New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES)
Hong Kong’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) is the capital-investment residence pathway for eligible entrants who commit to invest HKD 30 million in permissible assets under the scheme rules. Process order matters: Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) verifies the net asset requirement first; after that stage, the Immigration Department (ImmD) handles the entry application. Do not skip the InvestHK verification step or assume older CIES rules still apply. Permissible asset classes, holding periods, and family rules are defined in official scheme materials — always re-read immd.gov.hk (New CIES) and investhk.gov.hk before moving funds (verify-on-official-site).
Min. capital
HKD 30 million (permissible assets)
Best for: Investors who can demonstrate qualifying net assets via InvestHK and commit HKD 30 million into permissible New CIES assets, then complete ImmD entry formalities.
Scheme investment threshold is HKD 30 million in permissible assets. Net asset verification by InvestHK is a prerequisite stage before ImmD entry application — confirm current asset lists and valuation rules on official New CIES pages.
Investment options
- Invest HKD 30 million in permissible assets under New CIES rules
- Complete InvestHK net asset requirement verification first
- Then lodge ImmD entry / visa application for New CIES
- Hold investments as required for the scheme period (verify-on-official-site)
Eligibility
- Meet New CIES applicant eligibility as published by ImmD / InvestHK
- Satisfy net asset requirement verified by InvestHK
- Commit to invest HKD 30 million in permissible assets
- Pass ImmD entry application requirements (character, documents, etc.)
- Comply with ongoing investment and residence conditions of the scheme
Process timeline
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1
Read scheme rules & asset list
Confirm permissible assets, thresholds, and exclusions on ImmD / InvestHK New CIES pages.
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2
InvestHK net asset verification
Submit net-worth evidence and obtain InvestHK verification before ImmD filing.
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3
ImmD entry application
Lodge the New CIES entry application with ImmD after InvestHK verification.
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4
Invest & maintain compliance
Deploy HKD 30M into permissible assets and keep scheme holding / reporting conditions current.
Family
Dependent inclusion may be available under New CIES family rules when criteria are met — confirm spouse/children eligibility and conditions on ImmD scheme pages (verify-on-official-site).
Work rights
New CIES is an investment entrant scheme; work and business activity rights depend on the permission granted and scheme conditions — verify ImmD guidance rather than assuming unrestricted employment.
Route to PR
Right of abode / permanent residence in Hong Kong follows separate Immigration Ordinance rules (commonly continuous ordinary residence thresholds) — New CIES entry does not instantly equal permanent status. Verify ImmD right-of-abode guidance (verify-on-official-site).
Route to citizenship
HKSAR passport / Chinese nationality rules are separate from New CIES. Pakistani dual-nationality implications need personal legal advice; do not treat CIES as a citizenship product.
Pros
- Published HKD 30 million investment threshold
- Clear two-stage process: InvestHK verification → ImmD entry
- Hong Kong’s deep capital markets and regional HQ ecosystem
- English-friendly business and legal environment relative to many peers
Watch-outs
- HKD 30M plus ongoing holding rules — liquidity and FX risk are real
- InvestHK verification first; incomplete net-asset files delay ImmD
- Permissible asset definitions can be technical — use official lists only
- Not a low-capital “startup visa”; operators with smaller budgets need other ImmD categories