Co Formation

Hong Kong Company Formation

Hong Kong is one of the international finance centres in the world.  Hong Kong thrives on an excellent infrastructure, highly educated labour force and an efficient business environment.  Hong Kong company is an ideal holding company and headquarters location and a gateway for foreign investments in to the emerging economies of Asia.   Setting up a Hong Kong company has the following advantages:

 

Advantages of A Hong Kong Company

  • Simple and easy business set-up and transparent ongoing compliance
  • Low, simple and competitive tax system (non- HK source tax exemption; no VAT, no tax on dividend & interest)
  • A gateway to explore business opportunities in Mainland China and Asia
  • Ease of operation, maintenance and control
  • A supportive government
  • Premier business hub in Asia
  • Open business environment
  • Multi talent pool
  • World class infrastructure
  • Client privacy protection

 

Hong Kong Company Is A Good Vehicle For

  • Trading
  • Holding
  • E-commerce
  • Intellectual Property
  • Estate & succession planning

 

Three Simple Steps For Incorporating A Hong Kong Company

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Supply Information 

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Sign Documents 

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Receive Documents 

Submit information online or fill the download form.

Our officer will contact you to confirm service, collect

KYC and verify documents. Pay fee.

Prepare incorporation documents and sign registration documents.

Collect incorporation documents.

 

Documents Required For Setting Up A Hong Kong Company
  • Passport or certified copies (if we cannot meet in person) of all the directors/ shareholders/beneficial owners.
  • Residential address proof or certified copies of all the directors/ shareholders/beneficial owners (must be in English or English translation).
  • Our due diligence form.
 

Attractive Cost For Hong Kong Company Formation

 

Hong Kong Company Formation Fee

From US$788

 

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  • Fast, easy & confidential 
  • Express service at 3 hours to set up company and get incorporation certificate
  • 100% success rate
  • 24/7 Support   

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Additional Information (Click below to read more)

 

 

Recommended Services:

Hong Kong Company Fact Sheet

 

The most common type of business entity in Hong Kong is private limited liability company (“Limited”) governed under Companies Ordinance Chapter 622.   

 

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF A HONG KONG COMPANY

 

The principle statutory reuirements are follows:

 

Company name.  The company name must be approved by the Companies Registry before you can proceed with the incorporation of a Hong Kong company.

 

Share Capital.  No minimum share capital requirement and can be expressed in Hong Kong dollar or any major currency.  The general norm is to have at least one shareholder with one (1) ordinary share issued at formation.  Shares can be freely transferred, subject to a stamp duty fee. Bearer shares are not allowed.

 

Directors.  A minimum of one (1) natural person at aged 18 years above at any nationality who must not be bankrupt or convicted for any malpractices.  Unlimited number of directors allowed.    There is no requirement for the directors to also be shareholders. Corporate directors (or nominee corporate directors) can also be appointed. Directors Board meetings can be held anywhere in the world.

 

Shareholders.  A minimum of one (1) natural person or a body corporate at any nationality/jurisdiction.  If natural person, at aged 18 years above.  Maximum number shareholders is fifty (50).   A director and shareholder can be the same or different person.  Appointment of nominee shareholders is permitted.  Shareholders meetings can be held anywhere in the world.

 

Company Secretary.  A compulsory capacity a by natural person (Hong Kong resident) or a body corporate (with its registered office or a place of business in Hong Kong).  It has to be noted that in case of a sole director/shareholder, the same person cannot act as the company secretary. The company secretary is responsible for maintaining the statutory books and records of the company and must also ensure the company’s compliance with all statutory requirements. A nominee secretary can be appointed.

 

Registered Address.   The registered address must be a physical address in Hong Kong and cannot be a PO Box.

 

Register of Significant Controllers.  A register of significant controllers must be kept at the registered office or at a designated address in Hong Kong as decided by the directors.

 

Public Registry.  Information about company officers such as directors, shareholders and company secretary is available publicly as per Hong Kong Company Laws as a company is mandatory to file details of officers at the Companies Registry.   You can appoint your nominated shareholder or director to act for your business if there is a need. 

 

Corporate Taxation.  Hong Kong follows a territorial basis of taxation i.e. only profits which arise in or derived from Hong Kong are subject to tax in Hong Kong.  Profits Tax at 8.25% on the first HK$2 million profits and  16.5% thereafter on net profits derived and arised in Hong Kong. There is no capital gains tax, withholding tax on dividends, or GST/VAT in Hong Kong.

 

Ongoing Compliance.  

1.    Annual Return. Every company is required to file annual returns with the Companies Registry and pay the annual registration fee.  An Annual General Meeting (AGM) should be held annually very calendar year. The AGM should be held within 18 months of the date of incorporation, after which no more than 15 months can elapse between one AGM and the next.

 

2.   Business Registration Renewal.  The Business Registration Certificate should be renewed, one (1) month before expiry on an annual basis or once every three years, as the case may be.

 

3.  Audited Accounts. It is mandatory for companies to prepare & maintain accounts and be audited annually by Certified Public Accountants in Hong Kong. The audited accounts together with tax return must be filed annually with the Inland Revenue Department.

 

4.   Profits Tax Return Filing. It is mandatory for companies to file its Profits Tax Return together with the audited accounts with the Inland Revenue Department annually.

 

Timeline for Incorporation.  Usually, it takes about 1-5 working days to incorporate a company in Hong Kong subject to your needs.

 

HONG KONG OFFSHORE COMPANY CONSIDERATION

Hong Kong adopts a territorial concept of taxation and accordingly the tax is levied primarily on Hong Kong sources profits and income.  There is no “offshore” legislation in Hong Kong.  Non-Hong Kong entrepreneurs often refer to establishing an offshore company in Hong Kong means that the Hong Kong company derives no profits/income from Hong Kong sources and supplies evidential proof satisfactorily to the Inland Revenue Depatment, the profits/income is not taxable in Hong Kong upon approval even it does business anywhere else in the world.  It is in essence an offshore company.

 

1.   Non-HK residents are free to be the sole directors and shareholders of a Hong Kong company but they can appoint a professional practice as their company’s administrator to administer its company’s affairs without making decision for the company. The non-HK residents have to establish an operation in substance and the operation is NOT for the sole purpose of tax.

2.  There is no physical presence at company registration but Director/Shareholder/Bank Signatory’s physical presence is usually required for bank account opening in Hong Kong. As an alternative, the Hong Kong company can open company bank account at non-HK jurisdiction.  We can assist for non-HK bank account opening.

3.   You do not need to rent a physical office and can use virtual office as your registered office in Hong Kong for statutory compliance or even as your operating address.

4.   There is no need to relocate to Hong Kong for business and non-HK business owners are free to operate their Hong Kong company overseas. They can plan their visit at Hong Kong according to their business agenda as and when required.

5.   Always link your business with good reasons in connection with Hong Kong or China as a business substance despite no physical operation in Hong Kong (i.e. why do you need a HK co. if there is no physical operation in HK).

6.   Justify your permanent establishment of business despite no physical operation in Hong Kong (ie. if there is no operation in HK, where is your physical operation?).

7.   Keep business evidence for business transaction substance to justify non-Hong Kong business.

8.   The company has to submit sufficient evidence to prove its business that its’ qualified for offshore claim.

 

Remarks: Please note that the OECD’s global initiative on Automatic Exchange of Tax Information applies in Hong Kong.  The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) adopts an international standard to comply with this initiative and will ask much question before it official grant offshore status on income arised/derived from Hong Kong.   One thought in mind: If the company does not pay taxes in Hong Kong, where would it pay taxes, your home country?  This may be one of the question raised by the IRD at offshore claim clearance.  Proof may have to submit as an evidence on claim subject to the company's business situation.

 

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the details contained herein are correct and up-to-date, it does not constitute legal or other professional advice. We do not accept any responsibility, legal or otherwise, for any error omission.

 

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Hong Kong Company Frequently Asked Question

What are the basic statutory requirements for a Hong Kong company (private limited company) ?

- 1 director : at least one individual director aged 18 over with no nationality restriction; both individual or body corporate can be a director.

- 1 shareholder : both individual aged 18 over or body corporate can be a director. There is no nationality restriction for an individual shareholder.

- A company secretary : a Hong Kong resident or a licensed Trust and Company Services Licensee.   A single director cannot serve as the company secretary at the same time.

- A Hong Kong registered address (P.O. Box is not acceptable).

- A nominated person to keep the Register of Significant Controllers.

How long will it take to open a Hong Kong Company ?

Our Express Service needs 3 hours to set up a Hong Kong company.  Normal at 6-8 days.

What are the company name restriction of a Hong Kong company ? Can I change the Hong Kong company name after registration ?

A Hong Kong company name can be in English or English/Chinese and must end with “Limited”.   It can be arabic numbers.   and can also contain Arabic numerals, but cannot be mixed in Chinese and English.  

 

Unless a separate license is applied for, a Hong Kong company name must not contain words that might mislead the company to have any relationship with the government (e.g. "XX Bureau") nor conducting activity which needs special license such as "bank", "insurance", “trust”. 

 

The Hong Kong company name can reflect your business or be completely different. It is not necessary to declare the business at the time of registration.  

 

The Hong Kong company name can be changed at any time after the company is established through a special resolution of the shareholders, within 15 days of filing a "Notice of Change of Company Name" with the Registrar of Companies. Once the new name is approved, the Registrar of Companies will issue a Certificate of Change of Name. 

What is the share capital requirement of a Hong Kong company ?

The Companies Ordinance has abolished the concepts of "authorized share capital" and "par value". Therefore, the articles of association need not state this. There is no minimum share capital for a Hong Kong company, and the company can decide its own share capital. The usual number of share capital for a Hong Kong company is HK$1,000 or HK$10,000. 

 

Share capital of a Hong Kong company can be in HK dollar or in any currency.

What is the annual maintenance of a Hong Kong company needed ?

There are three annual stautory maintenance for a Hong Kong company:

 

1.    Annual return (AR) filing to the Hong Kong Companies Registry.   It shows the company's issued share capital, company address, directors, shareholders, company secretary details and the amount of any registered charge.    It must be filed with the Companies Registry within 42 days after the anniversary date with a registration fee of HK$105. Late filing is subject to a significantly increased registration fee as below.  If a company fails to comply with the provision, the company and every responsible person of the company are liable to prosecution and, if convicted, default fines. The maximum penalty is HK$50,000 for each breach and, in the case of a continuing offence, a daily default fine of HK$1,000.  

 

If the AR is delivered :

HK$

more than 42 days after but within 3 months after the company's return date

870

more than 3 months after but within 6 months after the company's return date

1,740

more than 6 months after but within 9 months after the company's return date

2,610

more than 9 months after the company's return date

3,480

 

2.    Business registration (BR) renewal.   BR office of the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department will issue a new BR certificate usually one month before the expiry date.   BR fee (currently at HK$250. BR fee is decide by the Financial Secretary annual Budget proposal) has to be paid to the BR office on time to additional penalty of HK$300.  Further delay in BR renewal will result in prosecution of the company, court hearing and daily fine.

 

3.    Filing of profits tax return (PTR) with audited accounts.   About 18 months after the establishment of the company, the first tax return issued by the tax office will be received.   The tax return will be submitted together with the latest audited accounts within 3 months from the return issuance date.   The second PTR must be submitted within 1 month from the return issuance date. 

Is there any other filing requirements for a Hong Kong company to the Companies Registry ?

In addition to the delivery of Annual Returns for registration, a Hong Kong registered company is required to deliver other statutory documents to the Registrar of Companies for registration in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Ordinance in certain circumstances such as :

 

- notices of change of address of registered office or principal place of business in Hong Kong

- notice of change of location for statutory record keeping

- appointment or resignation of directors and company secretaries

- changes of particulars of directors and companies secretaries

- changes of share capital e.g. allotment of shares

What are the obligations as officers of a Hong Kong company ?

A Hong Kong company is a separate legal entity, that is, it is a legal person in its own right and separate from its owners. The benefit of limited liability through operating as a limited company also brings with it obligations in so much as the company must comply with the various provisions in the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622 of the Laws of Hong Kong). 

 

Every officer of a Hong Kong company, including its director(s), company secretary or manager, has the responsibility to ensure that the company has complied with all the provisions of the Companies Ordinance. If a Hong Kong company fails to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance, the company and every responsible person of the company shall be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, default fines.

Tax related question for a Hong Kong company

Q1.  What are the taxes in Hong Kong?

A1.  Taxes in Hong Kong are mainly divided into three categories: profits tax, salaries tax and property tax. 

 

- Profits tax is 8.25% on the first HK$2 million taxable profits and at 16.5% on taxable profits thereafter.  If the company does not make a profit or its profits arised out of Hong Kong, it does not need or may not need to pay profits tax.

- Salary tax at 15% on employment income.  

- Property tax is at 15% based on the rental income of the property after deducting the standard allowance of 20% for repairs and expenses.

 

Q2.   Do I need to pay customs duties for imported and exported goods in Hong Kong?

A2.  Except for tobacco, alcohol and gasoline, general import and export commodities do not need to pay customs duties.   But import and export commodities must be declared.

 

Q3.  Can INTERSHORES provide Hong Kong accounting and tax compliance services?

A3.   This is one of our expertise.   You only need to provide relevant information.   We will handle accounting, auditing and tax compliance on your behalf. The cost will be determined by the actual workload.  Please

 

Whatsapp at (852) 5681 1114

Emal at info@Intershores.hk

Phone at (852) 2186 6936.

 

Q4.  How is the afinancial year end determined for a Hong Kong?

A4.  The most common financial year end for tax assessment for a Hong Kong company is March 31 or December 31, and other month end can also be set as the year end.

 

Q5.  Can a Hong Kong company's profit be offset against the previous year's loss?

A5. Losses incurred in a year of assessment for a Hong Kong company may be carried forward and set off against the company's profits in subsequent years.

 

Q6.  What is Provisional Profits Tax of a Hong Kong company?

A6. Profits tax in Hong Kong is levied on actual profits for the year of assessment. Since profits for a year are not determined until after the end of the year, the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department levies provisional tax until the end of the year. The provisional tax paid can be used to pay the profits tax payable for that year in the next year when the profits for the relevant year are assessed.

 

Q7.  Under what circumstances can a Hong Kong company be exempted from paying profits tax?

A7.  If the Hong Kong company's income is not derived from Hong Kong and the company has not established an office in Hong Kong  nor recruited Hong Kong employees, the profits earned may be exempted from profits tax.  Tax exemption for a Hong Kong company is not automatic.   The Hong Kong company has to apply to the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department with evidence in order for the Kong Inland Revenue Department to consider tax exemption of offshore income.  It is at the Hong Kong company’s responsibility to provide proof of sufficient evidence to apply for offshore claim.  It is also at the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department's  discretion to grant approval of offshore income tax exemption upon review of available information from the company.

 

Q8.  My Hong Kong company only opens an account in the bank, and collects and pays to the Chinese companies. Does the Hong Kong company need to do accounting, audit and tax reporting?

A8.  Yes, as the Hong Kong company is established for commercial purpose, even if Hong Kong only plays the role of collection and payment, the Hong Kong company still needs to do accounting and auditing to reflect the actual income.

 

Q9.  The Hong Kong company only opens accounts in foreign-funded banks in China or in non-Hong Kong countries. There is no bank accounts in Hong Kong.  In this way, is the business conducted by the Hong Kong company not required to file tax return in Hong Kong?

A9.   Hong Kong law stipulates that all Hong Kong companies are obliged to report their financial status to the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department, regardless  whether their businesses take place in Hong Kong or not.   If the Hong Kong company's income is not derived from Hong Kong, it can apply to the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department for tax exemption.


Q10.  Do foreigners or mainland Chinese nationals need to pay salaries taxin Hong Kong when they get salaries from employment in Hong Kong?

A10.  Salaries tax is payable on the salaries earned by non-HK residents while working in Hong Kong; however, Hong Kong salaries tax can be exempted if the following three conditions are met:
i.   The continuous or cumulative stay in Hong Kong does not exceed 183 days in a tax period ;
ii.  The remuneration is not paid by the Hong Kong employer
iii. The remuneration is not borne by the overseas company registered in Hong Kong.

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