Bringing family to Hong Kong under ASSG in 2026: spouse and children
Yes. An entrant admitted under the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG) may apply to bring a spouse and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 to Hong Kong under the prevailing dependant policy, and that entrant becomes the sponsor of the dependants who come with them. The Immigration Department's FAQ page "Enhancement Measures on Admission Schemes for Talent, Professionals and Entrepreneurs" sets out which relationships qualify; as of October 2026, that page lists certain civil partnerships, civil unions and "same-sex marriage" entered into outside Hong Kong alongside the ordinary spouse category, and it expressly excludes de facto spouses, cohabiting partners and fiancés.
Who counts as a dependant under the published ASSG answer?
| Person | Covered by the answer | Condition stated |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Yes | Marriage relationship |
| Other party to a same-sex civil partnership, civil union or "same-sex marriage" | Yes | Entered into under the local law of the place of celebration and legally and officially recognised there |
| Other party to an opposite-sex civil partnership or civil union | Yes | Same recognition condition |
| Unmarried dependent children under 18 | Yes | Must be unmarried, dependent and under 18 |
| De facto spouse, cohabiting partner, fiancé/fiancée | No | Expressly excluded |
| Parents, siblings and other relatives | Not named | Outside the scope of the answer |
The answer goes no wider than this. A family plan built around anyone outside the spouse and under-18 child categories has no support in the published policy statement.
Which partner relationships are on the list?
Six relationship types appear. The entrant's spouse heads the list, then the other party to a same-sex civil partnership, a same-sex civil union, a "same-sex marriage", an opposite-sex civil partnership or an opposite-sex civil union. The inclusion of opposite-sex civil partnership and civil union matters for couples who registered their relationship rather than married, since the published wording treats those registrations as qualifying relationships rather than as something separate from marriage.
Every one of the five civil-union-type categories carries the same two conditions. The relationship must have been entered into in accordance with the local law in force of the place of celebration, and the status must be legally and officially recognised by the local authorities of that place. A relationship that a couple treats as permanent but that the place of celebration does not register or recognise does not meet the published wording.
How is a civil partnership or civil union tested?
The page defines "civil partnership" and "civil union" as a legal institution of a nature akin to the spousal relationship in a marriage, limited to relationships legally and officially recognised in the place of celebration. Such relationships normally have four features:
- Formation and dissolution are governed by the legislation of the place where the relationship was entered into.
- Registration is required by the competent authority specified in that legislation.
- The registration is evidenced in a written instrument issued by that authority.
- The parties have a mutual commitment to a shared life akin to spouses, to the exclusion of others, on a permanent basis.
The exclusion list sits next to those features: de facto spouse, partners in cohabitation and fiancé/fiancée are not covered.
What is the threshold for children?
Children must be unmarried, dependent and under the age of 18. The published answer sets the line at 18 and does not address children who have reached that age, so a plan that assumes an older child can follow has no basis in this statement.
What does being the sponsor involve?
The ASSG entrant is the sponsor of the accompanying dependants. Two parts of the entrant's own position carry the weight.
The entrant's eligibility already includes showing sufficient financial means to meet the maintenance and accommodation of himself or herself — including dependants, if any — in Hong Kong without recourse to public funds. The dependant plan therefore sits inside the same financial test applied at the entrant's own application.
The entrant's own limit of stay also sets the timetable. ASSG entrants are normally granted an initial stay of 24 months on time limitation only with no other conditions of stay, and no job offer is needed at the application stage or on first entry. On extension, the entrant must show employment at a level commonly taken up by degree holders with remuneration at market level, or produce proof of a business established or joined in Hong Kong. Extensions are normally granted on time limitation only, for not more than three years or until the employment contract in Hong Kong expires, whichever is shorter, and the application must be made within three months before the current limit of stay expires; extension applications can be submitted online.
The published answer describes the entrant as sponsor and does not set out separate conditions for the dependants' own stay, so what applies to them beyond sponsorship is not stated on this page.
What the page does not cover
No fee amount, processing time or document checklist for a dependant application appears in the FAQ. The ASSG section describes the e-Visa step for the successful applicant's own visa or entry permit label — payment through a link in the result notification, the GovHK website or the Immigration Department mobile application, after which the e-Visa can be downloaded or printed — but it gives no figures. For anything not published, the Immigration Department's latest published requirements govern.
This summary is general information about published policy rather than advice on an individual case, and it does not replace professional advice on a specific family's circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an ASSG entrant bring a same-sex spouse or civil partner?
Yes. The published answer names the other party to a same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union or "same-sex marriage" as a dependant who may be brought in. The relationship must have been entered into under the local law of the place of celebration and be legally and officially recognised by the local authorities there.
Do unmarried partners who live together qualify?
No. Cohabiting partners, de facto spouses and fiancé/fiancée are expressly excluded from the dependant categories. The published wording requires a marriage or a registered civil partnership or civil union recognised in the place of celebration.
What is the age limit for children?
Children must be unmarried, dependent and under 18. The answer sets the threshold at 18 and does not cover children who have reached that age, so older children fall outside this policy statement.
Does the ASSG entrant need a job offer before applying?
No. An applicant is not required to have secured an offer of employment in Hong Kong at the application stage, and no employment is required on initial entry. Employment at degree-holder level with market-level remuneration, or proof of a business, becomes relevant when the entrant applies for an extension of stay.
How long is the initial stay for an ASSG entrant?
The initial stay is normally 24 months, on time limitation only with no other conditions of stay. Extensions are normally granted on time limitation only for not more than three years, or until the employment contract in Hong Kong expires, whichever is shorter.
Who sponsors the dependants, and what financial test applies?
The ASSG entrant is the sponsor of the dependants who accompany them to Hong Kong. The entrant must show sufficient financial means to meet maintenance and accommodation, including for dependants, without recourse to public funds.
Does the page give dependant application fees or processing times?
No. The FAQ states no fee amount, processing time or document checklist for dependant applications. Fees and requirements should be taken from the Immigration Department's latest published information.