HK New CIES: The Identity and Asset Value Behind the HK$30 Million Investment Threshold

In a private banking conference room in Central, Hong Kong, a mainland Chinese manufacturing business owner is consulting an immigration advisor: 'My academic background is average. While my company’s annual profit is stable, it doesn’t meet the HK$2.5 million salary threshold for the TTPS, and the QMAS seems out of reach. However, I have some idle funds and want to secure a freer future for my family. What should I do?'

Nor is this an isolated case. Among the series of talent admission schemes introduced by the Hong Kong SAR Government, the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) is emerging as the optimal solution for a specific segment of high-net-worth individuals—those who do not meet the academic or salary requirements of the TTPS, nor the points test of the QMAS, but possess ample investable assets.

Since its relaunch in March 2024, as of April 2026, the New CIES has received nearly 3,300 applications, expected to bring over HK$95 billion in new investment to Hong Kong. What exactly does the HK$30 million investment threshold buy?

I. Identity Value: ‘Freedom of Movement’ Ranked 30th Globally

According to the 2026 Passport Ranking by Henley & Partners, the Hong Kong SAR passport offers visa-free access to 175 countries and territories, placing it among the top tier in Asia. What does this mean? For families engaged in frequent international business travel, planning overseas education for their children, or conducting global asset allocation, the convenience of travel provided by Hong Kong identity directly translates into directly translates into reduced time costs and enhanced business opportunities. The ability to travel spontaneously—without the weeks of visa preparation or the uncertainty of potential rejection—offers a premium that is difficult to quantify in the age of global asset allocation.

II. Asset Value: The Institutional Guarantees of the World’s Freest Economy

Investing HK$30 million is, in essence, purchasing access to a set of institutional infrastructure.

According to the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World 2024 Report, Hong Kong is ranked the world’s freest economy among 165 economies, with an overall score of 8.58. It ranks first globally in both ‘Freedom of International Trade’ (9.66) and ‘Regulation’ (8.86). Even more noteworthy is the rule of law environment. The World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2024 ranks Hong Kong 23rd out of 142 countries and jurisdictions worldwide, with improved rankings in ‘Regulatory Enforcement’ and ‘Civil Justice’. Its ‘Absence of Corruption’ score improved from 2023, ranking tenth globally. This advantage is further corroborated by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking 2025: Hong Kong’s global competitiveness rose to fifth in 2024 and climbed another two spots to third globally in 2025, marking its return to the global top three for the first time since 2019. In sub-rankings, ‘Tax Policy’ and ‘Business Legislation’ rank first globally, while ‘Government Efficiency’ and ‘Business Efficiency’ rank second globally. Low tax rates, a simple tax system, free capital movement, and property rights protection under the common law system—these institutional advantages make Hong Kong a ‘safe haven’ for asset preservation and appreciation. For investors looking to keep their assets in Asia while mitigating their single-market risks, the New CIES offers an institutionalised allocation channel.

III. Policy Optimisation: Lowered Barriers and Increased Flexibility

Since March 2025, the Hong Kong SAR Government has implemented a series of optimisation measures for the New CIES, significantly reducing application difficulty:

Net asset assessment period shortened from two years to six months – This adjustment substantially reduces capital holding costs and is more practical for entrepreneurs and holders of highly liquid assets. Applicants only need to demonstrate continuous ownership of net assets of no less than HK$30 million in the six months preceding the application.

Jointly owned assets can now be counted – Previously, only assets held solely in the applicant’s name were recognised. The new rules allow applicants to include their share of net assets jointly owned with family members. This means jointly held properties, equity, and other assets can be proportionally included, making the actual threshold more flexible.

New investment option via wholly-owned private companies – Applicants may invest through a wholly-owned private company incorporated or registered in Hong Kong, provided the company meets conditions such as holding permitted investment assets, employing at least one full-time employee, and incurring no less than HK$2 million in operating expenses annually. This provides operational flexibility for family office structures and more complex asset allocation.

Regarding eligible assets, the HK$30 million must be invested in permitted asset classes, including stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, subordinated debts, qualifying collective investment schemes, limited partnership funds, and non-residential real estate (capped at HK$15 million), as well as residential properties valued above HK$30 million (capped at HK$10 million).

IV. The Professional Advantages of Globevisa

As a leading agency with many years of experience in the investment immigration sector, Globevisa offers unique service advantages for the New CIES:

End-to-end compliance assurance: From preparing net asset proof documents and designing the investment structure to liaising with both the Immigration Department and InvestHK, Globevisa has established a standardised compliance review system. The New CIES requires applicants to complete the HK$30 million investment within six months of receiving ‘approval-in-principle’. This tight timeline makes professional intervention critical to avoid rejection due to document deficiencies or non-compliant investment targets.

Customised investment solutions: Tailored to each client’s asset profile (e.g., listed company stocks, unlisted company equity, property, deposits), Globevisa provides differentiated strategies for proving net assets and designs allocation portfolios within the scope of permitted investment assets that balance liquidity and returns.

Ongoing status maintenance support: Hong Kong identity is not a one-time transaction but involves long-term matters such as extensions of stay, transfer to permanent residency, and tax residency planning. Globevisa’s local Hong Kong team provides continuous on-the-ground services to ensure clients successfully apply for permanent resident status after completing the usual seven-year period of ordinary residence.

Conclusion: Identity Strategy in an Era of Rational Allocation

Against a backdrop of increasing global geopolitical uncertainty and tighter capital flow regulations, identity planning is transforming from a ‘luxury’ into a ‘necessity’. The value of the Hong Kong New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme lies not in the HK$30 million figure itself, but in the certainty it provides—certainty of the rule of law, certainty of tax advantages, and certainty of international mobility.

For those applicants who do not qualify for the TTPS or QMAS schemes but have ample assets, this is arguably the most secure and controllable path to obtaining Hong Kong identity at present. As one successful applicant put it, 'I’m not buying an identity with my money; I’m buying an option for my family’s future.'

Globevisa - Focused on Outbound Business for Over 20 Years. We have been involved in Hong Kong identity services since the original Capital Investment Entrant Scheme launched in 2003. We also maintain a physical operational office in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, with dozens of local Hong Kong employees based in the city, providing applicants with extensive, practical, and successful case experience.

Anja Yu entered the outbound services industry in 2010, joined Globevisa in 2013, and has been a project manager in immigration for 13 years. She resides in Hong Kong and serves as the primary representative of Globevisa responsible for official communications with government authorities, meeting with various government departments each month to obtain first-hand information. She has served and assisted tens of thousands of client families in settling in Hong Kong. For 13 years, Anja has focused exclusively on immigration, without involvement in financial or education sectors, providing purely objective market analysis. To hear more of Anja’s analysis, please stay tuned as she objectively examines the pros and cons of the various pathways available in the market for obtaining Hong Kong identity.