HK Company - Sole Director/Owner: Pay myself in dividends?

[thomasparra]

For a HK tax resident who controls a HK company. What is the stance of IRD when paying myself fully in dividends versus salary, since dividends are tax free?

 

[intlman]

For a HK tax resident who controls a HK company. What is the stance of IRD when paying myself fully in dividends versus salary, since dividends are tax free?

Do you have PR in Hong Kong?

 

[thomasparra]

Do you have PR in Hong Kong?

I have a residence visa, but no PR yet.

 

[intlman]

I have a residence visa, but no PR yet.

Paying yourself only in dividends could potentially make it harder to renew your visa, TBH.

But then again, the last time I renewed my HK investment visa the staff at immigration didn't really look at things in any real detail.

 

[thomasparra]

Paying yourself only in dividends could potentially make it harder to renew your visa, TBH.

But then again, the last time I renewed my HK investment visa the staff at immigration didn't really look at things in any real detail.

Good point. I could always pay myself a small base salary anyways, and pay the rest in dividends. The base should be taxed less than 8% anyways.

Do you have PR?

 

[daniels27]

Maybe check the time of the visa you are on. Some will give you 6 years of you have 2M+ in salary.

What visa you you on? When did you get/renew it?

Got the salary question. I know people with a Bahamas company and a Hong Kong one. The Hong Kong one makes almost no profit and if only for hiring the guy at a base salary of scout 1000 USD per month.

 

[intlman]

Do you have PR?

No, I let my visa expire.

 

[bibing]

No, I let my visa expire.

May I ask how much you invested in the company to successfully get an Investment Visa in HK?

 

[intlman]

May I ask how much you invested in the company to successfully get an Investment Visa in HK?

When I did it back in 2013, I got away with only having $500,000 HKD in the business.

Nowadays it's highly recommended that you have at least $1M HKD in the business, and about the same amount in a personal account.

 

[belarus]

That was a lot of money to throw as an investment in one's forum. Can this money be invested in one's own company as share capital?

 

[intlman]

That was a lot of money to throw as an investment in one's forum. Can this money be invested in one's own company as share capital?

You just need to show three months worth of bank statements. After you're issued the visa, you can withdraw the money.

 

[bibing]

When I did it back in 2013, I got away with only having $500,000 HKD in the business.

Nowadays it's highly recommended that you have at least $1M HKD in the business, and about the same amount in a personal account.

That's incredibly low.

HK Visa Geeza (a guy who runs consulting for this kind of Visa, I don't know if you know him) I remember telling you needed 2M HKD in the business minimum.

Too bad I didn't because I had the money back then but never applied out of fear of getting rejected.

 

[intlman]

That's incredibly low.

HK Visa Geeza (a guy who runs consulting for this kind of Visa, I don't know if you know him) I remember telling you needed 2M HKD in the business minimum.

Too bad I didn't because I had the money back then but never applied out of fear of getting rejected.

I know of Stephen Barnes (HK Visa Geeza), yes.

A close friend of mine managed to do it in 2011 with just $180,000 HKD (and that money he borrowed from friends!).

 

[JackAlabama]

I know of Stephen Barnes (HK Visa Geeza), yes.

A close friend of mine managed to do it in 2011 with just $180,000 HKD (and that money he borrowed from friends!).

looks like these days it might be possible again for these amounts.