Canton Fair preparation
How to Get Your Canton Fair Badge and Registration
A complete Canton Fair badge guide covering official pre-registration, identity documents, invitations, pickup locations, business cards, common problems, and what to do before the first fair day.
The safest route is to use the official Canton Fair Buyer Service System, complete your buyer information before travel, and keep the registration receipt accessible offline. A visitor should be able to explain the difference between an invitation, a registration receipt, and an entrance badge, and should know which original document will be required at pickup. Requirements and locations can change by fair session, so the current official buyer guide remains the final instruction.
Quick answer
Register through the official buyer system, use the same identity document you will carry, check every name and number before submitting, save the QR code or receipt offline, and bring the original passport plus a business card to an official pickup counter when required. Buyer badge application, replacement, and renewal should be handled through official channels and should not require payment to an unofficial agent.
Understand the three documents
Before starting, separate these three items:
- Registration record: the information you submit in the official buyer system.
- Invitation or invitation letter: an official document that may support attendance or visa planning. It is not the same as an entrance badge and does not guarantee a visa decision.
- Buyer badge: the access credential used for the fair. It is issued or collected through the official process and must match the identity information used in registration.
Keeping the documents separate prevents a common mistake: assuming that an invitation or a QR receipt alone is the physical or digital credential needed to enter.
Use the official channel first
Use the official Canton Fair Buyer Service System at https://buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/ and the current buyer guide at https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en-US/buyerguide. Do not use a search advertisement, a social-media seller, or a hotel intermediary as your primary registration route. The official Canton Fair has warned buyers to use official channels and has stated that buyer badge application, replacement, and renewal are free.
A third party may offer translation or travel help, but you should never give an unverified agent control of your identity documents, account, or payment details just to obtain a badge. If a website asks for payment for a standard badge service, stop and compare it with the current official guidance.
Step 1: create or access your buyer account
New overseas buyers normally create an account and complete the buyer information requested by the current system. Returning buyers log in and complete the attendance or session-specific steps. The screens may change, so use the labels and instructions currently shown rather than relying on an old video.
Use an email address and phone number you can access during travel. Keep the account login secure and avoid sharing the password with a hotel, translator, or supplier. If someone helps you translate a form, review the final values yourself before submitting.
Step 2: enter identity and company information carefully
Use the same passport or qualifying travel document for registration and pickup. Check the spelling of your name, nationality, document number, expiration date, company name, role, email, phone number, and address. A single incorrect digit can create a mismatch at the counter.
If the system requests an identity image, passport image, portrait, or business-card information, upload a clear file and keep the original source file. Do not upload a cropped or unreadable image just to pass the form. If the system asks for the fair phase or intended visit, select the current session and verify the dates before continuing.
Save a copy of the submitted record. At minimum, keep:
- A copy of the passport information page.
- The registration details as submitted.
- The QR code, pre-registration receipt, or confirmation.
- Your business card and company information.
- Any official invitation or attendance correspondence.
Keep one copy on your phone and one offline or printed copy in a separate place. A document saved only inside an app may be unavailable if the network is slow or the account logs out.
Step 3: request an invitation only when you need one
An invitation may support visa or travel planning, but it is not a substitute for badge registration and it does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. Use the invitation section inside the official system or the official invitation guidance. Enter the passport and company details exactly as they appear in the registration record.
Check the requirements for your nationality, passport, travel purpose, and intended dates with the relevant embassy or consular authority. The fair organizer can provide an invitation process, but it cannot make a decision for another authority. Start early because a delayed invitation can affect flights, hotel bookings, and visa timing.
Do not confuse the invitation with proof of a hotel booking, a visa, a registration receipt, or an entrance badge. Save every document with a clear filename and date.
Step 4: confirm the pickup location
Official guidance has listed the Canton Fair Complex and, depending on the session, alternative services at places such as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Pazhou Ferry Terminal, designated hotels, and the Canton Fair Hong Kong Representative Office. Availability, hours, and eligible buyer categories are session-specific. Confirm the current list before travelling.
If an official alternative counter is open before the exhibition day, it may reduce pressure at the complex. Do not assume that every hotel or transport hub has a counter in every phase. The official notice for your session is more reliable than a previous visitor's itinerary.
Step 5: prepare for pickup
Carry the original passport or eligible travel document used in the application. Bring the QR code or registration receipt and a business card if the current guide requests one. If your buyer category requires another document, include it. A phone photograph of a passport should not be assumed to replace the original at a badge counter.
Make sure the business card is readable and includes your name, company, role, email, phone, website, and address where possible. Keep your own cards separate from supplier cards after the fair begins. A mismatch between the card, registration, and passport may lead to questions, so correct the registration rather than trying to explain an avoidable typo at the counter.
Common problems and the safest response
The QR code will not load
Save a screenshot or print the receipt before travelling. If the counter needs a live lookup, provide the registration email and identity details. Do not create a second account while standing in a queue unless official staff direct you to do so. Duplicate records can make the problem harder to resolve.
The name or passport number is wrong
Use the official account or service channel to correct the record before arrival. Keep evidence of the submitted application and do not rely on a verbal promise from an unofficial helper.
The passport used for registration is unavailable
Contact official buyer service before travelling. A different passport or document may not match the existing application. Do not assume that a copy will be accepted for pickup.
The invitation has not arrived
Check the official application status, email folders, and current invitation instructions. Contact the official buyer service if the status is unclear. Do not buy a replacement invitation from a third party.
The fair phase or dates are wrong
Check the phase, dates, product categories, and attendance details before booking travel. A registration for one session should not be assumed to cover another.
The counter is busy
Arrive earlier, use an official alternative location if available, and keep the first meeting flexible. Carry water and keep your phone charged, but follow venue instructions and do not photograph or record other visitors' documents.
The badge is lost or damaged
Use the official replacement process. Keep a note of the official service contact and do not pay an unverified person who approaches you with a replacement offer.
Privacy and document discipline
A passport contains identity information. Carry it securely, avoid leaving it at a booth, and do not send full passport scans to suppliers. When a supplier or service provider asks for identity information, understand why it is needed and whether an official channel is available. Keep digital copies encrypted or protected by the device security you normally trust.
After receiving the badge, check the printed name and other details before leaving the counter. If something is wrong, ask official staff immediately. Store the badge in the same place every day and remove it only when the current venue rules allow.
Final registration checklist
Before leaving home, confirm the official account login, current fair session, badge application status, invitation status if relevant, QR receipt, original passport, business card, phone charge, offline copies, pickup location, and route to the venue. After pickup, check the badge and keep it secure.
Registration is a small part of the trip, but it is the gate to every useful conversation. Finish it early through the official process so the fair day can focus on suppliers, products, evidence, and decisions.
Sources and evidence
Keep the context with the contact.
Save supplier cards alongside products, quotes, questions, samples, and the next action.