Hong Kong’s new Capital Investment Entrant Scheme opened for applications on March 1, 2024.
- An eligible applicant must make investment of a minimum of HK$30 million in the permissible investment assets, including investing a minimum of HK$27 million in the permissible financial assets and non-residential real estate (at Annex).
- They must place HK$3 million into a new CIES Investment Portfolio.
How the CIES Works
The Portfolio will be set up and managed by the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited to make investments in companies/projects with a Hong Kong nexus, with a view to supporting the development of innovation and technology industries and other strategic industries that are beneficial to the long-term development of Hong Kong’s economy.
- A successful applicant may bring dependants (including spouse and unmarried dependent children aged under 18) to Hong Kong.
- Permission to stay will normally be granted to them for two years.
- Upon expiry of the two-year period, they may apply for an extension of stay for three years, and may subsequently apply for further extensions of stay for three years upon the expiry of each three-year period.
- They may, upon a period of continuous ordinary residence in Hong Kong of not less than seven years, apply to become Hong Kong permanent residents in accordance with the law. If an applicant is unable to fulfil the continuous ordinary residence requirement, while continuously satisfying the financial requirements under the new CIES for not less than seven years, he/she may apply for an unconditional stay in Hong Kong. If the application is approved, the applicant will be free to dispose of the invested assets.
Invest Hong Kong is responsible for assessing whether the applications fulfil the financial requirements under the Scheme, and the Immigration Department is responsible for assessing the applications for visa/entry permit and extension of stay.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
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