Globevisa outlines Hong Kong New CIES approval process and HKD 30M rules

Globevisa Group published a guide to Hong Kong’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, highlighting the HKD 30 million investment requirement, asset-audit steps and residency compliance. The firm says its process map is based on its early casework, including the scheme’s first approved case.

Why it matters: - Hong Kong’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme is a high-stakes residency path tied to a HKD 30 million capital threshold. - The scheme affects foreign nationals, overseas Chinese permanent residents, and Macao and Taiwan residents seeking Hong Kong residency through investment. - The approval process depends on strict documentation, fund routing and post-approval compliance, which can determine whether an application advances or stalls.

What happened: - Globevisa Group published an overview of the Hong Kong New CIES approval process, investment rules and residency maintenance requirements. - The consultancy says it submitted the first batch of applications on the scheme’s opening day and recorded the scheme’s first officially approved case. - The guide covers statutory procedures handled by InvestHK and the Hong Kong Immigration Department. - The New CIES launched in 2024.

The details: - Applicants must show they can make a compliant investment of HKD 30 million, about USD 3.85 million. - An independent report from a Hong Kong Certified Public Accountant is required to prove continuous ownership of net assets of at least HKD 30 million during the six months before application. - Jointly held assets with family members can count, based on each owner’s share. - The scheme does not require education, language skills or business experience. - A principal applicant may include a spouse and unmarried children under 18. - Globevisa says a fully compliant application typically takes six to nine months to process. - The review speed depends on how complete and compliant the initial asset records are. - Applicants may need to document company equity, funds, stocks or real estate. - After the CPA report, InvestHK’s net asset review usually takes one to four weeks. - A review certificate is valid for 90 days before the case moves to the Immigration Department for identity and eligibility checks. - Non-Chinese and non-English documents, including birth certificates, must be notarized and translated. - After Approval-in-Principle, applicants have 180 days to complete the HKD 30 million investment. - HKD 3 million must go into the official CIES Investment Portfolio to support the local innovation and technology sector. - The remaining HKD 27 million may go into equities, bonds or limited partnership funds. - Globevisa lists several investment routes for the HKD 27 million allocation, including RAM, UOB Kay Hian, Standard Chartered, DBS, Bank of China and Emperor Group. - RAM offers discretionary management focused on Hong Kong government bonds, with underlying assets rated AA+ and historical reference yields of 4% to 5%. - Standard Chartered, DBS and Bank of China support self-directed investment models. - Emperor Group offers discretionary and self-directed portfolios centered on Hong Kong-listed companies. - After InvestHK issues a Certificate of Fulfillment of Investment Requirements, the Immigration Department issues final approval. - Applicants typically must enter Hong Kong and activate the visa within about three months of formal approval. - Globevisa says it uses a node-tracking mechanism to monitor landing deadlines. - The scheme follows a “2+3+3” renewal framework. - After seven years of meeting ordinary residence or related criteria, applicants may seek Hong Kong Permanent Residency or Unconditional Stay. - The Unconditional Stay option is exclusive to New CIES applicants.

Between the lines: - The guide positions early compliance work as the main risk reducer in a process that combines asset auditing, fund structuring and immigration review. - Globevisa is using its case history as a proof point for handling a scheme that appears to reward clean documentation and penalize procedural gaps. - The emphasis on transfer routes, notarization and renewal tracking suggests the biggest risk is not just eligibility, but operational execution over several years.

What's next: - Applicants will continue moving through InvestHK review, Immigration Department checks and the post-approval investment window. - Successful applicants must maintain compliance through renewals and residency milestones if they want to reach permanent residency or Unconditional Stay. - Globevisa says it will keep managing asset reviews and renewal preparation before visa expiration as part of its full-cycle service model.

The bottom line: - Hong Kong’s New CIES is less a simple investment route than a multi-step compliance process, where timing, documentation and fund structure can decide the outcome.