For a first visit to the Canton Fair, the safest route is to create an account in the official Buyer Service System, select your onsite attendance intent, submit an Overseas Buyer Badge application, and save the approval or pre-registration proof for in-person badge collection. Apply for an invitation letter separately if you need one for a visa or company travel process.
Returning buyers normally log in, confirm the phases they plan to attend, and reuse a valid existing badge. Do not create a second identity simply because you cannot immediately find an old record.
If you are still choosing dates, phases, or the length of your trip, start with the Canton Fair 2026 first-time buyer guide before completing the registration details below.
The shortest first-time buyer path
Use the official Buyer Service System: account → attendance intent → badge application → invitation if needed → physical badge collection. The online application is not the item used at the entrance; overseas buyers need the physical badge to enter the Canton Fair Complex.
140th Canton Fair update status
The 140th Canton Fair is scheduled for October 15–19, October 23–27, and October 31–November 4, 2026. Current official information says overseas-buyer pre-registration is open year-round. However, the final 140th-session badge notice—detailed counter addresses, service hours, designated hotels, night service, and definitive collection materials—has not yet been published. Awaiting the 140th Canton Fair’s session-specific update. Last checked: July 17, 2026.
One process, five checkpoints
Your Canton Fair registration path
- 01AccountCreate or recover your official buyer profile.
- 02Attendance intentChoose onsite attendance and the relevant phases.
- 03Badge applicationFirst-time buyers submit identity and company details.
- 04InvitationRequest it only if your travel process needs it.
- 05Physical badgeComplete personal verification and collect it in person.
First, Choose the Correct Registration Category
The official registration page separates three buyer routes. Choose by your actual status, not by whichever option seems quickest.
| Category | Who it is for | Do you use this overseas-badge guide? |
|---|---|---|
| Overseas Buyer | Buyers outside the Chinese mainland, including eligible Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese applicants using the documents accepted by the organizer | Yes |
| Purchasing Agent | Chinese personnel of a foreign company or institution’s representative office in China, or a foreign chamber of commerce in China; the official page asks for the organization’s registration certificate | No—follow the Purchasing Agent route |
| Domestic Buyer | Mainland domestic buyers registering with the required business license and personal identity card | No—follow the Domestic Buyer route |
Recent official badge guidance has accepted foreign passports, Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, Mainland Travel Permits for Taiwan Residents, and—in specified cases—a Chinese passport together with evidence of overseas permanent residence. The exact 140th collection route for each document type should be checked again when its detailed badge notice appears.
Registration, Pre-registration, Badge, and Invitation Are Different
These terms are often treated as synonyms, but each produces a different result.
| Term | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Account registration | Creates or recovers your identity in the Buyer Service System | Does not confirm onsite attendance or create a physical badge |
| Attendance intent / pre-registration | Tells the organizer you plan to attend onsite and which phases you expect to visit | Does not replace identity verification at badge collection |
| Badge application | Submits the first-time buyer’s personal and company information for review | An online receipt or QR proof is not the physical entrance badge |
| Invitation letter | Provides an event invitation that may support a visa or company travel process | Does not guarantee a visa and does not admit you to the Complex |
| Physical Overseas Buyer Badge | Identifies an approved overseas buyer at the fair entrance | Is personal, cannot be lent, and is not a general identity document |
First-Time Overseas Buyer: Complete the Online Path
1. Create your official account
Start from the Canton Fair registration page or go directly to the Buyer Service System. Choose the option indicating that you do not already have a Buyer Badge.
The system is JavaScript-based, and its live fields can change. Recent official guides show new buyers providing an email and password, personal name, company name, company country or region, and sourcing intent. Follow the labels currently displayed rather than an old screenshot.
Use one email address you can access while traveling. Enter your name and document details consistently. If your company already exists in the system, join the correct company record instead of creating a near-duplicate with a slightly different spelling.
2. Complete your onsite attendance intent
Select onsite attendance and the phases you genuinely plan to visit. This is pre-registration: it connects your profile to the current fair and lets the organizer prepare for your attendance.
The current 140th briefing says this channel is open year-round, so there is no benefit in waiting until you reach Guangzhou. Complete it once your trip and company information are stable, then recheck the record after the 140th session notice is published.
3. Submit the Overseas Buyer Badge application
In recent official versions of the system, the route has appeared under Canton Fair Badges → Overseas Buyer Badge. Expect to complete or confirm personal details, company information, sourcing interests, valid travel-document information, and a suitable personal photo if requested.
Do not invent a company, upload another person’s document, or create multiple applications to bypass a pending review. If a field or upload requirement differs from this guide, the live official system controls.
4. Save the application evidence
After submission, save whatever the current system issues: the application number, status page, pre-registration receipt, Buyer’s QR Code, or other collection proof. The name can change between sessions. Keep a screenshot and an offline PDF if available, plus the email address used for the account.
This proof helps staff find the application. It is not a substitute for the physical badge.
Returning Buyer: Recover the Record and Protect the Badge
The official path for a returning buyer is shorter:
- Log in with the existing account. Old BEST account information was migrated to the current Buyer Service System.
- If necessary, recover the profile with the existing badge number or valid identity-document details rather than opening a disconnected new account.
- Complete the onsite attendance intent for the 140th session and select the relevant phases.
- Reuse a valid current badge unless the system or the 140th notice instructs you to renew or replace it.
- Apply for an invitation letter only if you need one.
Recent official rules say the Overseas Buyer Badge can be used for multiple sessions. “Old badge” does not automatically mean “valid badge,” however. A damaged badge, an older format that the organizer asks to replace, a badge tied to outdated identity details, or a badge already reported lost may need service.
If you lose the badge, report it through the official channel so it can be deactivated. A replacement makes the old badge invalid. The latest readable 139th notice described application, replacement, and renewal as free, while current 140th information specifically confirms free first-time issuance at remote centers. Wait for the final 140th notice before assuming every replacement case, location, and fee is unchanged.
What to Prepare for Physical Badge Collection
Online application and physical issuance are two separate steps. Current 140th information confirms that first-time overseas buyers can use remote badge service centers, including service points at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station, the Pazhou Hong Kong–Macao Passenger Port, designated badge-service hotels, and the Canton Fair Hong Kong office.
Those are service categories, not a final counter directory. Do not travel to a hotel or terminal counter based on a previous session’s list. The exact 140th addresses, dates, hours, eligible document types, and night service remain pending.
Choose your Guangzhou base independently of the badge counter: the separate guide to where to stay for the Canton Fair compares Pazhou, direct-metro areas, and central business hotels without treating an old designated-hotel list as a current recommendation.
Prepare for personal verification
Badge collection materials
- Original accepted identity documentBring the same passport or travel permit used in the application—not only a phone photo.
- Current application proofSave the receipt, Buyer’s QR Code, status, or other proof issued by the live system.
- Business cardRecent official session guides required one. Carry several, while awaiting the final 140th materials list.
- Existing badge, if returningBring it if you need an update, renewal, or help recovering the linked record.
Badge issuance is based on personal identity verification and a one-person, one-badge rule. Do not plan for a colleague, hotel, supplier, or paid agent to collect it for you. Use only official channels; do not send passport images or money to someone promising guaranteed badge access.
How the Canton Fair Invitation Letter Fits In
An invitation letter is optional for badge access but may be useful for a Chinese visa application, an employer’s travel approval, or company documentation. It is separate from the badge.
Recent official system guidance shows returning buyers applying from the invitation area after login. First-time buyers may be offered an option to generate an invitation while completing the badge application. Because the live labels and 140th application window can change, follow the current Buyer Service System rather than an old visual guide.
An invitation letter does not guarantee a Chinese visa. Chinese consular guidance states that the responsible consular officer decides whether to issue a visa and may request additional documents or an interview. Check the requirements for your nationality and application location with the relevant Chinese embassy, consulate, or official visa application center. Do not mix the invitation with visa-free entry, transit policies, tourist visas, or business visas.
If the Registration or Badge Application Fails
First identify the failure instead of submitting duplicate forms:
- Wrong buyer category: return to the official registration page and confirm whether you are an Overseas Buyer, Purchasing Agent, or Domestic Buyer.
- Old record not found: try account recovery with the existing badge or identity details. Preserve the exact spelling and number used previously.
- Company conflict: look for an existing company record before creating another version of the name.
- Identity or photo rejected: compare every field with the original document and follow the current upload instructions.
- Application still pending: save the submission time and status; do not assume a QR image from an unofficial person proves approval.
- System will not load: try a current browser with JavaScript enabled and a stable connection. Save the error before clearing anything.
If the issue remains, use the official Canton Fair Help Centre and provide the account email, application number, screenshot, time, and exact error—without posting passport data publicly. If you are already in Guangzhou, verify the current 140th service location before traveling across the city.
Final Checklist Before You Fly
Save offline before departure
Online record
- Account email and recovery access
- Attendance phases confirmed
- Badge status and application number
- Invitation downloaded if needed
Collection pack
- Original accepted identity document
- Current receipt or QR proof
- Business cards
- Existing badge if returning
140th update
- Final counter address
- Service date and hours
- Eligible document route
- Latest material and fee notice
Also prepare the rest of the trip: save your hotel details, set up internet access in China, prepare Alipay and WeChat Pay, and keep the China pre-flight checklist offline. If reception procedures are unfamiliar, the separate hotel check-in guide explains the document and payment process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do overseas buyers need a badge to enter the Canton Fair?
Yes. The physical Overseas Buyer Badge is used for entry to the Canton Fair Complex. An account, invitation letter, receipt, or application QR proof is not the entrance credential by itself.
Is Canton Fair registration free?
Current 140th official information says first-time overseas buyers can obtain a badge free at official remote service centers. The 139th official notice also described application, replacement, and renewal as free. Check the final 140th notice for any exceptional replacement case and never pay an unofficial agent for “guaranteed” access.
Can I register after arriving in Guangzhou?
The online system remains available, and physical verification happens in person, but starting from zero after arrival creates avoidable risk. Pre-register before travel. The exact 140th walk-in counters and operating hours are still awaiting the session-specific notice.
Can I reuse an old buyer badge?
A valid badge is generally reusable across sessions. Log in, complete the current attendance intent, and check whether the system requests an update or replacement. A badge reported lost, replaced, damaged, or deactivated should not be used.
Is an invitation letter the same as a buyer badge?
No. The invitation may support travel paperwork; the badge is the personal credential used at the fair entrance.
Does the invitation guarantee a Chinese visa?
No. It is one possible supporting document. The responsible Chinese consular authority decides the visa outcome and may ask for more information.
Do I need a business card?
Carry one. Recent official session guides required a business card for collection, but the definitive 140th materials notice has not yet been published.
Where can I collect the physical badge?
Current 140th information names remote service-center categories at the airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Pazhou passenger port, designated hotels, and the Hong Kong office. Wait for the official 140th directory before relying on a specific counter, hotel, date, or hour.
What happens if I lose or forget my badge?
Report it through the official service channel. A replacement deactivates the previous badge. Confirm the 140th replacement location, proof, and fee rule before traveling to a counter.
Can someone else collect my badge?
Do not plan on it. Current rules are based on the applicant’s original identity document and personal verification under a one-person, one-badge system.
Can Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents apply?
Yes, the current official registration page includes them in the Overseas Buyer route. Use the identity document accepted for your category and confirm the 140th collection location for that document type.
How early should I complete registration?
The current official briefing says overseas-buyer pre-registration is open year-round. Complete it once your details and attendance plan are stable, well before travel, then recheck the record after the final 140th badge notice appears.
