Register an Offshore Company in Hong Kong

6 min read|Last Updated: October 8, 2024|
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If you are interested in incorporating an offshore company in Hong Kong, Paul Hype Page can help. We can assist you with the entire registration process including other additional services irrespective of your country of residence. Let’s discuss some concepts of offshore companies in this article.

What is an offshore company?

It is a lawful business that is often framed outside the locale where the parent company is incorporated, and it conducts its business activities outside the country of its incorporation. Some of the features of an offshore company include:

  • It can be incorporated if it has one director and an investor
  • Its incorporation is quick
  • It holds legal, financial, and taxation benefits.

Features of an offshore company

  • Exempt from Taxes: One of the benefits of forming an offshore company is that it is exempted from taxes. This is because incomeearned outside Hong Kong are not taxed unless proven otherwise.
  • The activities of the company happen outside of Hong Kong: Offshore companies must take into consideration that any form of business in Hong Kong with local companies will result in taxation which defeats the purpose of having an offshore company. You need to keep this in mind in case that you come across a business opportunity locally after you incorporate your offshore company in Hong Kong.
  • Degree of Anonymity: The basic company information that includes the shareholders, directors, secretary and company address needs to be filed with the Company Registry of Hong Kong. If an offshore company wishes to keep its company information confidential then they can opt to choose the nominees as the company’s shareholders and directors since the nominees’ information are often made public.
  • Limited Liability: Another reason why investors choose to incorporate an offshore company is that companies can have limited liability protection up to their share capital contributions.Finally, the incorporation process of an offshore company in Hong Kong takes between 4 to 7 days, and can be incorporated online.

Why do I need to set up a Hong Kong offshore company?

A Hong Kong offshore company is often used by investors to legally minimize international taxation since they do not pay corporate income tax, especially on the foreign-sourced income. The other benefit of incorporating an offshore company in Hong Kong include exclusion from capital gains tax and withholding tax on the earnings remitted overseas.

Hong Kong has signed more than thirty-six double tax avoidance treaties that make its offshore companies a great holding vehicle. These make Hong Kong one of the most preferred states to do business. If you are not aware of Hong Kong’s taxation system, then you need not worry since we have a qualified accountant who will help you with all your taxation obligations to ensure that you minimize your taxation expenses as well as remit them in time.

Hong Kong equally offers a gateway to penetrate the Chinese market. Its proximity to China has numerous benefits that include the possibility to enter Chinese which is beneficial since China has a relatively larger population and thus an increased number of potential customers.

What do you need to know when registering an offshore company in Hong Kong?

Some of the basic considerations that you need to take into consideration include;

Unlike many other low tax jurisdictions, Hong Kong is not considered as one of the tax haven countries by foreign governments and banks. The government of Hong Kong expects that all locally registered companies disclose the identities of their directors and shareholders during the registration process. All Hong Kong-registered companies are expected to submit their audited financial statements to the relevant authorities. Hong Kong does not exempt any company from auditing even if they are small businesses.

You should also note that the local Hong Kong banks will expect that those opening a corporate bank account in Hong Kong to travel and physically be present in Hong Kong.

Best type of offshore companies to form in Hong Kong

Formation of a new offshore company

Incorporating a new offshore company in Hong Kong gives the flexibility to begin a business with a particular name. Widely preferred type of business of this form is a Private Limited Liability Company (LLC).

Essentials to incorporating an offshore company in Hong Kong?

Anyone who intends to incorporate an offshore company should know these few simple facts that serve as a guide to incorporating an offshore company;

Company name

The Hong Kong Companies Registry needs to approve the suggested name of your company before initiating the incorporation process.

Directors

An offshore company need to have:

  • A minimum of one director with an unlimited maximum number of directors.
  • Directors can either be a Hong Kong natural person or even a company.
  • Directors can either be residents or non-residents of Hong Kong.
  • Offshore company directors can be from any country.
  • Nominee directors are permitted.

Shareholders

  • The number of shareholders ranges from 1 to 50.
  • Shareholders can either be persons of majority age or companies
  • They can either be Hong Kong residents or non-Hong Kong residents.
  • Shareholders can be persons of any nationality.
  • 100% local or foreign shareholding is allowed.
  • A sole director can act as a shareholder.

Company Secretary

All Hong Kong Companies are mandated by law to appoint a company secretary. A company secretary can either be a local individual or a corporate resident. There is no professional qualification that is required. A company with a sole director or shareholder cannot double as a company secretary.

Share Capital

Any amount of share capital needs to be injected into the company’s bank account.

A simple guide to the incorporation process

  1. Conduct a name search. It is the initial step before submitting the companies’ registration documents.
  2. Submit incorporation documents that include the application form, the company’s Memorandum and Articles of association, and statutory declaration form.
  3. Apply for the business registration certificate. The business Registration Ordinance requires that an incorporated company should apply for a business registration certificate from the Business Registration office.

Purchasing a Hong Kong Shelf Company

If you are not much interested in a name of a company and you do not have the time to wait for the incorporation process, then purchasing one becomes a better alternative. A Hong Kong shelf company is one that is already incorporated and placed for sale at a later date. Generally, such companies are only incorporated in prior but do not have any assets, liabilities, and or indulge in any activity or business before thus making them safe for doing business. Once you have purchased an offshore company in Hong Kong, you are free to alter its operations that include such things as its directors, shareholders, change its name, appoint a new Company Secretary, or even increase its share capital.

In conclusion, there are numerous benefits to owning an offshore company as this article discusses. However, what is even more essential is how to become an owner of one. Paul Hype Page is a consultation company that has experienced and qualified staff to help you incorporate a business of your choice.

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FAQs

What are the administrative requirements for an offshore company in Hong Kong?2021-06-10T13:20:45+08:00

Once you incorporate an offshore company in Hong Kong, you will have to conduct the following activities:

  • Hold annual general meetings
  • Annually audit the company accounts
Do Hong Kong offshore companies pay taxes?2023-08-08T02:57:30+08:00

Hong Kong offshore companies are exempted from paying taxes. This is because its activities are expected to generate income outside Hong Kong and thus not subjected to taxation as with other corporates that operate within Hong Kong.

What is the complete guide to offshore a company in Hong Kong?2021-04-07T03:02:24+08:00

Select the companies name and do a name search, submit the required fees, business plan, and all the necessary documents for the offshore company set up.

How can I start an offshore company in Hong Kong?2021-04-07T02:54:27+08:00

You will need the following documents when setting up a Hong Kong offshore company; personal bank account statement, incorporation application form, identity card for Hong Kong resident shareholders or directors.

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