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FATCA overview

Commercial Banking – Sri Lanka

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) is a new piece of legislation by the United States Department of Treasury and the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to counter tax evasion in the US. HSBC is committed to becoming fully FATCA-compliant in all countries or territories where we operate in accordance with the legislative timeline. This means that HSBC may need to provide information on US accounts to the US Tax authority, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

In order to establish your tax status, we need to obtain certain documents. These documents are HSBC declarations and/or US tax forms that will enable you to declare and confirm your tax status to us for the purposes of FATCA. We also need your formation documents, for example certificate of incorporation or similar document confirming your place of incorporation. Required documents will be notified via a letter. Please send the completed document(s) to your respective relationship Manager before the date advised on the letter – Relationship Manager, Corporate Banking, 1st Floor, HSBC, No 24, Sir Baron Jayatileke Mawatha, Colombo 01. Should you have problems printing the form(s) you need, please contact your local Relationship Manager.

Please read the information carefully and select the document that is appropriate to your company. If you are unsure, you should seek advice from a tax adviser. HSBC cannot provide tax advice.

W-9: This is a link to the withholding certificate referred to as ‘W9’ on the IRS website. This form is completed to confirm US tax status.

W-8 This is a link to the withholding certificates referred to as ‘W8s’ on the IRS website. This is a series of forms that are completed to confirm non-US tax status.

In order to provide customers with further support when completing IRS W Forms, we have provided some additional customer guidance for W-9,  W-8BEN and W-8BEN-E.

Non-Profit Declaration and additional notes: This is an HSBC form aimed at non-profit organisations to sign in place of one of the US W8 series tax forms. Please read the form carefully to ensure you meet the relevant conditions. If you are not satisfied that you meet the relevant conditions, then please alternatively select from the available US tax forms (W-forms).

Active Non-Financial Foreign Entity Declaration and additional notes: This is an HSBC form aimed at non-US trading businesses and companies, in place of one of the US W8 series tax forms. Please read the form carefully to ensure you meet the relevant conditions. If you are not satisfied that you meet the relevant conditions, then please alternatively select from the available US tax forms (W-forms).

(Page last updated October 2022)