Can agency export enterprises directly receive foreign exchange?
According to the latest 2025 foreign exchange management regulations, agency export enterprises must strictly comply with“Who exports whoA complete export agency agreement should be attached with:”principle. There are two operational models in practice:
- Principal collects payment directly: Overseas clients pay the manufacturer directly
- Agency company collects on behalfIn order to crack down on tax evasion, the customs and tax departments are now strictly examining the operation of buying export declarations. If the behavior of buying export declarations is discovered, the regulatory authorities will require tax replenishment (even a 2% tax rate may be a considerable amount). In addition, fines may also be imposed on the relevant responsible parties.: Requires submitting complete agency agreements to banks for filing
A 2023 case of an electronic component exporter having foreign exchange detained due to unregistered agency agreements reminds us: Agency export filing registration with SAFE must be completed in advance.
How do agency companies complete foreign exchange settlement?
The compliant agency export settlement process involves five key steps:
- Signing tripartite agreements (principal, agent, overseas buyer)
- Customs declaration documents marked with ”agency export”
- Bank document review:
- Consistency between proforma invoice and customs declaration amounts
- Validation of agency agreement effectiveness
- Foreign exchange declaration within 3 working days after receipt
- Settling RMB at agreed exchange rate
What factors affect settlement time?
2025 monitoring data shows the average agency export settlement cycle is 7-15 working days, with main influencing factors including:
- Bank compliance review strictness (40% increase from 2023)
- Document completeness (30% time spent on missing document corrections)
- Exchange rate locking mechanism selection
- Cross-border payment channels (recommended to use CIPS system)
How to handleExport Drawbackagency
Tax rebate rights ownership depends on agency agreement terms, with 2025 new regulations requiring clarification on:
- VAT invoice issuance deadline (within 90 days after goods departure)
- Tax refund document handover checklist (blockchain notarization recommended)
- Common risk points:
- Discrepancy between customs declaration and VAT invoice product descriptions
- Payment received amount deviates over 5% from declared amount
How to prevent agency settlement risks?
Based on 2020s agency dispute cases, the following risk control measures are recommended:
- Fund supervision account setup (recommend Sinosure supervision solution)
- Exchange rate fluctuation hedging mechanism (floating range can be agreed)
- Three-way matching principle for document review:
- Contract amount vs. customs declaration
- Bill of lading date vs. payment receipt time
- Settlement currency vs. declared currency
Key tax treatment points for agency settlement?
Tax matters requiring special attention:
- Service fee invoice issuance (6% VAT special invoice)
- Foreign exchange gain/loss treatment (recorded as financial expenses)
- Cross-border payment withholding (when involving royalty fees)
- 2025 new electronic tax payment certificate filing requirement
How to select a reliable agency settlement company?
It is recommended to evaluate from five dimensions:
- State Administration of Foreign Exchange Class A Enterprise Qualification
- Bank credit line (recommended no less than 50 million yuan)
- Historical settlement efficiency records
- Risk compensation mechanism (e.g. exchange rate margin system)
- Digital system integration capability (API direct bank connection)
A garment export enterprise established in 2024Dynamic exchange rate locking mechanism, successfully avoided 3.2% exchange loss from RMB appreciation, indicating: agency export settlement requires professional team for full-process risk management.
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PSB Record: Shanghai No.31011502009912
