Offshore Company Formation in Hong Kong

Offshore company formation is considered a legal way to safeguard business assets. Since in most cases, offshore jurisdictions have corporate as well as banking secrecy laws, this allows companies to keep details regarding important clients, shareholders, and directors, confidential.

An offshore company, otherwise known as non-resident company, is simply a company that does not carry out its business operations in its own country but in another country. Offshore company formation is considered a legal way to safeguard business assets. Since in most cases, offshore jurisdictions have corporate as well as banking secrecy laws, this allows companies to keep details regarding important clients, shareholders, and directors, confidential.

An offshore company also offers unlimited flow of capital as well as transfer of assets. Additionally, offshore company formation also provides such benefits as tax benefits, security, effective wealth management, personal security, enhanced profit, and tremendous savings via reduction of expenses in connection with payroll and travel expenses. In short, offshore company formation is a great way to conduct international businesses.

Offshore companies are of different types including Limited Liability Company, Limited Guarantee Company, Protected Shell Companies, International Business Company, Companies Issuing Shares, Trusts, and Partnerships. All of these are just few among the many of the different types of companies that can be set up abroad. However, the laws and regulations that govern these companies vary from country to country.

It would be even better if an offshore company is set up in jurisdictions such as Hong Kong and Singapore. Hong Kong is one of the most leading business, financial, and trading centers in the world. Regarded as the gateway to China, Hong Kong is a special administrative region of the country.

Due to its strategic location, world-class harbor, and factors such as sophisticated infrastructure, low tax rate, and attractive governmental policies, Hong Kong has now become a center for international trade. In deed, Hong Kong is regarded as an excellent jurisdiction for conducting onshore and offshore businesses. Al though Hong Kong is not considered a tax haven, it possesses a favorable tax regime, which in turn is effectively structured and managed.

According to a survey conducted by the World Bank, Hong Kong is the fourth easiest places to conduct businesses in the world. Likewise, as per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD,) Hong Kong is credited to be the second largest recipient of foreign direct investment in Asia.

In addition, setting up of a company in Hong Kong ensures safety, since it does not exchange any kind of information in relation to customer banking to other members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD.) Hence, it is obvious that formation of offshore companies in Hong Kong would be effective as well as profitable.

Company formation renders a number of benefits. One of the key benefits is that it provides you access to well-structured as well as reputable trading jurisdiction. Another great benefit is that it is considered a legitimate means of housing exempted tax revenues sourced outside the destination. Above all, procedures in connection with the incorporation of a company are quite simple as well as liberal.

In practice, Hong Kong does not have any offshore legislation. In other words, all of the companies are set up under the same legislation, no matter they perform their businesses locally or offshore. One of the features that make companies akin to offshore businesses is the tax free status of such business set ups. For instance, if a company does not conduct any businesses in the place and as a result do not acquire any profit, then it is not taxable in the jurisdiction.

An offshore company can be incorporated via two prominent ways, and they are either by registering as a new brand company or according to the laws and regulations of the Companies' Ordinance. Both the methods have their own advantages.

A myriad of business consultancy firms are now in the scenario to provide superb services in connection with the incorporation of a company. In most cases, they offer personal service and professional advice to their clients, and undertake a continuum of activities in order to ensure successful Hong Kong company formation. Many of them even render services of expert lawyers, accountants and company administrators, in order to help in effectively carrying out the procedures in connection with the incorporation of offshore company.

About the author: The Zetland Financial Group provides the offshore investor with fiduciary Services, investment management and corporate advisory services, offering personal service and professional advice with total confidentiality.