Hong Kong New CIES 2026: Family Members, Dependants and Their Rights

Investors comparing residence programmes usually start with one question: who can actually come with me? Under Hong Kong’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES), a successful applicant may bring a spouse or a recognised partner in a same-sex or opposite-sex civil partnership, civil union or “same-sex marriage”, plus unmarried dependent children under 18 — and, according to the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme frequently asked questions page as of October 2026, those dependants are not prohibited from taking up employment or study in Hong Kong.

Two authorities share the work. Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) verifies the net asset, investment and portfolio maintenance requirements, while the Immigration Department (ImmD) assesses entry and stay — including dependants — from immigration perspectives. What follows covers only the dependant side of the scheme.

Who can a New CIES applicant bring to Hong Kong as a dependant?

ImmD’s published answer lists three groups:

• A spouse.
• The other party to a same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union, “same-sex marriage”, opposite-sex civil partnership or opposite-sex civil union, entered into under the local law in force of the place of celebration and with that status legally and officially recognised by the local authorities of the place of celebration.
• Unmarried dependent children aged under 18.

Two conditions sit on top of that list. The applicant must demonstrate to ImmD that he or she can support and accommodate himself or herself and any dependants without relying on returns from the permissible investment assets, employment, self-employment, office, business or public assistance in Hong Kong. Dependant entry is also subject to any other policy applicable to such entry at the time.

How many dependants can one application carry?

Eight. A single New CIES online application can cover a maximum of eight accompanying dependants, submitted together with the applicant’s own application — separate applications are not needed for dependants coming with the applicant at that stage.

ImmD states this cap for accompanying dependants in one application; it does not extend the same figure to dependants applied for later.

When does a civil partnership or civil union actually count?

The terms “civil partnership” and “civil union” mean a legal institution of a nature akin to a spousal relationship in a marriage. The scheme accepts only relationships entered into under laws outside Hong Kong that are legally and officially recognised in the place of celebration, and ImmD describes them as normally having four features:

1. The entering into and dissolution of the relationship are governed by the legislation of the place where it was entered into.
2. The relationship requires registration by the competent authority specified by that legislation.
3. The registration is evidenced in a written instrument issued by that competent authority.
4. The parties have a mutual commitment to a shared life akin to spouses, to the exclusion of others, on a permanent basis.

The definition expressly excludes a de facto spouse, partners in cohabitation, and a fiancé or fiancée. The practical test is therefore documentation, not how long a couple has lived together.

Can dependants work and study in Hong Kong?

Yes. ImmD states that dependants permitted to reside in Hong Kong as dependants under the New CIES are allowed to take up employment or study, and that they are not prohibited from doing so under the existing policy. The entrant’s own position is broader still: an entrant may take up employment, be an office-holder, be self-employed, or join in or establish a business in Hong Kong.

For families, that removes one of the common constraints in residence-by-investment planning, where a partner’s right to take local employment is often restricted or tied to a separate permit. Here the published position is a permission rather than a prohibition. It is an immigration permission only — professional licensing, employer requirements and school placement are separate matters.

How long can dependants stay, and what happens at renewal?

On formal approval, permission of stay is normally granted to the entrant and his or her dependants for not more than 24 months on time limitation only, subject to the entrant continuing to satisfy the requirements of the scheme throughout that period. A dependant’s length of stay is normally linked to that of the sponsor.

At renewal, the entrant must approach InvestHK not earlier than three months before the limit of stay expires — the limit being 24 months on first entry and 36 months on extension — for verification of continuous compliance with the Portfolio Maintenance Requirements. The entrant and any dependants must then apply to ImmD for extension of stay before the limit expires, and extension of stay for not more than three years is normally granted.

Dependants face an additional test. A later application is considered only while the dependant continues to meet the eligibility criteria for entry for residence as a dependant — including that no change in circumstances has resulted in loss of sponsorship — and while the sponsor remains a bona fide Hong Kong resident living in Hong Kong. Suppose, for example, that the marriage between a dependent spouse and the sponsor ends before an extension is filed: that change, like the sponsor’s death, is named by ImmD as resulting in loss of sponsorship, so the dependant’s extension would not be considered on the same footing.

Can dependants join later, after the main applicant has landed?

Yes. An applicant who has already been admitted to Hong Kong under the New CIES may apply for dependants to come to Hong Kong; ImmD handles these under its residence-as-dependant arrangements rather than as part of the original investment entry application.

Do dependants need a re-entry visa to come back to Hong Kong?

No. Non-permanent residents of Hong Kong, including New CIES entrants and their dependants, do not require a re-entry visa or entry permit regardless of nationality or type of travel document held, provided they return within the currency of their permitted limit of stay and the circumstances on which they acquired their residential status remain unchanged.

What happens to dependants at the seven-year mark?

Seven years of meeting the financial requirements does not make anyone a Hong Kong permanent resident. ImmD states plainly that continuous satisfaction of the financial requirements and approved extensions of stay for not less than seven years carries no implication that the entrant has met the ordinary residence requirement or other requirements under the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115) for the right of abode. A person claiming permanent resident status may instead apply for verification of eligibility for a permanent identity card under the established procedures.

The seven-year milestone does open a different door. Once InvestHK has verified continuous compliance with the Portfolio Maintenance Requirements for seven years and the entrant has been approved of permission to stay under the New CIES for at least seven years, the entrant and his or her dependants may apply for unconditional stay at the end of the seventh year. The applicant must hold a valid residence status under the scheme on the date of application.

Where does this sit in a golden visa comparison?

Set against the way residence-by-investment programmes are usually weighed, the New CIES family rules are distinctive in three directions.

Partner recognition is broad. Same-sex and opposite-sex civil partnerships and civil unions, and “same-sex marriage” celebrated abroad, are accepted if the place of celebration legally and officially recognises them — not only a husband and wife.

Dependants are not barred from work or study. That is stated directly, and it applies to the partner as well as to the entrant.

The child category is tightly drawn: unmarried and under 18. Families with children at or above that age should weigh this before committing to the route.

The offsetting point is that dependant status here is derivative. Its length is tied to the sponsor’s, it depends on the sponsor remaining a bona fide Hong Kong resident living in Hong Kong, and it ends with sponsorship — a change in the marriage relationship with the dependent spouse, or the sponsor’s death, is named as a loss of sponsorship.

Rules in this area do change, and ImmD notes that dependant entry remains subject to any other policy applicable at the time, so the position described here should be re-checked against the latest official publications. This article is general information about how the scheme is published, not personalised legal or immigration advice; your own circumstances should be confirmed against official publications or with a qualified professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can same-sex partners qualify as dependants under the New CIES?

Yes, if the relationship is a same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union or “same-sex marriage” entered into under the local law of the place of celebration and legally and officially recognised by the local authorities there. ImmD’s guidance sets out the features such a relationship normally has and excludes de facto spouses, cohabiting partners and fiancés or fiancées.

How many dependants can be included in one New CIES online application?

One online application can cover a maximum of eight accompanying dependants, submitted together with the main applicant. Separate applications are not needed for dependants accompanying the applicant at that stage.

Can my dependants work in Hong Kong?

Yes. ImmD states that dependants permitted to reside in Hong Kong under the New CIES are allowed to take up employment or study, and are not prohibited from doing so under existing policy. The entrant may also take employment, hold office, be self-employed, or join in or establish a business.

What is the age limit for children?

Only unmarried dependent children aged under 18 fall within the dependant category. Older children are not covered by the dependant provisions described on the scheme’s pages.

What happens to a dependant’s status if the marriage ends or the sponsor dies?

Both are named by ImmD as changes that result in loss of sponsorship, so a dependant’s extension of stay would not be considered on the same footing. Dependants must also continue to meet the eligibility criteria for residence as a dependant, and the sponsor must remain a bona fide Hong Kong resident living in Hong Kong.

Do dependants need a re-entry visa after travelling abroad?

No. Non-permanent residents of Hong Kong, including New CIES entrants and their dependants, do not need a re-entry visa or entry permit provided they return within the currency of their permitted limit of stay and the circumstances on which they acquired their residential status remain unchanged.

Do dependants become Hong Kong permanent residents after seven years?

Not automatically. The right of abode depends on ordinary residence and other requirements under the Immigration Ordinance, verified through a separate application for verification of eligibility for a permanent identity card. At the end of the seventh year, however, the entrant and his or her dependants may apply for unconditional stay once InvestHK has verified seven years of compliance with the Portfolio Maintenance Requirements.

References

• Hong Kong Immigration Department — New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme: Frequently Asked Questions
• InvestHK — New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme website
• GovHK — Online application for a visa/entry permit under the New CIES
• GovHK — Online Application for Extension of Stay (New CIES entrants and their dependants)