🇭🇰 Hong Kong Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES)
Hong Kong's New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) relaunched on 2024-03-01: invest HK$30 million (HK$27 million in eligible financial assets/real estate + HK$3 million in the CIES portfolio) to apply for residence in Hong Kong, and after ordinarily residing for seven years, may apply for permanent residency. From 2024 to 2025, it has been relaxed three times—from October 2024, residential property investments are allowed; from March 2025, net asset assessment relaxed and investments via wholly-owned private companies permitted; in September 2025, the Policy Address lowered the single residential property threshold to HK$30 million. This is a neutral compilation of public information; please refer to the latest official announcements.
Hong Kong Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) Key Requirements Overview
| Type | Investment Residency (may sequentially apply for permanent residency) |
|---|---|
| Minimum Investment Threshold | HK$30 million (approximately US$3.8 million). |
| Primary investment methods. | HK$27 million in eligible financial assets/real estate + HK$3 million in the CIES portfolio managed by Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited |
| Real Estate Rules | Residential + non-residential combined counts up to HK$15 million (residential max HK$10 million); single residential property transaction price must reach HK$30 million (from 2025-09-17, previously HK$50 million) |
| Net Asset Requirement | At least HK$30 million; from 2025-03-01, the assessment period relaxed from two years before application to six months before application, and investments held through wholly-owned qualifying private companies may be counted |
| Residency Requirements | Maintain investment and renew according to Immigration Department rules (first permitted stay 24 months, subsequent renewals each not exceeding 3 years); permanent residency additionally requires ordinary residence for seven years |
| Pathways to citizenship. | Generally, after residing for seven years, one may apply for permanent resident status in Hong Kong (not applicable for non-Chinese nationality pathways). |
| Dependent relatives | Can include spouse and unmarried dependent children (as per regulations). |
| Processing Timeline | Net asset assessment → approval-in-principle → complete investment as visitor within 180 days → investment verification → formal approval; the entire process typically takes several months depending on processing progress |
| Recent Changes | From 2025-09-17, the single residential property threshold reduced from HK$50 million to HK$30 million, and the real estate cap increased to HK$15 million (2025 Policy Address); from 2025-03-01, net asset assessment relaxed |
Hong Kong Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) Key considerations
- Real estate (residential + non-residential combined) counts only up to HK$15 million, the remaining at least HK$12 million must still be in eligible financial assets—cannot meet threshold by property purchase alone.
- Residential property must be a single property with a transaction price of at least HK$30 million (from 2025-09-17; previously signed contracts subject to HK$50 million threshold), and the residential portion counts up to HK$10 million.
- Permanent residency requires ordinary residence for seven years, separate from the investment threshold; both conditions must be met; eligible investment must be maintained throughout.
Hong Kong Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) Application Process
- Prepare net asset and source of funds documents, apply for net asset assessment to the new CIES Office (under InvestHK) (from 2025-03, assessment of holdings six months before application suffices).
- Submit application to Immigration Department with assessment certificate, obtain "approval-in-principle", enter as visitor (up to 180 days) to complete HK$30 million eligible investment.
- Submit investment proof to the new CIES Office for investment verification, then Immigration Department issues formal approval, first permitted stay of 24 months.
- Subsequent renewals not exceeding 3 years each (must pass investment portfolio maintenance check before renewal); ordinarily resident for seven years may apply for permanent residency.
Hong Kong Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences between the new CIES and the old CIES suspended in 2015?
The old scheme was suspended in January 2015; the new CIES relaunched on 2024-03-01, with the threshold raised from HK$10 million to HK$30 million, added a mandatory allocation of HK$3 million to the CIES investment portfolio, and investment verification is handled by the new CIES Office under InvestHK. Unlike the old scheme, the new scheme also allows residential real estate from October 2024 (with thresholds and caps). Subject to official announcements.
How to apply for the new CIES? How long does the process take?
The process has two tracks: first, apply for net asset assessment with the new CIES Office, then apply to Immigration Department and obtain approval-in-principle, then complete the HK$30 million investment as a visitor within 180 days, after investment verification obtain formal approval (first stay of 24 months). The entire process depends on documentation and processing time, generally measured in months.
Can the new CIES invest in residential real estate?
Yes (from 2024-10-16). Single residential property transaction price must be at least HK$30 million (from 2025-09-17, previously HK$50 million), and residential counts up to HK$10 million, total real estate counts up to HK$15 million—most investment must still be in eligible financial assets.
How long after investment can I obtain Hong Kong permanent residency?
Investment threshold and permanent residency are separate conditions. Generally, one must be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong for seven consecutive years to apply for permanent residency, during which investment and residence must be maintained as required (first 24 months, renewals each not exceeding 3 years). Subject to official rules.
How to verify if an investment immigration program is still valid and avoid misleading claims?
The conditions of investment immigration programs often change or may even be suspended. Recommendations: ① Check official announcements from the country's immigration or investment authority (official source links are provided at the bottom of this page). ② Verify the data date indicated on this page. ③ Before engaging a consultant, check whether they are registered with the relevant regulatory body (e.g., Australia's OMARA, Canada's CICC; for lawyers, check with the local bar association). ④ Be wary of exaggerated claims such as "guaranteed approval" or "exempt from review." This site provides a neutral compilation of public information, and all content is subject to the latest official announcements.
Official sources：InvestHK New Capital Investor Immigration Scheme · Data Date：2026-07。This page is a neutral compilation of publicly available information, for reference only, notImmigration/LawAdvice; programs are subject to the latest official announcements.