exhibition Center from November 20th to 22nd, 2026, and will last for three days. If your company is preparing for overseas investment or has reached a certain stage of ODI filing, you can call the exhibition hotline 13681692751 (same as WeChat) in advance to book a consultation period, or you can learn about exhibition area division and conference guidelines through the official website www.qs-expo.com. Carrying questions and judgments is the most tangible value of exhibitions for enterprises.