We can assist our clients with the incorporation of Hong Kong companies and will try to fulfil any specific requirements. Clients may purchase a shelf company from us or choose a company name so that we can check whether the name is available for incorporation. The incorporation of a Hong Kong company takes approximately 5 working days. Where there is a need to commence immediate business operations, we recommend that you buy a shelf company. In order to conduct a name search and to start the process of incorporating a Hong Kong company, please request our Company Order Form.
Features of a Hong Kong company
Company Name
A Hong Kong company name must end in “Limited” and cannot be the same as or or similar to an existing company.
Certain names can be registered only with the consent of the Chief Executive, such as ‘Savings’, ‘Trust’, ‘Trustee’, etc.
Company Law
Based on Common Law. All Hong Kong companies are governed by the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong)
Capital
No minimum capital requirement but shall maintain a nominal share capital if a limited company has shares
Director
Minimum 1 individual of any nationality or corporate entity
Shareholder
Minimum 1 individual of any nationality or corporate entity (Director and Shareholder can be the same person or the same corporate entity)
Company Secretary
Minimum 1 Hong Kong resident or Hong Kong corporate entity
Registered Office
Must be a physical address in Hong Kong, not a P.O. Box address
Taxation
16.5%
Exchange Controls
No
Maintenance of a Hong Kong company
Annual Fees payable to the Government Authorities:
- Business Registration Fee to the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department
- Annual Return Filing Fee payable to the Hong Kong Companies Registry
Annual Meeting
- The company should hold an Annual General Meeting within 18 months of its incorporation and at least once every calendar year thereafter, with no more than 15 months elapsing between the date of one Annual General Meeting and the next.
Annual Audit
- A local registered independent Auditor should perform an annual audit within 18 months of incorporation and annually thereafter.
Filing with the Government Authorities
- The Annual Return must be filed within 42 days of each anniversary of the date of the Company’s incorporation.
- A Profit Tax Return with Financial Statements must be filed with the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department.
- An Employer’s Return must be filed with the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department.
| Hong Kong company | Prices (€EUR) |
| INCORPORATION FEES | |
| Formation of a Hong Kong limited company (with a share capital not exceeding HK$10,000) | 2000 |
| Price includes: | |
| - Company formation | |
| - Provision of a Registered Office and Secretary for the first year | |
| Apostilled copy of the following documents: | |
| - Certificate of incorporation | |
| - Business registration certificate | |
| - Memorandum and Articles of Association (5 copies) | |
| - Form NC1 – Incorporation form | |
| - Appointment of first directors by founder members | |
| - First board resolutions/minutes in relation to the appointment of the director and secretary, approval of the location of the registered office, adoption of common seal, etc. | |
| - Register of directors, secretaries, members | |
| - Share certificate (without apostille) | |
| - Common seal | |
| - Company stamp | |
| Business registration fee – US$320.00 | |
| ANNUAL FEES | |
| Business registration fee – US$320.00 | |
| Provision of company secretary AND registered office including preparing and filing the annual return (including the filing fee), preparing the annual general meeting documents, renewal of the business registration certificate, safe custody of the statutory corporate records | 550 |
| Provision of company secretary including preparing and filing the annual return (including the filing fee), preparing the annual general meeting documents, renewal of the business registration certificate, safe custody of the statutory corporate records | 450 |
| Provision of registered office | 300 |
| Provision of corporate director | 300 |
| Provision of individual director | 450 |
| Provision of resident individual director including the issuing of a power of attorney | 700 |
| Provision of corporate nominee shareholder | 300 |
| Provision of individual nominee shareholder | 400 |
| Provision of address for correspondence | 250 |
| OTHER SERVICES | |
| Transfer of shares (max. 2 transactions) | 500 |
| Change of directors (max. 2 transactions) | 300 |
| Change of company secretary | 300 |
| Change of registered office | 300 |
| Increase in authorized share capital | 400 |
| Change of company name | 300 |
| Mail forwarding (per annum) | 250 |
| Allotment of shares (max. 2 transactions) | 450 |
| Opening of a corporate bank account in Hong Kong, including online banking (each account) | 800 |
| Opening of a bills account in Hong Kong (each account) | 300 |
| Change of bank signatory (each banker | 300 |
| Application for dormant status | 600 |
| Application for cancelling dormant status | 600 |
| Notarisation and apostilling of additional bound set of incorporation documents | 300 |
| Certification by a notary public in Hong Kong (per document) - minimum | 140 |
| Certification by a chartered secretary in Hong Kong | 50 |
| Certificate of continued registration | 250 |
| Apostilling of general power of attorney if we provide the director service (with notarial certificate) | 400 |
| Apostilling of business registration certificate | 180 |
| Execution of documents, eg. signing prepared minutes/written resolutions (with client’s approval for execution) – price per signature | 10 |
| Execution of documents, eg. Contracts, agreements or bank documents, including reviewing and signing the documents but no verification of signature of the bank documents to be provided to the bank (with the client’s approval for execution) – minimum | 100 |
| Simple board written resolutions/minutes | 150 |
| Deregistration | 1000 |
| Courier delivery - minimum 100 |