Residence permit in Hong Kong

Before submitting a request to participate in the programme, an investor must contact the New CIES office for a preliminary verification of financial solvency. A certified public accountant must be engaged (at the investor’s own expense) to confirm that the requirements are met and both the application and net worth assessment documents must be submitted.

A maximum of 14 days may elapse between the issuance date of the certificate of compliance and the submission date of the application for net worth assessment. After verification, the office will issue a certification to the applicant and notify the Director of Immigration (DoI) of the result.

An applicant for resident status must apply for the DoI programme within the validity period of the supporting document. Once approved, they will receive a visa/permit to enter the administrative area for up to 180 days to complete the planned investment.

Eligible investment assets for participation in the programme include:

• Equities
• Debt securities
• Certificates of deposit
• Subordinated debt
• Collective investment schemes
• Shares in limited liability partnership funds.

After investing, the applicant must contact the New CIES office. The office will verify that the conditions have been met and send the results to the DoI. The applicant will then receive a supporting document, which must be submitted to the Ministry of Interior. The government agency will review the application for the issuance of a residence permit.

After the initial 24-month period, before applying for a residence permit extension, the resident must contact the New CIES office to verify that the portfolio management requirements have been met. Upon receiving the verification document, a request for renewal of the residence permit must be submitted to the DoI.

The validity of the residence permits is up to three years and can be renewed under a similar scheme.

After seven years of continuous residence in the administrative district, residents may apply for citizenship, provided the investment requirements are met. The Hong Kong passport is available only to Chinese citizens.