If my company operates business totally outside of Hong Kong, must I do the accounting and auditing report?

All Hong Kong companies are required to file annual return with the Companies Registry and the Inland Revenue Department. The accounting and auditing reports are included in the annual compliance obligations, regardless where the business activities take place.

How can I get Offshore Claim (tax-exempted status) for my Hong Kong company?

You can apply for Offshore status with Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department (IRD) as soon as you file annual tax return for the first time. The process might take several months as IRD will raise questions for directors during the investigation. The Offshore Claim can be effective in 3 or 5 years; however, annual auditing is always compulsory.

Which business are required licensing in Hong Kong?

In Hong Kong, licenses or permits are required for an employment agency, event-related activities, travel agency, education, restaurant, and retail shop, if the business is operated in Hong Kong.A license is mandatory for a Hong-Kong-based company with insurance agency and financial services, regardless where you run the business.

Which taxes does my Hong Kong company have to pay?

As Capital gains, Dividends, Interest incomes, VAT and Withholdings are tax-exempted in Hong Kong, a Hong Kong company needs to pay only corporate profits tax to the government.Corporate profits tax rate in Hong Kong is 8.25% for the first 2 million HKD of assessable incomes and 16.5% for the remainder.

Do we have to present in Hong Kong to incorporate?

The company formation in Hong Kong can be done remotely with a professional service provider like BBCIncorp. You can have the digital corporate documents after a single day of registration.

Hong Kong Company Formation with Bank Account

Benefit

Offshore Company Registration in Hong Kong

Offering complete ownership to foreigners

Profit tax rate ranges from low 8.25% - 16.5%

Foreign sourced income is exempted from corporate income tax

No sales tax, import, capital gain tax or tax on dividends and interest

No withholding tax on dividend distributions and interest payments made out to a resident or non-resident

Straightforward gateway to Mainland China and Asian markets

The world’s third easiest country to do business with in 2020 by World Bank

Hong Kong Limited Company Features

At least one director/one shareholder

Local registered address

Local company secretary

Bearer shares are not allowed

No requirement for paid-up capital

Company Registration For Any Industry

Hong Kong has plenty to offer in terms of business opportunities. Let's take a look at what some of the prominent prospects you can look forward to below:

E-commerce

Hong Kong maintains a great logistic infrastructure and a scalable digital payment foundation that's open to change. With a total market value of $3.7billion, it's more than just promising to capitalize on this lucrative industry.

Hong Kong E-commerce Guide

Healthcare

Healthcare is booming in Hong Kong. According to Food and Health Bureau, the total public and private health expenditure in Hong Kong alone controls 6.8% of the country's GDP.

Cosmetics & Personal Care

Beauty products have been seeing consistent growth in demand in Hong Kong. In 2019, imports of cosmetic and personal care items amounted to over HK$47billion in 2019, an attractive incentive for those that want to enter the beauty business.

Retail

Shopping is one of the most common phenomena for the large population of Hong Kong. Within the maze-like structure of Hong Kong's urban jungle are over 63,000 sprawling shopping malls and retail establishments of all sizes.

Technology

When it comes to being a central hub for IT and technology development, Hong Kong is a name that can now rival even Guangdong and Shenzen. Together, these major tech regions form the world's second largest technology cluster according to Global Innovation Index 2020.

Travel & Hospitality

Tourism is one of the main economic pillars that keeps the lifeblood of this bustling state running. In 2018, around 4.5% of the country's GDP was from this industry alone, and along with it are around 257,000 employed professionals.

Finances

A solid banking landscape, deep capital market and asset management are what define Hong Kong's place as a premium spot for investors worldwide. This is further supported by its robust ranking amongst the top international financial centres on GFCI.

Education

Considered an academic mecca of the Asia region, Hong Kong has been an industry-leading figure in education since the turn of the century. Parents spend on average +$130,000 on their kids' educational well-being which includes schooling, transportation and accommodation.

Trading

Hong Kong develops a conductive trading environment that encourage freedom of trade and growth opportunities for businesses. With total merchandise trade value of HK$830,163 million, its trading industry is one of the most active in the world.

Hong Kong Trading Guide

Trading

Hong Kong Trading Guide

E-commerce

Hong Kong E-commerce Guide

Healthcare

Healthcare is booming in Hong Kong. According to Food and Health Bureau, the total public and private health expenditure in Hong Kong alone controls 6.8% of the country's GDP.

Cosmetics & Personal Care

Retail

Technology

Travel & Hospitality

Finances

Education

Trading

Hong Kong Trading Guide

E-commerce

Hong Kong E-commerce Guide

How to register your company in Hong Kong

steps to register a company in Hong Kong

Step 1: Select company name and types

Note that there are some naming guidelines that you have to follow according to statutory law. Each name must have an ending word that represents its business nature.

In the case of a private limited company, the word "Limited" must be the last word to appear in the name. For an English-named company in Hong Kong, the abbreviation "Ltd" is not allowed and it must use "Limited" in full.

Got a name for your business? Run it through our Name Check Tool to see if it is an eligible one.

Step 2:Submit application

You need necessary information on key personnel ( e.g. directors & shareholders) to include them along with your chosen name to the Companies Registrar (CR).

Step 3:Apply for a business license

You can operate most business activities freely in Hong Kong without any constraint, but some do require the extra step of acquiring a business license first.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of businesses that require license/permit:

An employment agency
A travel agency
A restaurant
An education business
Financial & Insurance services

Step 4:Open a bank account

The next step is to open a bank account. Local banks like DBS, Hang Seng, and OCBC are some of the most prestigious places to open a business account at.

More tech-based alternatives also exist in form of neobanks like Neat to make the process even faster.

Step 5:Check your annual compliance

As Hong Kong is a highly prolific jurisdiction for international businesses, the legal ceiling is relatively higher compared to most other places. This is why commercial entities here generally have to abide by a higher degree of corporate compliance when doing annual return filing, maintaining their registered office and records-keeping.

Hong Kong Company Formation Packages

Private Limited Company (LTD)

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We make opening the business bank account simple

Opening an account with traditional banks is a good starting point if you want to grow your business. But if you’re a startup and your banking needs don’t include premium offerings from high-end providers. A Fintech-based account is a simpler option.

A Neat account covers all your business financial needs

Multi-currency business account

Fast transfers with competitive fees

Incorporate with us and receive HKD$500 credited to your Neat account!

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Airwallex offers a streamlined solution for your business finances.

Instarem simplifies business payment globally

Fast multi-currency payments and competitive fees

Same-day transfer and real-time notification

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set up company in Hong Kong with a bank account

We simplify your company incorporation

Our streamlined process is broken down into 4 simple steps, purposely designed to expand your confidence as you go.

Create your orders

Enter our online order platform for an easy onboarding experience and tailor your orders. We have different packages of Hong Kong offshore company formation and additional services that suit your goals. During this process, we also provide free consulting to help you set up the right company structure per your need.

Make payment

You can settle payment for services via flexible payment options including debit/credit card of Visa, Master, Amex or Bank Transfer. After you complete payments, we will provide you a with checklist of required information for Hong Kong company registration.

Collect and verify KYC documents

Once we've received your payment, our customer service will contact you to process the necessary paperwork. We'll guide you to properly prepare documents for incorporation in Hong Kong via KYC online form. You can also access our digital Client Portal to proceed with the incorporation steps and keep track of the process anytime, anywhere.

Finish the company registration

The electronic documents are ready after 2 working days of company formation, and it takes 3-7 days to courier the original kit.

Here's what your company looks like in terms of costs

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What documents to prepare

Passport of all shareholders/directors
Address proof of all shareholders/ directors i.e. identity card, bank statement, driving license, utility bill
10-second selfie video of each member holding his/her passport, and speaking their name, passport number, and the service you need

Incorporation checklist download

Not sure about how to start a business? Crush your uncertainty and gain an extra edge with our Hong Kong Incorporation Checklist.

Company launching requirements
Steps and application procedure
Checklist of business licenses
Post-registration keynotes

Accounting solution for HK Start-ups and SMEs

Economic package with Multi-tier pricing

Xero cloud accounting

Efficient communication

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Need more help to set up a business in Hong Kong?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Incorporation

Corporate structure/capital

Taxation

Post-incorporation

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Company Incorporation

Open Bank Account

Accounting, Auditing & Tax Filing

Company Secretary

Merchant Account Consulting

Company formation
in Hong Kong

Offshore Company Registration in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Limited Company Features

Company Registration For Any Industry