Circular to all Licensed and Registered Persons relating to Licensing Forms

Circular to all Licensed and Registered Persons relating to Licensing Forms

This circular is issued to inform all licensed and registered persons of the launch of new licensing forms and the major changes made therein.

On 3 August 2012, the Commission specified 26 licensing forms¹ under section 402 of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) and published the same in the Gazette (G.N. 5186) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. With effect from 3 August 2012, the new licensing forms superseded all previous versions of such paper forms and shall be used for the purpose of submitting licensing applications and notifications to the Commission.

In line with the objective of revamping the Commission website², the format and content of licensing forms are improved to facilitate users’ submission. Major changes include:

• All licensing forms have adopted the same font style and layout setting for consistency purpose.
• The term “overseas company” in some forms is changed to “non-Hong Kong company” with reference to the amendments made to the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32), and in the case of a corporation having one director only, single signature is accepted.
• To increase flexibility for users, person authorized by the board of directors is allowed to sign certain forms on behalf of a body corporate.
• Additional notes are inserted and outdated references are removed in some forms to clarify the submission requirements.
• Vetting Authorization Form – Corporation is incorporated into the main body of some forms to simplify the submission process.

You may download blank forms or print out completed forms from our website at http://www.sfc.hk/web/EN/forms/intermediaries/licensing-application-and-notification-forms/. The Commission prefers and encourages the use of Online Portal (http://www.sfc.hk/web/EN/regulatory-functions/intermediaries/licensing/online-portal.html) for submission of licensing applications and notifications.

Licensing Department
Securities and Futures Commission
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¹    The 26 specified forms include Forms 1, 1A, 1(s), 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and Supplements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,  6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10(s), 11, 12, 13 and 14.
²    For the details about the revamped Commission website, please refer to the press release issued by the Commission on 15 August 2012 (http://www.sfc.hk/edistributionWeb/gateway/EN/news-and-announcements/news/doc?refNo=12PR85).