Want to withdraw MPF (pension fund) in Hong Kong

[Jaystuddaz 0]

Hello,

I have already received a letter for my visa interview on Sep 22, 2014 at the US consulate in Hong Kong. I plan to apply for an early withdrawal of all my MPF as soon as possible (as they say it usually takes time to process till I receive the payment by cheque). Once my visa gets approved, I don't have to waste time waiting for my MPF payment. Then I can just go and be reunited with my husband again (FINALLY! ).

According to the law on early withdrawal of MPF, one of the specific circumstances where accrued benefits may be withdrawn before you reach age 65 (besides early retirement, disability, or death) is permanent departure from Hong Kong. It states there:

"You must declare that you have departed or are about to depart from Hong Kong permanently on a specified date, 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."

My question is, since I do not have the exact date yet on when I will be departing from HK to USA (most prob by end of Oct 2014), do I have to wait for my visa and plane ticket to list the departure date, or can I just go ahead and submit the application and just write there an estimated date?

Does anyone else have prior experience with MPF? I know I have 3 months to depart HK once the visa gets approved. It would be a shame for them to overlap.

Thank you in advance!

[Ryan H 3,829]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to China regional forum. Topic is about the Hong Kong pension fund and not the US Spousal Visa process.

[Darnell 8,479]

for an IR-1 visa - the validity of visa duration (how much time you have to leave and enter USA) is 6 months from the date of medical exam.

So is possible you have longer than the 3 months you've mentioned, to leave HKG.

However, the trustee wants a hard date - You can't get one of these from the IV Unit there, sorry.

The only hard date you will have is on the air ticket.

However, even with all of that said, you might get some good result by talking in person with a supervisor at the trustee's office. It's worth a shot, but nothing is guaranteed. Let them know you are immigrating out, to the USA, and talk a bit about what's what, what's do-able , what they will waive and what they won't waive.

I have no direct experience about this - but hopefully the trustee will give you some slack.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Darnell

[relativeways 27]

Hello,

I have already received a letter for my visa interview on Sep 22, 2014 at the US consulate in Hong Kong. I plan to apply for an early withdrawal of all my MPF as soon as possible (as they say it usually takes time to process till I receive the payment by cheque). Once my visa gets approved, I don't have to waste time waiting for my MPF payment. Then I can just go and be reunited with my husband again (FINALLY! ).

According to the law on early withdrawal of MPF, one of the specific circumstances where accrued benefits may be withdrawn before you reach age 65 (besides early retirement, disability, or death) is permanent departure from Hong Kong. It states there:

"You must declare that you have departed or are about to depart from Hong Kong permanently on a specified date, 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."

My question is, since I do not have the exact date yet on when I will be departing from HK to USA (most prob by end of Oct 2014), do I have to wait for my visa and plane ticket to list the departure date, or can I just go ahead and submit the application and just write there an estimated date?

Does anyone else have prior experience with MPF? I know I have 3 months to depart HK once the visa gets approved. It would be a shame for them to overlap.

Thank you in advance!

Hey! I did this, so you can ask me all about this

Firstly, are you still employed? You cannot declare until you have finished working for your current employer. The info I am about to give you kind of assumes you are employed...

Secondly, you need to bring your taxes to wanchai to the immigration tower to "clear" all your taxes. The last tax year ended around April, so if you are currently working, you need to pay the taxes owed to the government from May - whenever you are working till. If you're not working, you still need to go with whatever tax forms to declare that you are leaving the country and clear all your taxes.

Then, you need to go to one of the branches of the Commissioner of Oaths in HK to declare that you are leaving HK. You need this sheet of paper to prove to MPF trustee that you are leaving.

You will have to hand in proof to your MPF trustee - Your green card or whatever visa that states that you are allowed to reside in the US.

Hope this helps. But the first question of whether you are still employed is important because you can't go through all these steps until you leave your company!