With more than 30 years experience, Orangefield ICS, formerly ICS TRUST, has been assisting charities to set up operations in Hong Kong since its inception in 1980. Orangefield ICS works closely with our clients to handle all paperwork, company set up, approvals and liaisons with appropriate Companies Registry and Inland Revenue Department authorities in Hong Kong.

We will provide an integrated package of services to ensure our client is fully established in Hong Kong with:

• Company Limited by Guarantee
• Section 88 Tax Exemption Charitable Status
• Company Secretary
• Registered Office
• Bank Account

The most common ways of establishing a charitable organization in Hong Kong are through the use of:
a) A trust
b) A society established under the Societies Ordinance (Cap 151)
c) A company incorporated under the Companies Ordinance (Cap 32)

The most popular method for establishing a charity is a Company Limited by Guarantee under the Companies Ordinance of Hong Kong (Cap 32), which allows for greater transparency and legitimacy in establishing a charity in Hong Kong. The draft incorporation documents for a Hong Kong company are submitted at the same time as the application for Section 88 tax exemption status to the Inland Revenue Department for pre-approval.

Under Hong Kong law a charity must be established exclusively for charitable purposes and as such must fall into the following categories:

a) Relief of poverty;
b) Advancement of education;
c) Advancement of religion; and
d) Other purposes of a charitable nature beneficial to the community not falling under any of above categories. (For example, this may include charities with the purpose of providing care and protection to animals or for the provision of specific medical purposes such as cancer research.)

Orangefield ICS will draft for you the Constitutional documents called the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and work with you to define the objectives of the charity to comply with Hong Kong law.

On your behalf and instructions, Orangefield ICS will submit an application for section 88 charity status to pre-approve the Constitutional documents for your charity.

Once your charity is established, Orangefield ICS can assist you in setting up your operations in Hong Kong and leasing offices. Our service can encompass handling the accounting for the office and reporting to head offices as often as you wish.

We can develop a customized set of solutions to address the following:
a) Donation administration including system set up and maintenance. Handling of all donations, cheque deposits, and issuance of donation receipts, thank you letters and maintaining all donation records.
b) Set up a system to monitor charitable disbursements, as approved by the board.
c) Preparation of financial accounts including supporting ledgers and schedules, bank reconciliation and any other management financial reports.
d) Tax compliance

Orangefield ICS also handles all matters with the Inland Revenue Department.

For more information on the requirements and procedures concerning incorporating a charity in Hong Kong, please refer to the Inland Revenue Department. 

Orangefield ICS' special report, "New Charities Law in Hong Kong: How to Prepare for the Changes," discusses in detail the existing charities system, the law reform proposals and how to adequately prepare for the coming changes, please click here to read the full text.

Orangefield ICS has assisted a wide range of local and international charitable organizations and private foundations in setting up their operations in Hong Kong that improved lives and society on a local and global scale, read our success stories to find out  more.

For more information on how to set up a charity in Hong Kong, please contact Orangefield ICS .