Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
About CIES
- Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) was launched by the Government of the Hong Kong SAR in October 2003, the Scheme facilitates the entry for residence by capital investment entrants.
- The Scheme enables eligible persons migrate to Hong Kong by investing not less than HKD10 million* in permissible investment assets.
- After fulfilling the Portfolio Maintenance Requirements and seven years of continuous ordinary residence in Hong Kong, the entrants and their dependents (spouse and unmarried children under the age of 18) may apply to become permanent resident of Hong Kong.
- The Scheme aims at attracting eligible persons who would like to immigrate to Hong Kong and invest in Hong Kong capital market. Applicant could freely choose to invest in permissible investment assets and need not to establish a business or be engaged in business operation.
*Invest not less than HKD6.5 million for application submitted before 14 October 2010 and HKD10 million for application submitted on or after 14 October 2010* in any or all of the permissible investment asset classes
Who Can Apply
- Foreign nationals (except nationals of Afghanistan, Albania, Cuba and North Korea)
- Macao Special Administrative Region residents
- Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in foreign country
- Stateless person who have obtained permanent resident status in foreign country with proven re-entry facilities
- Taiwan residents
Eligibility Criteria
Subject to the terms of the Scheme Rules, an Applicant who satisfies the following criteria will be eligible for Approval-in-Principle or Formal Approval as the case may be:
- Aged 18 or over when lodging an application for Approval-in-Principle or Formal Approval;
- Net assets or net equity to which he is absolutely beneficially entitled with a Market value of not than HKD10 million* net throughout the two years preceding the date he lodged his application;
- Have invested within six months before submission of his application to the Immigration Department, or will invest within six months after granting of Approval-in-Principle by the Immigration Department, not less than HKD10* million net in permissible investment assets (except Certificates of Deposits, which must be invested throughout the period beginning six months after Approval-in-Principle by the Immigration Department;
- Has no adverse immigration record and meets normal immigration and security requirement;
- Able to demonstrate the applicant is capable of supporting and accommodating himself and his dependants on his own without relying on any return on the permissible investment assets, employment or public assistance in Hong Kong.