Hong Kong residence permit by investment

What investment Hong Kong residence requires

The new investor scheme has been open since 1 March 2024. Hong Kong's investment promotion agency checks the money, and the Immigration Department checks the applicant.

Requirements:

• aged 18 or over;
• net assets of at least $3.9 million throughout the 6 months before applying;
• an investment of at least $3.9 million: at least $3.5 million in permitted financial assets and real estate (real estate capped at $1.93 million, of which residential at most $1.3 million) and $390,000 in the scheme's investment portfolio;
• enough money to live on without relying on income from these investments.

The thresholds are set in Hong Kong dollars; figures here are converted to US dollars.

Once the assets are verified, the applicant gets a visa of up to 180 days to make the investment. When the investment is confirmed, a permit to stay of up to 24 months is issued. It is then extended for up to 3 years at a time as long as the investment is maintained.

Which assets count

Investments are made through an account with a Hong Kong bank or broker. The following count:

• Shares listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
• Bonds and certificates of deposit in Hong Kong dollars, renminbi and other permitted currencies.
• Investment funds authorised by the Hong Kong regulator and limited partnership funds registered in Hong Kong.
• Real estate - at most $2 million (15 million Hong Kong dollars) in total. Residential property counts only if a single unit costs at least $3.9 million (30 million Hong Kong dollars), and no more than $1.3 million (10 million Hong Kong dollars), is counted.
• Your own private company - since 1 March 2025, investments through a Hong Kong company wholly owned by the applicant count, for example a family office.
• The scheme investment portfolio - $390,000 (3 million Hong Kong dollars), managed by the Hong Kong Investment Corporation. It invests in local technology and industrial companies.

Cash, bank deposits, insurance policies and loans do not count. The portfolio value may fall with the market: you can sell assets below the threshold only if you buy replacements.

What it costs in 2026

Dollar amounts are at 7.85 Hong Kong dollars to one US dollar, rounded up.

• Investment - from $3.9 million (30 million Hong Kong dollars). This is not a cost: the assets stay yours and earn income.
• Scheme portfolio contribution - around $390,000, part of the total investment.
• Visa fees - $30 (230 Hong Kong dollars), for issue and each extension per person.
• Identity card - free for stays of 180 days or more.
• Bank and broker - account and dealing fees, usually 0.1-1% a year.
• Stamp duty on a home purchase - up to 4.25% of the price, 6.5% for properties above $13 million (100 million Hong Kong dollars).
• Certificates, translations, apostilles - a few thousand dollars per family.
• Hong Kong company registration with us, if you invest through your own company.
• Our programme support - quoted after a consultation, depending on your asset structure and family.

We work out the total for your family in the chat.

Documents and where to get them

• Passports for the whole family and photos.
• Asset statements for the 6 months before applying, from banks, brokers and managers, for each month end.
• Proof of source of funds - business sale agreements, dividends, inheritance, tax returns.
• Police certificate - from your countries of citizenship and residence.
• Marriage and birth certificates - apostilled and translated into English or Chinese.
• Application forms for the Immigration Department and for Invest Hong Kong, the government investment agency, plus written undertakings on the investment.
• A certified accountant's report on net assets if assets are held through companies.

Requirements and how to get approved

• Assets below the threshold in any one month of the 6 months before applying.
• Borrowed assets. Net assets are counted after debts, and borrowed money does not count.
• Non-qualifying investments - deposits, insurance, homes below the threshold, real estate above the cap.
• Unclear source of funds and complex company ownership without documents.
• Excluded nationality - Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea. Mainland Chinese residents need permanent residence abroad.
• Breaching conditions after approval - assets dropped below the threshold, changes not reported: no extension.

Taxes

Hong Kong taxes only income sourced in Hong Kong. Foreign income, dividends and capital gains are not taxed.

• Salaries tax - progressive from 2% to 17%, or the standard rate of 15% on the first $640,000 (5 million Hong Kong dollars) and 16% above, whichever is lower.
• Profits tax - 8.25% on the first $260,000 (2 million Hong Kong dollars), and 16.5% on the rest.
• No tax on dividends, capital gains or inheritance, and no VAT.
• Property tax - 15% on rental income after an allowance.

If you remain tax resident elsewhere, that country may tax your worldwide income. Hong Kong exchanges account data with other countries, so we plan the change of residence in advance.

What changed in 2025-2026

• From 16 October 2024, residential property counted for the first time, then from $6.4 million (50 million Hong Kong dollars) per unit.
• From 1 March 2025, investments through a private company wholly owned by the applicant count.
• For purchases completed from 17 September 2025, the residential threshold fell to $3.9 million (30 million Hong Kong dollars) per unit, and the overall real estate cap rose from $1.3 million (10 million Hong Kong dollars) to $2 million (15 million Hong Kong dollars).
• From 26 February 2025, stamp duty on homes above $13 million (100 million Hong Kong dollars) rose to 6.5%.
• Demand is high: 918 applications were filed in the first year, and 341 received formal approval.

Family and the path to permanent residence

Your spouse and unmarried children under 18 are included. They receive dependant visas and can study and work in Hong Kong.

Permanent residence is granted after 7 years of continuous ordinary residence. The scheme rules set no minimum days per year, but for permanent residence the Immigration Department checks that Hong Kong is truly your home: housing, family, taxes, work. Occasional visitors may be refused. Once you have permanent residence you no longer need to keep the investment.

Life in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a city of 7.5 million people with one of the highest living standards in Asia. The languages are Chinese and English. A two-bedroom flat in a good area rents from $5,000 a month, and international schools cost from $20,000 a year per child. Healthcare is strong, and private insurance is a must for peace of mind. Singapore and Tokyo are 4 hours away, and there are direct flights to Europe and the Middle East.

Other routes to Hong Kong

If investing $3.9 million (30 million Hong Kong dollars) is not convenient, there are routes without investment:

• Top Talent Pass Scheme. For people with income of at least $320,000 (2.5 million Hong Kong dollars), in the past year or a degree from one of the world's top 100 universities. No employer is required.
• Investment visa for entrepreneurs. For people who open a Hong Kong company with a real office, staff and a plan. There is no fixed amount, but the business must benefit the economy.
• Employment visa on the invitation of a Hong Kong employer for professionals.

All these routes also lead to permanent residence after 7 years of living in Hong Kong. We choose the right one in a consultation.

How to choose a bank and investment structure

• A Hong Kong bank or broker. Accounts are opened in person or remotely after checks, taking 2 weeks to 2 months.
• Personal account or your own company. A company is convenient if you manage family wealth: it can serve as a family office. A personal account is simpler and cheaper to maintain.
• Share of risky assets. The threshold is checked against the amount invested, not the current value, so part can be held in low-risk bonds.
• Currency. The Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar, so currency risk for dollar savings is minimal.

Alternatives to compare

• Singapore permanent residence by investment - a higher threshold, but permanent residence from the start.
• UAE residence by investment - from AED 2 million and zero income tax.
• A Hong Kong company - a base for business and bank accounts without relocating.

How we work

1. We check your assets over 6 months and their source.
2. We choose the bank, broker and investment structure under the scheme rules.
3. We prepare and file the application with the agency and the Immigration Department.
4. We support the investment and the reports on maintaining it.
5. We handle extensions and the permanent residence application.

We fix our fee in writing after a consultation.

Benefits of Hong Kong residence

How to get Hong Kong residence: step by step

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