Leaving Hong Kong - withdrawing MPF - HSBC Denied

[lovehunter]

Hello Everyone,

I am leaving hong Kong on 19th March and I have applied for MPF withdrawal on 1st of Feb.

I received a letter from them informing me that my passport does not indicate that I have permission to reside in any other country permanently or for an indefinite period of time.

I have a BNO passport and I've mentioned that I will be leaving for Thailand.

Since I will apply for a work permit once in Thailand and or just continue on my Visa run every 90 days.

My question now is how do I convince HSBC to process my request? Technically it's my money and I have the right to withdraw.

I have tickets booked and paid for first few night on AirBNB, have been in talks to rent a flat or house.

What am I supposed to do now? I thought that money will be an additional help setting up a new life in Thailand as a digital nomad.

Thanks,

[hullexile]

I can see their point (and I assume it is an MPF requirement). Technically you are just a tourist in Thailand and will be returning to HK frequently.

[lovehunter]

But I will not be coming back to Hong Kong - I may go to UK after an year and apply for British Citizenship. So does this means I should forget about withdrawing and wait until 65?

[emx]

Wait until you are legally residing somewhere outside HK, not just as a tourist as Hull says above.

[drumbrake]

See Early Withdrawal of Benefits

(2) Permanent departure from Hong Kong. You must declare that you have departed or will depart from Hong Kong to reside elsewhere with no intention of returning for employment or to resettle in Hong Kong as a permanent resident, and provide proof satisfying the trustee that you are permitted to reside permanently in a place outside Hong Kong. This reason for early withdrawal can only be used once in a lifetime.

[hullexile]

But I will not be coming back to Hong Kong - I may go to UK after an year and apply for British Citizenship. So does this means I should forget about withdrawing and wait until 65?

Get the Thailand work visa first, as you said you were planning to do.

On what basis would you be applying for British Citizenship?

[lovehunter]

okay - I can get the work visa as soon as I get to Thailand

Applying for British Citizenship: Because I hold BNO and I am eligible to register as a British (if that makes sense)

https://www.gov.uk/register-british-citizen

[wtbhotia]

a friend of mine who has HKSAR passport and married to a BRIT, finally got her spousal visa for the UK approved in Jan this year, even her MPF withdrawal was rejected, they said she has to get full residency in her new country before she can withdraw. I was totally shocked as well.

[bak875]

Hello all,

To the OP You have to take the Oath (Govt Dept) that you are leaving HK. I did this when I left and was later on told that I won't be able to withdraw my MPF since I had a HK passport.

I remember showing them my Entry permit for Dubai proving that I had a new job and was in fact leaving HKG.

I got it in the end with any hassle.

[lovehunter]

I called HSBC today to explain my situation but they said I need not to submit anything since they have approved this as a "special case" (don't know what and how was this special) and they've sent all the documents to MPFA and I should wait for 7-14 days to process.

Looks all going as planned for now..