What Does It Take to Re-Domicile a Company to Hong Kong?
Since 23 May 2025, foreign companies have been able to transfer their registration to Hong Kong without liquidating assets, abandoning contracts or rebuilding corporate history. The regime preserves business continuity while granting a Hong Kong identity.
In this infographic, we outline the eight eligibility checks for a successful cross-border transfer. We cover origin-jurisdiction compatibility through local compliance readiness. Approval is not automatic: the Registrar screens every application against strict statutory criteria, and a single gap can end the transfer. Businesses planning to re-domicile company to Hong Kong should therefore test eligibility before committing to the application and post-registration deregistration process. We help clients run this assessment as a structured pre-application review.
Does the Origin Jurisdiction Permit Re-Domiciliation?
Hong Kong's inward re-domiciliation regime took effect on 23 May 2025. Applicants must show that the law of their place of incorporation permits outward re-domiciliation and that they have met its requirements. A business incorporated in a territory that blocks outgoing migration cannot qualify, whatever its financial strength. Confirming home-jurisdiction compatibility first avoids wasted fees and months of delay, which is why every re-domiciliation eligibility Hong Kong review starts here.
Does the Corporate Form Have a Hong Kong Equivalent?
4 Hong Kong company types are eligible for re-domiciliation. They are private or public companies limited by shares, plus private or public unlimited companies with a share capital. The foreign entity must correspond to one of those forms under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622); structures with no equivalent, such as certain partnerships, are excluded. Its name must also satisfy local naming rules. A Hong Kong company name search can indicate whether a matching registered name exists. Registrability can be confirmed only after the Companies Registry processes the application.
75 percent of votes is the benchmark for member approval. Where neither the law of the place of incorporation nor the constitutional documents require member consent, re-domiciliation requires a members’ resolution passed by at least that threshold. The approving resolution must follow both the company's constitutional documents and the law of its origin jurisdiction, some of which demand higher thresholds. A certified copy of the members’ resolution forms part of the application only where neither the home law nor the constitutional documents require member consent. The Registrar may refuse the transfer outright for any defect in the members' approval.
Director Solvency Test Satisfaction
After a full inquiry, the board must form the opinion that the company can pay debts falling due in the 12 months beginning on the application date. Every director must sign the board certificate. This is the central eligibility test in the new regime. A statement known to be false exposes the signatory to personal liability and criminal sanctions, so boards should verify their figures before signing.
Hong Kong Re-Domiciliation Eligibility at a Glance
| Eligibility check | Key requirement | Figure or deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Origin jurisdiction | Home law must permit outward re-domiciliation | Required |
| Corporate form | Must align with an eligible Hong Kong company type | 4 company types |
| Member consent | Follow origin-jurisdiction law and constitutional documents | 75% benchmark |
| Solvency | Company must be able to pay debts as they fall due | 12 months |
| Financial statements | Provide accounts at the latest practicable date | Within 12 months |
| Annual return | File after re-domiciliation | 42 days |
Valid Good Standing Status
No pending winding-up or liquidation proceedings, winding-up or liquidation order or resolution, receiver, liquidator or insolvency arrangement is permitted. The company must then deregister in its place of incorporation after re-domiciliation. Good standing means statutory filings are current in the origin registry, with no strike-off action pending. Evidence normally takes the form of a certificate of good standing or equivalent registry confirmation. The Companies Registry verifies the company's status before approving any transfer of registration.
Protection of Creditor Rights
The board certificate must be issued within 35 days before the application date. It must confirm that notice of the proposal has been served on all creditors. The transfer must not be intended to defraud creditors. The regime requires that the migration be made in good faith. Existing contractual liabilities and creditor rights survive the move. Because directors' solvency statements underpin this safeguard, any restructuring designed to escape lawful claims will fail the eligibility test. The Registrar may refuse the application.
Audited Financial Statements Compliance
Applicants must lodge one complete set of financial statements as at the latest practicable date before applying. There is no fixed 12-month maximum age of accounts at application. Audited accounts are required where the origin jurisdiction mandates an audit; otherwise certified management accounts may suffice. After arrival, Hong Kong's small-company reporting exemption can ease the ongoing compliance load. The thresholds are HK$100 million revenue, HK$100 million total assets and 100 employees. A company must meet two of the three thresholds.
Hong Kong Local Compliance Readiness
Two local anchors are mandatory from day one: a Hong Kong registered office and a company secretary. The secretary must be a natural person ordinarily resident in Hong Kong, or a body corporate with a place of business there. Annual returns fall due within 42 days of each anniversary, and business registration with the Inland Revenue Department must follow. To re-domicile company to Hong Kong smoothly, arrange these through our contact us page before filing.
Ready to Transfer Your Company to Hong Kong?
3E Accounting Hong Kong assesses eligibility, prepares solvency documentation and manages the Companies Registry application end to end — supported by our network across more than 110 countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
The inward re-domiciliation regime, introduced by the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, opened for applications on 23 May 2025 and remains in force in 2026.
Only companies whose law allows outward transfer and whose form corresponds to one of four eligible Hong Kong company types: private or public companies limited by shares, or private or public unlimited companies with a share capital.
Yes. Members must approve the transfer by resolution under the company's constitution and origin-jurisdiction law, benchmarked against Hong Kong's 75 percent special-resolution standard.
Every director must sign a solvency statement certifying the company can pay its debts as they fall due for the 12 months beginning on the application date.
A Hong Kong registered office, a locally resident company secretary, business registration with the Inland Revenue Department, and annual returns filed within 42 days of each anniversary.
Abigail Yu
Director
Abigail Yu oversees executive leadership at 3E Accounting Group, leading operations, IT solutions, public relations, and digital marketing to drive business success. She holds an honors degree in Communication and New Media from the National University of Singapore and is highly skilled in crisis management, financial communication, and corporate communications.
