PRESS RELEASE

New centre provides one-stop service for company incorporation and business registration (with photo)

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A new Receipt and Despatch Centre, operated by the Business Registration Office of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), was jointly opened by the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Mrs Alice Lau, and the Registrar of Companies, Ms Ada Chung, today (December 1) to provide one-stop service for company incorporation and business registration.

The new centre, located on the 13th Floor of Queensway Government Offices at 66 Queensway, operates from 9am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. Application for business registration by a company will become much more convenient with the proximity of the centre to the Companies Registry (CR).

"With the opening of the new centre, a company can immediately submit an application for business registration after obtaining a Certificate of Incorporation from the CR," a Government spokesman said.

"The company may collect its Business Registration Certificate at the centre the next working day or opt to receive it by post. Notifications of changes of business registration particulars can also be filed with the centre," the spokesman said.

"The CR and the IRD have been exploring ways to streamline company incorporation and business registration procedures to enhance customer services. The opening of the centre is one of the initiatives," the spokesman said.

Plans are in the pipeline to introduce a new e-filing service for company incorporation and document registration by the end of 2010. The CR has invited tenders to implement Phase II of the Integrated Companies Registry Information System for the provision of the above new e-services and integration with the IRD’s business registration system.

Details of the new Receipt and Despatch Centre are available on the websites of the IRD (www.ird.gov.hk) and CR (www.cr.gov.hk).

Ends/Monday, December 1, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:26

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