Joys of Clearing Tax before leaving HK guide

[chuckster007]

This is a mind numbing guide on how to clear your tax so that you can get your last salary and apply for MPF withdrawal:

Part 1 (10.30am arrival to IRD)

1. Go to Inland revenue building
2. go up escalator to 1st floor and press the A button to get a number, once your number is called hand over your IR56G form and HKID card
3. You will be given a piece of paper that says tax clearance and you will be told to go back down to GF to take the lift up to 25th Floor
4. Go 25th floor and wait in line and then hand over IR56G / White slip paper / HKID card
5. The counter staff will fill in some shit while u wait and then print out the tax filing form for you to fill out
6. Go to the back and fill in tax filing form and then hand it back and wait
7. Wait 5-10 mins depending on how busy it is for tax officer to come out and show you how much you owe
8. Tax officer will ask you when you are leaving and if you need them to mail the tax payment form to you so you can pay

Now this part is because we need to pay tax to get a release letter to hand back to the company so that they can release the last months salary, WTF is the point to wait for them to mail the tax payment a few weeks later when my last day of work is in two day lol

The tax officer goes, Oh then Ill need you to come back here again today around 2.30 - 3pm so I can give you the tax bill to pay.

Please wait for Part 2 which is even more dumb as my mrs went through it last week. Her biggest mistake was she went to do the above in the afternoon so she had to come back the next day and wasted 2 days.

Even dumber is that each section/dept inside the IRD has their own LHS qr code I just scanned the one on the 1st floor (no one checks)

[mengfei]

with regards to getting the MPF & clearing IRD
my previous HK company was dissolved in 2013 & hence stop MPF payment which started in 2000( i guess) & was acquired by a company located in china that does not pay MPF.

Do i need to clear anything in HK IRD if I go home for good. Salary is still paid in HK bank.
BTW thanks for your guide.

[bdw]

I remember when I left in December 2019, I wanted to claim $60k TVC deduction that was just announced middle of 2019, I think I was the first person in HK to claim this deduction (everyone else would have been able to claim it after March 2020). They didnt have any forms to apply for this yet, so they gave me a piece of white paper and asked me to write my claim on this. I wrote "I want $60k TVC deduction please" and signed it and gave it back to them. Worked .

Apart from that, yeah I remember going to 3 or 4 places to fill out the tax forms, make the payment in the post office downstairs with a big wad of cash, back upstairs to another room with a lady in it whose job it is to just print release letters I think. She gave me one copy sealed and said dont open it, for employers eyes only and give to them, but then printed out a second copy anyway and said here's your copy. Something didnt quite add up but anyway got it sorted and everything done in around half a day.

[chuckster007]

Part Deux - 3 Pm back in IRD Building

1. Take lift up to 25th floor and hand over your HKID and you will be given an envelope that has your tax bill, the person will tell you to go pay it either 7-11 or anywhere that tax can be paid (closest is post office in same building)
2. Take lift back to GF and then escalator to 1st floor, head towards the post office
3. Scan your LHS app or you wont be allowed in, stand in line and pay with the letter that says Tax payment, once paid the payment will be printed on to the bottom of the letter
4. Take escalator to GF to find the lifts 1-18 floors
5. Take lift to 7th Floor
6. Deal with the dinosaur lady behind the counter that will ask what do you want, WTF do you think I want I wish I had said but I told her I want my release letter, hands me a number tag to sit n wait
7. Wait 5-10 mins depending on how many people are there and another rude Dinosaur lady comes out barking numbers for people to pick up their letter
8. She tells you this one is for yourself and this one to hand back to your employer (both look the same except one is sealed)
9. Take lift back to GF and get the hell out of that shit building

What a load of cluster feck shite of an operations is IRD, how hard is it to do it all in one dept/floor, Jesus Christ
Thank fook they didnt want to fax me the letter.

Hope this guide helps you prepare for what shite system you will have to deal with when you want to leave.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

[bsh]

I had a very similar and tedious experience as you.

Before I went in, I called and checked what docs I needed to bring in as proof of tax deductible claims, etc.

I got a lovely older lady dealing with my case. I made one mistake on the tax form but that was corrected 20 mins later. She then wanted to see proof of the charity tax deductible claim. Gave her that.

She then went back into the office and came out 20 mins later stating her manager wanted to see proof of something else. Am I supposed to produce it out of thin air? Why didn’t you ask me to bring it before I came in?

Then there was another “My manager wants to see evidence of...” demand but the last straw was “My manager wants to know if you are receiving rent payment on your property. You must declare rental income.” Yes, I am aware of this, would you like to come to my property to check it’s vacant?

After that, I lost it and said I wanted to speak directly to the manager. The old lady disappeared and 20 mins later, a younger tall guy came back to inform me that the manager was busy and that they would waive the demands to see proof of the other claims.

It was finally all sorted after lunch.

And that’s how they treat a fellow government employee.

[ndt]

Hope this guide helps you prepare for what shite system you will have to deal with when you want to leave.

Pretty helpful but don't you think it was #FirstWorldProlem blown out of proportion or just one of those days you woke up on wrong side of bed or even more likely Fin air tantrum!!

Usually some (lack of) common sense type minor procedural issues and computer says 'no' aside, i would rate HK IRD and IMMD service top notch even better than many developed countries.. You could easily clear your final tax bill in a day without much hassle without going through the ordeal of lengthy and complicated forms with crazy tax rules etc, come on give it them that much before you leave and be ready for taste real shite system in your destination..

[Shiojiri Hiro]

Ha- when I left the UK 10 years ago, it took them 6months to process my P85 form...and I had NOTHING complex in my situation. Just a bit of PAYE that needed to be paid back to me. :

And you did it in 1 day...i'd say that was a win!

[chuckster007]

Pretty helpful but don't you think it was #FirstWorldProlem blown out of proportion or just one of those days you woke up on wrong side of bed or even more likely Fin air tantrum!!

I think its that time of month for blokes = MANSTRATION !!!

[Pauljoecoe]

I guess I went through all the similar steps (except I didn't have to pay any tax - I got a refund!!!) but I don't remember it being particularly grueling. I remember thinking it was quite impressive doing it all in one go.
Unfortunately a week later I got an additional payment I wasn't expecting from a school I'd done a little supply work for. This resulted in going back in the day before I flew out so they could recalculate it all - even though it made no difference!!!


However in the UK 9 months in I am still trying to sort a simple issue with tax. I have sent 4 letters that have been ignored and spent 50 mins in a phone queue that achieved nothing.

[sw_star]

Part Deux - 3 Pm back in IRD Building

1. Take lift up to 25th floor and hand over your HKID and you will be given an envelope that has your tax bill, the person will tell you to go pay it either 7-11 or anywhere that tax can be paid (closest is post office in same building)
2. Take lift back to GF and then escalator to 1st floor, head towards the post office
3. Scan your LHS app or you wont be allowed in, stand in line and pay with the letter that says Tax payment, once paid the payment will be printed on to the bottom of the letter
4. Take escalator to GF to find the lifts 1-18 floors
5. Take lift to 7th Floor
6. Deal with the dinosaur lady behind the counter that will ask what do you want, WTF do you think I want I wish I had said but I told her I want my release letter, hands me a number tag to sit n wait
7. Wait 5-10 mins depending on how many people are there and another rude Dinosaur lady comes out barking numbers for people to pick up their letter
8. She tells you this one is for yourself and this one to hand back to your employer (both look the same except one is sealed)
9. Take lift back to GF and get the hell out of that shit building

What a load of cluster feck shite of an operations is IRD, how hard is it to do it all in one dept/floor, Jesus Christ
Thank fook they didnt want to fax me the letter.

Hope this guide helps you prepare for what shite system you will have to deal with when you want to leave.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

Hi Chuckster,

Thanks for the detailed post about the tax clearing process.

It seems a whole day is required because I've taken a day off, in advance, for clearing some tasks at immigration department(half-day for that) and half-day at IRD. I'm leaving HK in the first week of May.