OPEN A COMPANY ACCOUNT IN HONG KONG

We have more than 30 years experience assisting clients to open bank accounts in Hong Kong and will be pleased to provide guidance on the choice of bank for your new Hong Kong company helping you to select a bank that is best aligned with your intended business activities. We can also advise you on the account opening requirements.

THE PROCESS

Please note Hong Kong’s banking regulations require all banks operating in Hong Kong to meet with any shareholder owning 10% or more of the shares of the company and all directors before opening a company account.

The account opening meeting must take place in Hong Kong and must be pre-arranged by submission of an online application. The banks will not accept “walk-in” applications. The banks will also not hold account opening meetings by video.

The following is a step by step guide of the process to open a company account in Hong Kong:

STEP ONE

We will seek details from you of the intended business activity of your new Hong Kong company and details of your business experience in order we can propose a bank best suited to your business.

STEP TWO

We will provide you with contact details for the bank and a link to the banks website for you to submit your account opening application. You cannot liaise with the bank until your new company has been incorporated as the banks require copies of your new company registration documents before they will consider your account opening application.

STEP THREE

You will need to complete the banks online account opening application which requires you to create your user profile including password and security questions, provide your personal details, provide details of your business experience, provide details of the intended business activity of your new company and upload your company registration documents.

STEP FOUR

The bank will review your online account opening application and will usually contact you within 1 week to arrange a time for the account opening meeting. The scheduling of the meeting is subject to the banks availability but it is usually possible to attend the meeting with the bank within 1 to 2 weeks of submission of your online application.

STEP FIVE

You will need to meet with ourselves at least 1 hour prior to your meeting with the bank to collect the original CPA certified true copies of the company incorporation documents you need to present to the bank.

STEP SIX

You will attend your pre-arranged account opening meeting at the bank to discuss your intended business activities and provide the bank with relevant documents to support your intended activities and your business experience. The meeting with the bank usually requires around 1 hour.

STEP SEVEN

The bank will usually require 1 to 2 weeks to process your account opening application after the completion of the meeting. If you live overseas it is not necessary for you to stay in Hong Kong during this period as any follow up questions can be dealt with by email.

STEP EIGHT

The bank will provide the new bank account details to you by email and will request you to arrange a transfer of funds to activate the account. The bank will send the internet banking device to you by courier once your funds to activate the account have been received by the bank.

It should be noted the banks in Hong Kong will usually only open accounts if your new company will be selling to or buying from companies in Asia (preferably Hong Kong or China) or holding investments in Asia. If your company will have no business activity in Asia we suggest to open a bank account with an offshore bank or with a FinTech company in Hong Kong.

It is also important to take the time to ensure you are properly prepared before submitting your account opening application to the banks as failure to provide the required information and documents can lead to delays and possible rejection of the account opening application. We take the opportunity to refer you to our general guide to the account opening requirements for details of the information and documents required.

Please note the banks can change their account opening requirements and account opening process without notice.

OPEN AN ACCOUNT – HONG KONG BANKS