Offences by Officers of Companies Penalty for Falsification of Books Frauds by Officers of Companies Liability where Proper Accounts Responsibility of Directors Power of Court to Assess Prosecution of Delinquent Officers Disqualification for Appointment Corrupt Inducement Enforcement of Duty of Liquidator Notification on Company Liquidation Exemption of Certain Documents Books of Company to be Evidence Disposal of Books and Papers Pending Liquidations Unclaimed Assets to be Paid Resolutions Passed at Meetings Meetings to Ascertain Wishes Affidavits, &c. Power of Court to Declare Dissolution Repealed 30 of 1999 s. 18 Government Disclaimer of Property Effect of Government Disclaimer Repealed 30 of 1999 s. 21 Striking Defunct Company Power of Court to Order Company Application for Deregistration Reinstatement Registrar to Act as Representative Property and Books etc. Effect on Section 292 Companies Liquidation Account Investment of Surplus Funds Accounts of Particular Estates General Rules and Fees Disqualification for Appointment Disqualification of Undischarged Power to Appoint Official Receiver Receivers Appointed out of Court Notification Power of Court to Fix Remuneration Provisions as to Information Special Provisions as to Statement Delivery to Registrar of Accounts Enforcement of Duty of Receiver Construction of References Registration Offices Protection of Registrar etc. Fees Inspection, Production and Evidence Authentication of Documents Enforcement of Duties: Ordinance Application to Companies Formed Application to Companies Registered Companies re-Registered Companies Capable Definition of Joint Stock Company Registration: Joint Stock Companies Other than Joint Stock Companies Authentication of Statements Registrar May Require Evidence Exemption of Certain Companies Addition of "Limited" etc., to Name Certificate of Registration Vesting of Property on Registration Saving for Existing Liabilities Continuation of Existing Actions Effect of Registration Power to Substitute Memorandum Power of Court to Stay Actions on Winding-up Order Meaning of Unregistered Companies Winding up of Unregistered Oversea Companies May be Contributories in Winding up Power to Restrain Proceeding Actions Stayed on Winding-up Provisions of Part X Cumulative Saving for Enactments Application of Part XI Documents, etc. to be Delivered Continuing Obligation in Respect Termination of Registration Registrar to Keep an Index Return to be Delivered to Registrar Accounts of Oversea Company Obligation to State Name Notice of Commencement Regulation of Use of Corporate Service of Documents on Oversea Notice to be Given Removal etc. of Name Penalties Interpretation of Part XI Dating of Prospectus and Particulars Exemption of Certain Persons Provisions as to Expert's Consent Registration of Prospectus Amendment of Prospectus Prospectus May Consist Submission of Certified Copies Penalty for Contravention Civil Liability for Misstatements Criminal Liability for Misstatements Interpretation of Provisions Dormant Companies Prohibition of Partnerships Documents Delivered to Registrar Power of Registrar to Accept Power of Registrar to Refuse Registrar not Responsible for Disposal of Documents Form of Registers etc. Power of Registrar to Keep Records Penalty for False Statements Penalty for Dishonest Destruction Penalty for Improper Use of "Limited" Obligation to Give Notice Injunctions Provision for Punishment Limitation on Commencement Production and Inspection of Books Application of Fines Saving as to Private Prosecutors Saving for Privileged Communications Service of Documents on Company Costs in Actions Power of Court to Grant Relief Power to Enforce Orders Power to Make Regulations Power to Amend Requirements Repealed 30 of 1999 s. 34 Power to Refuse Registration Power to Order Company Certain Sections not to Apply Vesting and Disposal of Property Provisions Applicable to Winding up Certain Sections to Apply Calls on Contributories Continuation of Legal Proceedings Obstruction of Official Receiver Control of Official Receiver Audit of Official Receiver's Accounts Protection of Official Receiver Companies to Which Part XI Applies Saving Saving II Saving III Savings and Transitional Transitional Application of the Amending

Chapter: 32  COMPANIES ORDINANCE

Section Num: 333  Version Date 08/09/2004

Documents, etc. to be delivered to Registrar by companies which establish a place of business in Hong Kong

(1) Any oversea company which, on or after the commencement* of the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 1984 (6 of 1984), establishes a place of business in Hong Kong shall, within 1 month of the establishment of the place of business, deliver to the Registrar for registration-

(a) a certified copy of the charter, statutes or memorandum and articles of the company or other instrument constituting or defining the constitution of the company, or, if the instrument is not written in the English or Chinese language, a certified translation thereof in English or Chinese;  (Amended 83 of 1995 s. 17; 46 of 2000 s. 34)

(b) a list in English or Chinese in the specified form of the directors and secretary of the company containing the particulars mentioned in subsection (2);  (Amended 83 of 1995 s. 17; 3 of 1997 s. 49)

(c) a list in English or Chinese in the specified form of the names and addresses of some one or more persons resident in Hong Kong authorized to accept on behalf of the company service of process and any notices required to be served on the company, and also-  (Amended 83 of 1995 s. 17; 3 of 1997 s. 49)

(i) the address of the principal place of business of the company in Hong Kong; and

(ii) the respective addresses of the principal place of business,

if any, and the registered office (or its equivalent) of the company in the place of its incorporation;

(d) (Repealed 46 of 2000 s. 34)

(e) subject to subsection (1A), a certified copy of the company's certificate of incorporation, together with a certified translation thereof in English or Chinese if the certificate is in a language other than English or Chinese; and  (Amended 79 of 1988 s. 11; 83 of 1995 s. 17)

(f) except in the case of a company referred to in section 336(6), a certified copy of the latest accounts of the company in the form required by the law of the place of its incorporation, or, if no such requirement is in force under the law of that place, in the form in which the accounts of the company are submitted to the members of the company,

or a certified translation thereof in English or Chinese if the accounts are in a language other than English or Chinese:  (Amended 83 of 1995 s. 17; 46 of 2000 s. 34)

Provided that-

(i) a body corporate or a firm other than a solicitor corporation,

a corporate practice within the meaning of section 2 of the Professional Accountants Ordinance (Cap 50) or a firm of solicitors or certified public accountants (practising) shall not be authorized to accept on behalf of any oversea company service of process or any notices required to be served on the company;  (Amended 46 of 2000 s. 34; 23 of 2004 s. 56)

(ii) in the case of a solicitor corporation, such a corporate practice or a firm of solicitors or certified public accountants (practising) so authorized, it shall be sufficient for the purpose of paragraph (c) to deliver the name of the solicitor corporation, corporate practice or firm and its business address in Hong Kong.  (Amended 46 of 2000 s. 34; 23 of 2004 s. 56)

(1A) Where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Registrar that it is not the practice under the law of the place where an oversea company purports to be incorporated to issue a certificate of incorporation, the company may, instead of delivering a copy of its certificate of incorporation as required by subsection (1)(e), within 1 month of the establishment of its place of business in Hong Kong, deliver to the Registrar for registration such other evidence of incorporation as the Registrar deems sufficient.  (Added 79 of 1988 s. 11)

(2) The list referred to in subsection (1)(b) shall contain the following particulars-

(a) with respect to each director of an oversea company not having any of its shares listed on a recognized stock market-  (Amended 5 of 2002 s. 407)

(i) in the case of an individual, his present forename and surname and any former forename or surname, any alias, his usual residential address and the number of his identity card (if any) or, in the absence of such number, the number and issuing country of any passport held by him;

(Amended 83 of 1995 s. 17)

(ii) in the case of a body corporate, its corporate name and registered or principal office;  (Replaced 75 of 1993 s. 18)

(aa) with respect to each director of an oversea company having any of its shares listed on a recognized stock market-  (Amended 5 of 2002 s. 407)

(i) his present forename and surname and any former forename or surname;  (Amended 83 of 1995 s. 17)

(ii) any alias;

(iii) his usual residential address; and

(iv) (Repealed 30 of 1999 s. 28)

(v) the number of his identity card (if any) or, in the absence of such number, the number and issuing country of any passport held by him;

(vi) (Repealed 30 of 1999 s. 28)

(b) with respect to the secretary or, where there are joint secretaries, with respect to each of them-

(i) in the case of an individual, his present forename and surname and any former forename or surname, any alias, his usual residential address and the number of his identity card (if any) or, in the absence of such number, the number and issuing country of any passport held by him;

and  (Replaced 75 of 1993 s. 18. Amended 83 of 1995 s. 17)

(ii) in the case of a body corporate, its corporate name and registered or principal office:

Provided that where all the partners in a firm are joint secretaries of the company, the name and principal office of the firm may be stated instead of the particulars mentioned in paragraph (b).  (Amended 30 of 1999 s. 28)

(2A) (Repealed 30 of 1999 s. 28)

(3) The Registrar shall keep a register of oversea companies complying with this section and shall, upon registration of the documents required by subsection (1) to be delivered by an oversea company for registration, enter the name of the oversea company in the register and issue a certificate, with his signature or printed signature, certifying that such company is a company registered under this Part; and where any change is made in the corporate name of an oversea company, the Registrar shall, upon registration of a return delivered by the company under section 335(2), issue a fresh certificate containing the name of the company as so changed.  (Amended 28 of 2003 s. 104)

(4) In this section-

(a) references to solicitors are references to persons who are solicitors qualified to act as such under the Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap 159);

(b) the expression "certified public accountants (practising)" has the meaning assigned to it by the Professional Accountants Ordinance (Cap 50);  (Replaced 23 of 2004 s. 56)

(c) the expressions "forename", "residential address" and "surname" have the meanings respectively assigned thereto by section 158(10);

(ca) the expression "identity card" has the meaning assigned to it by section 158(10)(c);  (Added 75 of 1993 s. 18)

(d) references to a former forename or surname shall be construed in accordance with section 158(10)(f).

(5) Any oversea company which had, before the commencement* of the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 1984 (6 of 1984), complied with the provisions of this section in force immediately before such commencement shall be deemed to be an oversea company complying with this section, and the Registrar shall enter the name of every such company in the register of oversea companies and certify under his hand that the company is a company registered under this Part; and for the purposes of this subsection and subsection (6), any oversea company which, before the commencement of that Ordinance, delivered to the Registrar for registration the documents and other information required to be so delivered under the provisions of this section in force immediately before such commencement shall be deemed to have complied with those provisions.

(6) Subject to subsection (5), this section shall apply to an oversea company which-

(a) at the commencement* of the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 1984 (6 of 1984), has a place of business in Hong Kong established before such commencement; and

(b) had not complied with the provisions of this section in force immediately before such commencement,

as it applies to an oversea company referred to in subsection (1) with the substitution for "1 month of the establishment of the place of business" in that subsection of "3 months after the commencement of that Ordinance".

(Replaced 6 of 1984 s. 228)

[cf. 1948 c. 38 s. 407 U.K.]

Note:

* Commencement date: 31 August 1984.

Learn more at our information center

Request detailed information!