Hong Kong Immigration Department: 280,000 Granted Permanent Residency in the Past 3.5 Years!

(Image source: RTHK https://gbcode.rthk.hk/TuniS/news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1843384-20260210.htm)

        On 18 March 2026, Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Security of Hong Kong,  submitted a written response to a Legislative Council member’s question, stating that according to the Immigration Department’s records, a total of 379,773 applications for Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards were received between 1 July 2022 and 28 February 2026 (a 3.5-year period). Among these, 280,909 applications were approved, 23,921 rejected, with an approval rate of 73.97%—meaning over 7 in 10 applications succeeded.

With such a promising approval rate revealed by the Immigration Department, what are the eligibility criteria for Hong Kong permanent residency?

（Source：Eligibility for the Right of Abode in the HKSAR | Immigration Department）

    Secretary Tang explained that any person who resides in Hong Kong legally, voluntarily and for the purpose of settlement (e.g. for study, work or residence, etc.) is regarded as ordinarily resident in Hong Kong, regardless of the length of stay. When determining whether an applicant has ceased to be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong or is only temporarily absent, the Immigration Department will consider the individual’s personal circumstances and the nature of their absence from Hong Kong in accordance with section 2(6) of the Immigration Ordinance, including:

(a) A Chinese citizen born in Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the HKSAR.

(b) A Chinese citizen who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years before or after the establishment of the HKSAR.

(c) A person of Chinese nationality born outside Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the HKSAR to a parent who, at the time of birth of that person, was a Chinese citizen falling within category (a) or (b).

● The person’s right of abode by virtue of being a permanent resident of the HKSAR under category (c) can only be exercised upon the establishment of his/her status as a permanent resident by holding :

● a valid travel document issued to him/her and a valid Certificate of Entitlement also issued to him/her and affixed to the travel document;

● a valid HKSAR passport issued to him/her; or

● a valid permanent identity card issued to him/her.

        He added that persons claiming to be permanent residents under paragraph (b) or (d) above may apply to the Immigration Department to verify their eligibility for a Permanent Identity Card in accordance with established procedures, provided they meet the legal requirement of "ordinary residence in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than 7 years" and other relevant provisions. The Immigration Department will process such applications in accordance with the law.

How is "ordinarily resident in Hong Kong" defined?

        Secretary Tang explained that any person who resides in Hong Kong legally, voluntarily and for the purpose of settlement (e.g. for study, work or residence, etc.) is regarded as ordinarily resident in Hong Kong, regardless of the length of stay. When determining whether an applicant has ceased to be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong or is only temporarily absent, the Immigration Department will consider the individual’s personal circumstances and the nature of their absence from Hong Kong in accordance with section 2(6) of the Immigration Ordinance, including:

● The reason for, duration of and frequency of absences from Hong Kong;

● Whether the applicant has a habitual residence in Hong Kong;

● Whether the applicant is employed by a company based in Hong Kong;

● The whereabouts of the applicant’s immediate family members (spouse and minor children).

        However, the Immigration Department has no discretion to confer permanent resident status on any person who fails to meet the relevant criteria for becoming a Hong Kong permanent resident as set out in Article 24 of the Basic Law and Schedule 1 to the Immigration Ordinance.

        GlobeVisa first ventured into Hong Kong identity agency services in 2003 with the launch of Hong Kong’s Capital Investment Entrant Scheme. We operate a physical office in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, with dozens of local Hong Kong employees on the ground, offering applicants a wealth of practical and on-the-ground successful case experience.

        To sum up, many applicants for Hong Kong permanent residency assume they meet the requirements with a decent residency record (e.g. 3.5 years out of 7) and strong ties to Hong Kong, and attempt to apply on their own with self-prepared documents. In reality, the Immigration Department’s Permanent Residency Section has over a hundred case officers—while each officer may exercise a degree of subjective judgment in review, the overarching assessment guidelines remain consistent.Relying solely on personal experience shared on online platforms or individual cases from relatives and friends is far from sufficient for reference. For applicants aiming for a one-time successful approval, GlobeVisa recommends conducting in-depth research on at least 30 successful and 30 unsuccessful cases before preparing application materials; this will significantly boost your approval chances and peace of mind.

(Image source: Partial application submission receipts)

        With nearly 20 years of experience in Hong Kong immigration programs, GlobeVisa has served over 40,000 applicants seeking Hong Kong identity through various channels. We are the go-to service provider with access to a vast database of the latest and most comprehensive application insights. If you are preparing to apply for Hong Kong permanent residency and need to review a large number of case studies, feel free to contact us.

        We have compiled full sets of successful and unsuccessful permanent residency application cases for 2024, 2025, and the period from the start of 2026 to the present.

          From our extensive case database, we have identified the common traits of all successful applicants and developed a 14-point Assessment Checklist for Permanent Residency Applications. If you wish to obtain our case studies and the 14-point checklist, follow our official WeChat account and leave a message in the background to request the materials!

About the Author

        Anja Yu has been involved in immigration services since 2010 and joined GlobeVisa in 2013. With 13 years of experience in immigration program management at GlobeVisa, she is a Hong Kong resident and the company’s principal liaison with Hong Kong government authorities. She communicates with various government departments monthly to obtain first-hand information and has served and assisted tens of thousands of clients seeking Hong Kong residency.

Specializing exclusively in immigration for 13 years, Anja has no involvement in finance or education sectors. Her analysis of immigration programs is entirely objective and market-based. For more of her insights, stay tuned—she will continue to provide an objective breakdown of the pros and cons of all available pathways to Hong Kong identity.