Hong Kong New CIES 2026: Investment Threshold, Net Asset Test and Who Qualifies

Under Hong Kong’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES), an applicant must commit and maintain at least HK$30 million in permissible investment assets, and must separately show net assets or net equity of not less than HK$30 million held throughout the six months before applying to InvestHK for a net asset assessment. Eligibility is limited to four categories of people: foreign nationals, Chinese nationals who hold permanent resident status in a foreign country, Macao SAR residents, and Chinese residents of Taiwan. These requirements come from the Immigration Department’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme frequently asked questions page and are subject to the Rules for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (the New Scheme Rules).

How does the New CIES compare with other investment residence routes?

Most investment residence programmes ask for one of two things: a qualifying investment, or proof of wealth. Hong Kong asks for both, and it splits the work between two government bodies.

InvestHK assesses whether you meet the net asset requirement, later checks that you have made the committed investment, and then checks that you keep maintaining the portfolio. The Immigration Department handles the immigration side: whether you can enter, how long you may stay, and whether your dependants can join.

That split matters if you are comparing options across countries. In Hong Kong, holding the money is not enough on its own, and making the investment is not enough either — each stage has to be certified by InvestHK before the Immigration Department resumes or continues its assessment.

Who qualifies to apply?

You must be aged 18 or above at the time you apply to InvestHK for the net asset assessment, and you must fall into one of these categories:

Foreign nationals
Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country
Macao Special Administrative Region residents
Chinese residents of Taiwan

Two further points narrow the field. Nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are excluded, and the Security Bureau and the Immigration Department review that list from time to time. Stateless persons who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country, with proven re-entry facilities, can qualify.

Where you live now is not a barrier. The Immigration Department states that an entry application from anyone who meets the eligibility criteria will be accepted, whether or not the person is already residing in Hong Kong.

What is the net asset test, and how is HK$30 million measured?

The test is a market-value test on assets you own outright. You must demonstrate to InvestHK that you have net assets or net equity to which you are absolutely beneficially entitled, with a market value of not less than HK$30 million net, or the equivalent in foreign currencies.

Three conditions shape that figure:

The holding period. The assets must be at that level throughout the six months preceding the date you lodge the application for the net asset assessment.
Beneficial entitlement. Assets held with family members can count, but only the portion you are absolutely beneficially entitled to, as set out in paragraph 1.15 of the New Scheme Rules.
Separate from the investment. The net asset test is not the same as the investment itself. Both sit at HK$30 million, and both have to be satisfied.

Assume an applicant holds HK$34 million in jointly owned assets with a spouse but is beneficially entitled to only half. The portion that can be counted is the beneficial share, not the headline value — which is why the New Scheme Rules’ treatment of jointly owned assets matters more than the gross number.

How much do you have to invest, and by when?

You must invest not less than HK$30 million net, or the equivalent in foreign currencies, in permissible investment assets to which you are absolutely beneficially entitled, under one of the circumstances specified in paragraph 2.1(d)(i)–(iii) of the New Scheme Rules. The committed investment must be made on or after the launch date of the New CIES.

The permissible investment assets are defined in the New Scheme Rules, and InvestHK’s New CIES website sets out how the asset and investment checks are administered.

Do you have to support yourself without touching the investment?

Yes. You must show the Immigration Department that you can support and accommodate yourself and any dependants without relying on any return on the permissible investment assets, and without relying on employment, self-employment, an office, a business, or public assistance in Hong Kong.

You must also have no adverse immigration record and meet normal immigration and security requirements. Dependants’ entry remains subject to whatever other policy applies at the time.

What does the application sequence actually look like?

The order is fixed, and each step produces a document that unlocks the next.

Apply to InvestHK first, for verification that you meet the net asset requirement.
If InvestHK confirms it, it issues a Certifying Proof for Fulfillment of Net Asset Requirement.
Submit your entry application for a visa or entry permit to the Immigration Department within the validity period of that proof.
If the Immigration Department gives approval-in-principle, it grants a visa or entry permit to enter Hong Kong on visitor status for not more than 180 days, to make the committed investment.
Complete the committed investment within the specified investment timeframe.
Return to InvestHK for verification that you meet the investment requirements.
InvestHK issues a Certifying Proof for Fulfillment of Investment Requirements; submit it to the Immigration Department within its validity period.
On formal approval, permission to stay is normally granted for not more than 24 months, on time limitation only, on condition that you continue to meet the requirements throughout that period.

Applications and supporting documents are submitted online through GovHK. The Immigration Department notifies applicants of the result by e-mail.

How do extensions of stay work?

Before your limit of stay expires, go back to InvestHK — no earlier than three months before expiry — for verification that you continue to comply with the portfolio maintenance requirements. The limit of stay is 24 months on first entry and 36 months upon extension.

After verification, InvestHK issues a Certifying Proof for Fulfillment of Portfolio Maintenance Requirements. You and any dependants must apply to the Immigration Department for an extension before your limit of stay expires, even if that proof has not yet arrived; the department will decide depending on whether it is subsequently submitted.

Extensions are normally granted for not more than three years, and further extensions follow the same procedure. You must be physically present in Hong Kong when you apply, and again when you pay for and collect the e-Visa.

What happens after seven years?

Seven years does not make you a permanent resident. The Immigration Department is explicit: continuously meeting the financial requirements and being granted extensions for not less than seven years does not imply or acknowledge that you satisfy the ordinary residence requirement or the other requirements under the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115) for the right of abode. Any person claiming to be a Hong Kong permanent resident may, in accordance with established procedures and if he/she meets the requirement of having ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years and other relevant provisions of the Immigration Ordinance, submit a separate application to the Immigration Department for verification of eligibility for a permanent identity card.

What seven years does open up is unconditional stay. Once InvestHK has verified continuous compliance with the portfolio maintenance requirements for seven years, and you have been approved for permission to stay under the New CIES for at least seven years, you may apply at the end of the seventh year. You must hold a valid residence status under the New CIES on the date you apply — an expired limit of stay is not enough.

Unconditional stay permits entry and stay without any conditions or limit of stay. After obtaining it, you are free to dispose of the permissible investment assets, subject to the terms of the underlying investments. An entrant who does become a Hong Kong permanent resident is likewise free to dispose of them, subject to those same underlying terms.

Can you work in Hong Kong, and can your family join?

Entrants may take up employment, hold an office, be self-employed, or join in or establish a business in Hong Kong. That is a meaningful difference from several European residence-by-investment routes, where work rights are often restricted or absent.

Dependants can be included in the same online application, up to eight accompanying dependants in a single submission. Eligible dependants are:

A spouse, or 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 of the place of celebration and legally and officially recognised by the local authorities there — de facto spouses, cohabiting partners and fiancé(e)s are excluded
Unmarried dependent children aged under 18

Dependants’ length of stay is normally linked to their sponsor’s. Later extensions are considered only if they still meet the dependant criteria and the sponsor remains a bona fide Hong Kong resident living in Hong Kong. Dependants are allowed to take up employment or study in Hong Kong.

Non-permanent residents admitted under the New CIES, including dependants, do not need a re-entry visa to return to Hong Kong, provided they return within their permitted limit of stay and the circumstances of their residential status remain unchanged.

What should you verify before committing money?

Check three official sources for the details most likely to change: the New Scheme Rules for the definition of permissible investment assets, the portfolio maintenance requirements and the treatment of jointly owned assets; InvestHK’s New CIES website for how the asset and investment checks are administered; and the Immigration Department’s FAQ for the immigration criteria and stay conditions. Where a detail cannot be confirmed on these official pages, treat the position stated on those pages as the one that applies.

This article is general information about how the scheme is structured, not advice on your personal situation, and it does not predict any application outcome. Because the asset list, excluded-nationality list and procedural requirements are all subject to revision, confirm the latest position on the official pages before making any financial commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum investment for Hong Kong’s New CIES in 2026?

You must invest not less than HK$30 million net, or the equivalent in foreign currencies, in permissible investment assets to which you are absolutely beneficially entitled. The investment must be made on or after the launch date of the New CIES.

How long must I hold HK$30 million in net assets before applying?

You must show net assets or net equity with a market value of not less than HK$30 million throughout the six months preceding the date you lodge your net asset assessment application with InvestHK. Jointly owned assets count only to the extent of your beneficial share, as set out in paragraph 1.15 of the New Scheme Rules.

Which nationalities are excluded from the New CIES?

Nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are excluded. The Security Bureau and the Immigration Department review the list from time to time, and stateless persons holding foreign permanent resident status with proven re-entry facilities can qualify.

Does seven years under the New CIES lead to Hong Kong permanent residence?

No. Seven years of meeting the financial requirements does not by itself satisfy the ordinary residence requirement under the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115). What it can lead to is unconditional stay, applied for at the end of the seventh year, which removes conditions and any limit of stay.

How long is the first permission to stay, and how are extensions granted?

Formal approval normally brings permission to stay for not more than 24 months, on time limitation only and conditional on continuing to meet the requirements. Extensions are normally granted for not more than three years, after InvestHK verifies continued compliance with the portfolio maintenance requirements.

Can my spouse and children be included in the same application?

Yes, and you can include up to eight accompanying dependants in a single online application. Eligible dependants are a spouse or recognised civil partner or civil union party, and unmarried dependent children under 18; they may work or study in Hong Kong.