Hong Kong New CIES: Eligibility, Investment Thresholds and Application Process

Confirm eligibility before selecting investments

New CIES separates financial verification from immigration approval. At the net-asset assessment date, an applicant must be at least 18 and be a foreign national, a Chinese national with foreign permanent resident status, a Macao SAR resident, or a Chinese resident of Taiwan. The applicant must have no adverse immigration record, satisfy normal immigration and security requirements, and be able to support and accommodate themselves and any dependants without relying on investment returns, Hong Kong employment or business, or public assistance.1

Mainland PRC nationals need foreign permanent residence. Mainland status alone does not qualify. A PRC passport holder must provide official evidence, issued or endorsed by the relevant overseas authority, of foreign permanent resident status. A temporary or work visa is not a substitute.6

For the six months before lodging the net-asset assessment, the applicant must have been absolutely beneficially entitled to net assets worth at least HK$30 million (or equivalent). A Hong Kong Certified Public Accountant (Practising) must assist with the evidence at the applicant’s cost. The fulfilment document must be issued no more than 14 calendar days before lodgement.2 This test is distinct from making the scheme investment.

Investment threshold and countable assets

The required net investment is HK$30 million. At least HK$27 million must be in permissible financial assets and/or qualifying real estate, and HK$3 million must be placed in the CIES Investment Portfolio managed by Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited. Assets acquired before the scheme launch do not count. The portfolio has a lock-up period; capital preservation and dividends are not guaranteed.3

Permissible financial assets include qualifying Hong Kong-listed equities, specified debt securities, certificates of deposit subject to conditions, subordinated debt, designated SFC-authorised collective investment schemes and LPF interests. Private LPFs and private OFCs together are capped at HK$10 million. Certificates of deposit are capped at HK$3 million and have timing and maturity restrictions.3 Check a product against the official rules and list when applying.

Real estate depends on its completion date

For a purchase completed on or after 17 September 2025, up to HK$15 million of residential and non-residential property can count, including up to HK$10 million residential. A residential investment must be one property with a transaction price of at least HK$30 million. Non-residential property has no transaction-price threshold.3

For completion before that date, the total property cap remains HK$10 million. A residential purchase must also have been completed on or after 16 October 2024 and still meet the earlier single-property, HK$50 million transaction-price condition.4 The later threshold is therefore not retrospective.

From 1 March 2026, permissible investments can be held through a qualifying Hong Kong private company. It must be wholly owned by the applicant or entrant and used exclusively for permissible-investment transactions. A family-owned investment holding vehicle structure has additional employee, Hong Kong operating-expenditure, eligible single-family-office and HK$240 million family-net-asset conditions. This is not a route for every private company or operating business.7

Application sequence and residence

1. Net-asset assessment: apply online to the New CIES Office under InvestHK and obtain certifying proof.
2. Entry application and approval-in-principle: apply to Immigration within the proof’s validity. If approved in principle, the applicant normally receives visitor status for no more than 180 days to make the investment.5
3. Investment assessment: after investing, submit CPA-supported evidence to the New CIES Office and obtain investment certifying proof.3
4. Formal approval and extensions: Immigration resumes its separate assessment. Initial stay after formal approval is normally no more than 24 months. Portfolio maintenance is then required; extensions are normally for no more than three years each.5

After at least seven years of continuous ordinary residence, and subject to other Immigration Ordinance requirements, an entrant may apply for permanent resident status. A person who does not meet that residence test but has maintained the portfolio requirements continuously for at least seven years may apply for unconditional stay after year seven. Neither result is automatic.5

Important boundary

The New CIES Office assesses net assets, investments and portfolio maintenance. Immigration separately decides entry permission, extensions and unconditional stay.5 A financial certificate, completed investment or satisfaction of a monetary threshold therefore does not guarantee approval-in-principle, formal approval, an extension, permanent resident status or unconditional stay. Application fees are non-refundable regardless of result.6 This is public educational information as at the reference date, not investment, tax or legal advice for an individual.