Hengqin’s Integrated Service Center launched a new “one-window” convenience service on 30 July 2018 allowing those buying and selling real estate to register and pay their taxes in one simple transaction.

According to Liu Chenguang, director of the Municipal Real Estate Registration Center, the “one window acceptance” for real estate registration aims to make life easier for all associated parties.

“We unified two function departments into one window so people can just come to this window to submit their documents,” he said. “Even the documents are streamlined – applicants only need to submit one set.

“Also, the identity of the applicants only needs to be done once and in addition, the applicant will receive their real property ownership certificate and registration certificate by courier. They will only need to come once.”

Hengqin’s real estate market has attracted a large number of buyers in recent years thanks to its superior geographical location and huge investment prospects. According to the Hengqin Government, in the first half of this year there were more than 2,000 individual real estate transactions in Hengqin New Area, of which more than 50% of buyers were from Hong Kong and Macau.

As most of the new buildings in Hengqin Port Service Area and the Financial Island will soon be ready for release, it is expected that a new wave of tax payments is on its way.

According to official estimates, after the implementation of “one window” acceptance, the processing time for tax-related real estate registration will be shortened by more than 50% and collation of business data streamlined by more than 40%.

At present, the service covers the payment of taxes and property rights registration of various types of housing transactions handled by individuals – primarily by non-local residents who go to Hengqin for real estate transactions including those from Hong Kong and Macau.