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This webpage provides general information on the eligibility criteria and entry arrangements under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (the Scheme). It is not legally binding. The Immigration Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may revise the information according to changes in circumstances without prior notice. Any person who wishes to submit application under the Scheme may make enquiry with the Immigration Department for up-to-date information.

The objective of the Scheme is to facilitate the entry for residence by capital investment entrants (the entrant), i.e. persons who make capital investment in Hong Kong but would not be engaged in the running of any business here. The entrant is allowed to make his choice of investments amongst permissible assets without the need to establish or join in a business.

Individuals who apply to enter Hong Kong, and/or remain in Hong Kong, pursuant to the Scheme are subject to the Rules for the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (the Scheme Rules) [ID(E)968]. 

The Scheme is applicable to:

1. foreign nationals (except nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and Democratic People's Republic of Korea);
2. Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) residents;
3. Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country;
4. stateless persons who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country with proven re-entry facilities; and
5. Taiwan residents

To qualify for admission under the Scheme, the entrant must :

1. be aged 18 or above when applying for entry under the Scheme;
2. have net assets of not less than HK$10 million* to which he is absolutely beneficially entitled throughout the two years preceding his application** ;
3. have invested within six months before submission of his application to the Immigration Department, or will invest within six months after the granting of approval in principle by the Immigration Department, not less than HK$10 million* in permissible investment asset classes (except Certificates of Deposit which must be invested within the latter period) as detailed in "Permissible Investment Asset Classes";
4. have no adverse record both in Hong Kong and country/region of residence; and
5. be able to demonstrate that he is capable of supporting and accommodating himself and his dependants, if any, on his own without relying on any return on the permissible investment assets, employment or public assistance in Hong Kong.

*The investment threshold (and Net assets or Net equity requirement) has been raised from HK$6.5 million to HK$10 million with effect from 14 October 2010. 

**The entrant may at his own cost engage a Certified Public Accountant (Practising) to assist in demonstrating his fulfillment of this requirement. For details, please refer to "Arrangement of Engaging a Certified Public Accountant (Practising)".

Entrants may be allowed to bring in their dependants (i.e. 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 by him/her in accordance with the local law in force of the place of celebration and with such status being legally and officially recognised by the local authorities of the place of celebration ^{Note 1} and unmarried dependent children under 18 years of age) provided that the entrant is capable of supporting and accommodating his dependants on his own without relying on any return on the permissible investment assets, employment or public assistance in Hong Kong. The entry of dependants will however be subject to any other policy applicable to such entry at the time of application. Application from dependants should be made on ID 997, which can also be downloaded here.

Note 1:
For the avoidance of doubt, the terms “civil partnership” and “civil union” above mean a legal institution of a nature which is akin to spousal relationship in a marriage. The same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union, “same-sex marriage”, opposite-sex civil partnership and opposite-sex civil union entered into in accordance with laws outside Hong Kong are limited to only relationships which are legally and officially recognised in the places of celebration. Such relationships normally have the following features: (a) the entering into and dissolution of the relationship are governed by legislation of the place where it is entered into; (b) the relationship requires registration by the competent authority specified by the legislation of the place where it is entered into; (c) the registration is evidenced in a written instrument issued by the competent authority; and (d) parties to the relationship have a mutual commitment to a shared life akin to spouses to the exclusion of others on a permanent basis. Such relationships do not include de facto spouse, partners in cohabitation, fiancé/fiancée, etc.

As set out in paragraph 2.1(b) of the Scheme Rules, an applicant has to meet the eligibility criteria, among others, that he has Net assets or Net equity to which he is absolutely beneficially entitled with a Market value of not less than HK$10 million* Net throughout the two years preceding the date he lodged his application for Approval-in-Principle or Formal Approval.

To streamline the procedure and to shorten the processing time, applicants under the Scheme may at their own cost engage a Certified Public Accountant (Practising) [CPA (Practising)] who is a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants to issue a report to demonstrate that they meet the requirement of paragraph 2.1(b) of the Scheme Rules. The report may be submitted to the Immigration Department together with the application form. This is an optional arrangement and whether or not a CPA (Practising) is engaged will not affect the outcome of the application.

For information on CPA firms in Hong Kong, please click here.

For sample of the report, please click here. 

*The investment threshold (and Net assets or Net equity requirement) has been raised from HK$6.5 million to HK$10 million with effect from 14 October 2010.

The entrant should invest not less than HK$10 million* in one or a combination of the following permissible investment assets** :

1. Equities - shares of companies that are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and traded in Hong Kong dollar.
2. Debt securities - denominated in Hong Kong dollars including fixed or floating rate instruments and convertible bonds which are issued or fully guaranteed by the HKSAR Government, the Exchange Fund, the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation, MTR Corporation Limited, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, Hong Kong Airport Authority and other corporations, agencies or bodies wholly or partly owned by the HKSAR Government as may be specified from time to time; or by companies referred to under (A) above.
3. Certificates of Deposits - denominated in Hong Kong dollars issued by authorized institutions as defined in the Banking Ordinance with a remaining term to maturity of not less than twelve months at the time of purchase (such purchase should take place after approval in principle has been given by the Immigration Department for the entrant to join the Scheme and that such instruments, on reaching maturity, should be replaced by Certificates of Deposits with a remaining term to maturity of not less than twelve months or by assets in other permissible investment asset classes).
4. Subordinated debt - denominated in Hong Kong Dollars issued by authorised institutions which satisfies Schedules 4B and 4C to the Banking (Capital) Rules (Chapter 155L), a subsidiary legislation under the Banking Ordinance^{Note 2} .
5. Eligible Collective Investment Schemes^{Note 3} - for the purpose of the Scheme as published and updated in the Immigration Department's website from time to time (Please click here for the list).

Permissible Investment Asset Classes listed above are subject to change without prior notice. Entrants who wish to submit applications under the Scheme may click here regularly for up-to-date information.

* With effect from 14 October 2010, the investment threshold (and Net assets or Net equity requirement) has been raised from HK$6.5 million to HK$10 million and real estate has been suspended as a class of permissible investment assets.

** With effect from 14 October 2010, an Eligible Collective Investment Scheme can also be an investment-linked assurance scheme (ILAS) product issued by an insurer permitted to carry on Class C business as specified in Part 2 of the First Schedule under the Insurance Companies Ordinance.

List of Eligible Collective Investment Schemes

Portfolio maintenance and ring-fencing requirements will be imposed to ensure that the entrant does not reduce his investment commitment while he is permitted to stay in Hong Kong under the Scheme. The entrant is required to transact only in the Specified financial assets in designated account opened with a single financial intermediary ^{Note 4}. Details of the requirements are set out in the Scheme Rules [ID(E)968]. An entrant is required to undertake in the application form to the effect that he agrees to abide by the Scheme Rules whilst remaining in Hong Kong as an entrant under the Scheme (the Undertaking).

The entrant is not required to top up the value of his investment should the value of his total investment under the Scheme fall below the requisite minimum level of HK$10 million*. He is also not allowed to withdraw any capital gain from his investment if its market value rises above the requisite level. Cash dividend income and interest income derived from permissible financial assets can be retained by the entrant and need not be ring-fenced under the Scheme. The entrant is free to switch his investments from one permissible financial asset to another (e.g. from equities to debt securities or vice versa) provided that the entire proceeds from the sale of the initial assets are reinvested. He should keep a record of every change to his investment portfolio for the purpose of applying for extension of stay in Hong Kong.

* The investment threshold (and Net assets or Net equity requirement) has been raised from HK$6.5 million to HK$10 million with effect from 14 October 2010.

The entrant should complete the application form [ID(E)967] which can be obtained from the following offices:

• Immigration Department Headquarters;
• Immigration Branch Offices;
• Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions;
• Immigration Division of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing.

 The form can also be downloaded here.

Any person who knowingly and willfully makes a statement or gives information which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true shall be guilty of an offence under the laws of Hong Kong and any visa / entry permit / extension of stay so issued to him and his dependants shall have no effect.

Applications may be submitted in person or by post direct to:

Other Visas and Permits Section

5th Floor, Administration Tower,

Immigration Headquarters,

61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O,

New Territories

Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the Immigration Department. For proper delivery of your mail items, please ensure your mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before posting. (Details)

The Director of Immigration has absolute discretion to approve or disapprove an application for residence made under the Scheme. Any investment in the HKSAR is and remains the sole decision and responsibility of the entrant. The Director of Immigration and the HKSAR Government shall not be liable to the entrant for any loss on any investment pursuant to the Scheme howsoever arising.

Upon approval of the applications, the notification of the application result issued by the Immigration Department will include a webpage link for payment. Payment of relevant fees could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB only), Payment by Phone Service (PPS), Faster Payment System (FPS) or Mainland China's Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.

If the applicant or his/her authorised representative attend the relevant Immigration office in person to pay, the relevant fee could be settled by cash, EPS, Octopus, FPS, Mainland China's Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only) or cheque. The cheque should be crossed, made payable to ”The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region“, properly dated and signed. After payment, the applicant or his/her authorised representative will be issued with an “e-Visa” printed on a sheet of A4 white paper on the spot. The applicant can then download or print the “e-Visa” through the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application.

Fee Table

Once the receipt of application has been acknowledged, applicants can enquire the applications status here or through 24-hour telephone enquiry system (852) 3160 8663.

Upon approval of the applications, the notification of the application result issued by the Immigration Department will include a webpage link for payment. Payment of relevant fees could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB only), Payment by Phone Service (PPS), Faster Payment System (FPS) or Mainland China's Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.

If the applicant or his/her authorised representative attend the relevant Immigration office in person to pay, the relevant fee could be settled by cash, EPS, Octopus, FPS, Mainland China's Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only) or cheque. The cheque should be crossed, made payable to ”The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region“, properly dated and signed. After payment, the applicant or his/her authorised representative will be issued with an “e-Visa” printed on a sheet of A4 white paper on the spot. The applicant can then download or print the “e-Visa” through the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application.

Fee Table

A successful entrant, and his dependant(s) if any, will be issued with a visa/entry permit (in the form of “e-Visa”). Upon immigration arrival clearance in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, an “e-Visa” holder should present his/her valid travel document and the “e-Visa” saved on a personal mobile device or printed on a sheet of A4 white paper, and scan the encrypted QR code on the “e-Visa” with the optical reader at an immigration counter.

If the entrant has no proper travel document acceptable for traveling to Hong Kong, an entry permit will be issued. The same entry arrangements will apply to the entrant's dependants.

When approval in principle is given to an entrant, he will be initially allowed to enter Hong Kong on visitor status for three months. If evidence of active progress in investment can be shown, his visitor status can be extended for another three months. When the entrant has furnished proof that the requisite level of investment has been made, permission to stay for two years (formal approval) will be granted. Further extensions for three years will be granted if the entrant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Immigration Department that he continues to meet the eligibility criteria and portfolio maintenance requirements as mentioned in the corresponding web pages. Further extensions for 3 years will be granted on the same basis. Upon completion of not less than seven years of continuous ordinary residence in Hong Kong, the entrant and his dependants may apply for the right of abode in Hong Kong in accordance with the law.

Entrants admitted under the Scheme are subject to a special condition of stay. If an entrant breaches any part of his Undertaking to the Immigration Department, he, together with his dependants, if any, would only be allowed to stay in Hong Kong for the remainder of his limit of stay or two months after the Director of Immigration has determined that he has breached the Undertaking, whichever is earlier.

Portfolio maintenance and ring-fencing requirements will be imposed to ensure that the entrant does not reduce his investment commitment while he is permitted to stay in Hong Kong under the Scheme. The entrant is required to transact only in the Specified financial assets in designated account opened with a single financial intermediary ^{Note 1}. Details of the requirements are set out in the Scheme Rules [ID(E)968]. An entrant is required to undertake in the application form to the effect that he agrees to abide by the Scheme Rules whilst remaining in Hong Kong as an entrant under the Scheme (the Undertaking).

The entrant is not required to top up the value of his investment should the value of his total investment under the Scheme fall below the requisite minimum level of HK$10 million*. He is also not allowed to withdraw any capital gain from his investment if its market value rises above the requisite level. Cash dividend income and interest income derived from permissible financial assets can be retained by the entrant and need not be ring-fenced under the Scheme. The entrant is free to switch his investments from one permissible financial asset to another (e.g. from equities to debt securities or vice versa) provided that the entire proceeds from the sale of the initial assets are reinvested. He should keep a record of every change to his investment portfolio for the purpose of applying for extension of stay in Hong Kong.

*The investment threshold (and Net assets or Net equity requirement) has been raised from HK$6.5 million to HK$10 million with effect from 14 October 2010.

This webpage sets out information about extension of stay for entrants admitted under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (hereafter “the Scheme”) and their dependants.

Entrants or their dependants admitted under the Scheme may apply for extension of stay within 3 months before their limit of stay expires.

To be eligible for an extension of stay, the entrant must continue to satisfy the requirements of the Scheme throughout the period after he has been granted permission to stay. In maintaining the entrant’s portfolio, he should comply with the portfolio maintenance requirements and the rules on any switches of his investment.

Portfolio maintenance and ring-fencing requirements will be imposed to ensure that the entrant does not reduce his investment commitment while he is permitted to stay in Hong Kong under the Scheme. For investments in specified financial assets, the entrant is required to transact only the said assets in Permissible Investment Asset Classes held in a designated account in his own name to be opened with a single financial intermediary ^{Note 1}. Permissible Investment Asset Classes are set out in the Rules for the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme. Please click here for more information.

Note 1:
The financial intermediary must be an authorised institution as defined in the Banking Ordinance, a corporation licensed to perform Type 1, 4 or 9 regulated activities under the Securities and Futures Ordinance or an insurer authorised to carry on Class C business as specified in Part 2 of the First Schedule to the Insurance Companies Ordinance. Details of the maintenance and ring-fencing requirements are set out in the Rules for the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme. The entrant is required to undertake in the application form that he agrees to abide by the Rules while remaining in Hong Kong as an entrant under the Scheme.

In maintaining the entrant’s eligibility for an extension of stay, he is not required to top up the value of his investment under the Scheme if it falls below the requisite minimum investment level. However, the entrant is not allowed to withdraw any capital gains from his investment if its market value rises above the requisite minimum investment level. The entrant is free to switch investments from one permissible asset class to another (such as from real estate to specified financial assets or vice versa), provided that he reinvests the entire proceeds from the sale. The entrant should keep a record of every change to his investment portfolio for the purpose of applying for an extension of stay in Hong Kong.

The entrant must submit a completed and signed form ID(E) 967 and the declaration form SF/IM/1611 through the online application system of the Immigration Department. The dependant of an entrant must submit a completed and signed form ID 91 as well as form ID 481A  duly completed and signed by the sponsor through the online application system of the Immigration Department. For the 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 by him/her in accordance with the local law in force of the place of celebration and with such status being legally and officially recognised by the local authorities of the place of celebration ^{Note 2} of the sponsor, he/she should complete and sign form ID 481B and submit through the online application system of the Immigration Department as well. All of these forms can be obtained free of charge from Immigration Department Headquarters and Branch Offices. The forms can also be downloaded here.

Note 2:
For the avoidance of doubt, the terms “civil partnership” and “civil union” above mean a legal institution of a nature which is akin to spousal relationship in a marriage. The same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union, “same-sex marriage”, opposite-sex civil partnership and opposite-sex civil union entered into in accordance with laws outside Hong Kong are limited to only relationships which are legally and officially recognised in the places of celebration. Such relationships normally have the following features: (a) the entering into and dissolution of the relationship are governed by legislation of the place where it is entered into; (b) the relationship requires registration by the competent authority specified by the legislation of the place where it is entered into; (c) the registration is evidenced in a written instrument issued by the competent authority; and (d) parties to the relationship have a mutual commitment to a shared life akin to spouses to the exclusion of others on a permanent basis. Such relationships do not include de facto spouse, partners in cohabitation, fiancé/fiancée, etc.

Depending on the applicant’s current immigration status, the following forms and documents are required upon online submission of the application:

1. His travel document (with validity of at least 3.5 years when making the application);
2. His travel document of the page on which his last visa/permit under the Scheme is affixed;
3. His Hong Kong identity card;
4. His document showing the permanent resident status in a foreign country (if he is a Chinese national or a stateless person);
5. His proven re-entry facilities (if he is a stateless person); and
   • Entrants admitted under the Scheme:
     1. a. Completed and signed form ID(E) 967 and SF/IM/1611
     2. b(i). For entrants who have not switched investment assets, he is also required to produce proof relating to type of investment assets
        • For investment in properties, the entrant should provide up-to-date land registry records and mortgage records (if any)
        • For investment in specified financial assets, the entrant must ensure that his appointed financial intermediary has complied with the requirements under clauses 4(1) and 4(2) of the contract between the entrant and the financial intermediary, and the entrant should provide an up-to-date statement showing the assets held in the designated account
     3. b(ii). For entrants who have switched investment assets under the Scheme after the grant of formal approval or during his permitted limit of stay
        • He must produce all relevant transaction records and documents showing that he is the absolute beneficial owner of the investment assets and he has complied with the Scheme Rules in switching the investment assets
        • He and his financial intermediary must also provide any documents or reports as requested by the Director of Immigration
     4. c. He must also provide such information as required from time to time to establish his eligibility and entitlement under the Scheme; failure to submit all necessary documents will cause a delay in the processing of the case
     5. Dependants:
        1. Completed and signed form ID 91, form ID 481A (for sponsor) and form ID 481B (applicable to dependant 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 by him/her in accordance with the local law in force of the place of celebration and with such status being legally and officially recognised by the local authorities of the place of celebration ^{Note 2})
        2. Sponsor's travel document and Hong Kong identity card

Important Notice
Notwithstanding that the documents and information required have been furnished, applicants and dependants may still be required to submit further supporting documents and information in connection with the application when necessary.

Where a document is not in Chinese or English, it must be accompanied by a Chinese or English translation certified as a true translation by a sworn translator, court translator, authorised public translator, certified translator, expert translator or official translator.

The entrant is required to give an Undertaking to the Director of Immigration to abide by the Scheme Rules. The form of the Undertaking is set out in Part 12 of the application form ID(E) 967 prescribed by the Director of Immigration. If he entrant is found to have breached the Undertaking, he and his dependants, if any, will only be allowed to stay in Hong Kong for the remainder of his limit of stay or two months after the Director of Immigration has determined that he has breached the Undertaking, whichever is earlier.

Eligible applicants can submit their applications for extension of stay online here and upload all supporting documents.

Applicants must be physically present in Hong Kong at the time of application.

Upon approval of the applications, the notification of the application result issued by the Immigration Department will include a webpage link for payment. Payment of relevant fees could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB only), Payment by Phone Service (PPS), Faster Payment System (FPS) or Mainland China’s Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.

The applicant must be physically present in Hong Kong at the time of payment and collection of “e-Visa”.

Fee Table

After the receipt of the application has been acknowledged, applicants can enquire their application status here or through the 24-hour telephone enquiry system at (852) 3160 8663.

Upon approval of the applications, the notification of the application result issued by the Immigration Department will include a webpage link for payment. Payment of relevant fees could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB only), Payment by Phone Service (PPS), Faster Payment System (FPS) or Mainland China's Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.

The applicant must be physically present in Hong Kong at the time of payment and collection of “e-Visa”.

Fee Table