[trondmv]

Hi, I hope anybody can help me with this rather tricky situation:

I'm currently working in the UK for a UK company, with all the work being done online.

I'm hoping to move to HK in February and will be getting married there in June to my girlfriend, who is a permanent resident. I know that sorts me out for a dependent visa after the marriage, but here's the tricky bit:

As I work purely online, I can keep my current UK employment when I move to HK in February. I was going to stay on a tourist visa until the wedding and "secretly" work online, but it recently occured to me that I may run into some tax problems.

When I leave the UK I will be classed as living abroad and the UK taxman won't touch my money. I am then meant to contact the HK tax authorities to arrange payment of HK income tax - but I obviously don't want that to happen until I have something other than a tourist visa. And I fear that period of 'nothing' between February and the June wedding may land be in trouble with both HK tax and immigration people.

Is there a way my small UK employer could get me a visa allowing me to work from HK during that period? Or would I be better off not declaring myself moved out of the UK until after my marriage?

Any input would be much appreciated!

[stanleystanley]

seat back and relax. get marry by Day 1 u arrive HK. .................or work as a project base that is get pay when u get marry

[discobay]

I don't think your U.K. employer can get any kind of H.K. visa for you unless they have a registered business here.
You also will not be able to get a work visa for H.K. without a H.K. employer.
You would need to complete a form to the U.K. IRD to declare that you are leaving the country and will no longer be resident for tax purposes in order to curtail your tax liability there. Otherwise you can be tax exempt by means of the 1/6th proportion rule. If you stay no longer than 1/6th of a tax year in the U.K. then you do not need to pay income tax there.

I can't say who you would be liable to for income tax in your proposed situation.