Aerial view of Phoenix Island's curved towers and the harbor in Sanya, Hainan

Sanya · Hainan · China

Live and work in China.

For most foreigners in China, your employer controls your visa. This puts you at a major disadvantage. Owning a one-person company in Hainan makes you your own boss. We can easily set you up and walk you through the process.

OPC stands for One-Person Company. Hainan's AI OPC route is for founders, and teams of up to five, who build or use AI tools.

Check if you qualify (2 min) See what we do

Setup: From paperwork to residence permit
Arrival: Pickup, registration, settling in
The check: Two minutes to see where you stand

Who this is for

We live in interesting times, to say the least.

Young and active mid-career professionals are weighing their options right now. Most will keep weighing. A few will go long. This is for the few.

Suitable if you...

want to live and work legally in Asia — with a work visa that isn't controlled by an employer
like to start things — you'd rather build your own way, and you still care about doing it well
prefer getting in on the ground floor — trying something new is not so new to you
want to build something in Asia — not just visit
are really good at something — or have a hunch you could be, with the right tools
are comfortable with technology — and motivated to pick up new tools
are curious about AI — already using it, or working out where it might fit in your work

Why this, why now

A real way in.

We're talking to new and pivoting graduates, serial entrepreneurs, and a few digital nomads: anyone seriously planning their next move. The window to start an AI OPC in China is in effect until 2028.

It's your company, so it's your visa

You are your own boss. You sponsor your own work permit. You can change clients or projects, and your status stays with you.

You can actually work here

Many passports allow the holder to visit Hainan visa-free for 30 days, but that doesn't cover work. A work and residence permit lets you live and work here legally.

The park wants you

Yazhou Bay's OPC Community is inviting AI founders from around the world. The community has a total of 7,023 m² of startup space, with up to 12 months of discounted rent for new members who are accepted.

Two permits in a combined process

Yazhou Bay's service center processes the work permit and residence permit together. In one published case, both were ready in 15 days.

Lower taxes (if you qualify)

In the Hainan Free Trade Port, certain priority industries pay 15% corporate tax. And, if you qualify as talent and spend 183+ days a year here, personal income tax above 15% is waived. Both policies are effective through 2027.

A tropical base, and good company

Live on Hainan's southern coast for part of the year, or all of it, alongside founders from China and abroad. We're part of that community too.

The usual ways in

The standard routes, and their limitations.

Getting hired

It works, but your visa is controlled by your employer. If the job ends, so does the visa.

Coming visa-free

Great for a look around. It lasts 30 days, and you can't work.

Doing it yourself

It's possible: Chinese-language portals, notarized translations, five company seals, two bank accounts. Even if you speak fluent Chinese, it takes a long time, and it's easy to get a step wrong.

What we do

From paperwork to your residence permit, we're with you.

We're a small team, and we handle the setup. If something isn't ours to do, we'll tell you.

Your documents

Diploma authentication, criminal-record check, CV, translations and notarization, gathered once and in the right order.

Your company

Name registration, the incubator application, a business address, your business license and company seals, and your bank accounts.

Your work permit and visa

The government portal, document uploads, your work-permit notice, and the invitation letter for your Z visa.

Your arrival and residence permit

We pick you up at the airport, handle hotel and police registration and the immigration bureau application, and help you get settled.

Everyone gets help settling in, and highly qualified individuals will receive housing support. Others can book full-day or ad hoc help for a reasonable fee.

Fair questions

The questions everyone asks, answered honestly.

Is this legit?

We're a small private team, not a government office. We've already taken our own friends through the process, and every policy we mention links to its official source. Talk to us before you pay anything.

What if I'm refused?

Approval is up to the government, and nobody can guarantee it (be wary of anyone who does). What we can do is check your eligibility before you spend anything, and help you put together a clean file. And you don't pay until we have confirmed your eligibility.

What does it cost, and how long does it take?

It depends on your documents and your situation. Before you commit, we'll send you a written quote showing what's included and what isn't.

I don't speak Chinese.

You don't need to. We meet you at the airport, handle hotel and police registration, sort out your bank documents, and help you find your feet.

Where you'd be

Yazhou Bay, on the western edge of Sanya.

Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City is built around Nanshan Port, Nanfan Technology City, Deep-Sea Technology City, Education and Research City, and the global animal and plant germplasm resource base. In plain terms: a science park with real adjacent industries — seed research, deep-sea tech, life sciences, digital economy — and a local government that's actively recruiting founders.

Open in OpenStreetMap

Interactive OpenStreetMap view. If it does not load in your network, open coordinates in a new tab.

Tech Park Area

Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City

This is the practical setup area for OPC paperwork, enterprise services, shared workspaces, incubator visits, and local coordination.

District: Yazhou, western Sanya
Focus: AI OPC setup and settling-in support

A look inside the park

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Tree-lined courtyard between the incubator buildings — Exterior campus and courtyard

Entrance of the Hainan Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubator — Incubator entrance

Landscaped green courtyard outside the incubator — Green outdoor area

Marble reception lobby with the science-city name on the wall — Reception lobby

Glass entrance marked 'OPC Community' — OPC community entrance

Yazhou Bay International Business Hub signage — International business hub

Rows of shared desks with numbered workstations — Shared workspace desks

Glass-partitioned office area — Glass office area

Open desks with a world map wall behind them — Open desks and rooms

Conference room with a long table and chairs — Meeting room

Lounge seating next to open bookshelves — Lounge and shelves

Kitchenette and rest area with bar stools — Tea and rest area

Wall-mounted floor layout and directory map — Floor layout map

Reception desk with backlit signage wall — Reception desk signage

Yazhou Bay basic situation Yazhou service portal Tech enterprise support measures Hainan AI OPC measures

The policy side

You will have our full support. And we won't lead you on.

Hainan's 2026 AI OPC measures support small companies that build or use AI. The programs are real, and so are the rules and reviews that come with them. We'll help you put together a clean file. However, we won't promise what we can't give. If after a few calls it appears you are a good or poor fit, or somewhere in between, we are obligated to tell you. And, again, we won't charge you until we have a sure sign from officials that you qualify.

Low-cost or free workspace, service teams, events, and public services in the park
Vouchers or credits for compute, models, data, or AI tools
Project support: scenario access, data resources, financing, talent services
Living support: housing, medical, residence, and family document routes

Nothing on this page is a guarantee of approval, funding, free workspace, rent reduction, residence permits, visas, import benefits, or tax treatment. Anyone who guarantees those is selling you something.

Read the full policy and funding reference, with sources →

AI + the field you already know

Marketing services Tourism services Trade and logistics Education Wellness and healthcare Consulting Digital economy Life sciences Nanfan seed industry Deep-sea technology

Is this for you? 2-min check