Hong Kong CIES 2026: residence applications must be filed online (ID967)

If you are applying for residence under Hong Kong's Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) in 2026, the completed application must be uploaded through the Immigration Department's online application system; postal, in-person and fax submission are all marked "Not Applicable" on the official form page. According to the Hong Kong Immigration Department's official pages for "Application for Residence under Capital Investment Entrant Scheme - English version" (form ID(E) 967) and "Rules for the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme - English Version" (form ID(E) 968), as of October 2026, the residence application has no offline filing route, and the scheme's substantive rules are published in the separate ID(E) 968 rules document rather than inside the application form itself.

How must a CIES residence application be submitted in 2026?

The application is filed online. The form page states that applicants shall submit their applications through the online application system of the Immigration Department and upload the completed form. The same page shows "Not Applicable" for mailing address, in-person submission and fax, so sending the form by post or handing it in at an office is not an available channel under the published instructions.

Which form is used, and what is the online system called?

The residence application form is ID(E) 967 in English and ID(C) 967 in Chinese, both titled "Application for Residence under Capital Investment Entrant Scheme". Both versions run to 8 pages; the English PDF is 500 KB and the Chinese PDF is 1.26 MB. The completed form is uploaded to the online system named "Online Application for Extension of Stay (for Persons Admitted under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme or Their Dependants)", which is the channel identified on the form pages for CIES entrants and their dependants. The application form pages carry a supplementary note dated 17 January 2025.

Where do the scheme rules sit, and which version is authoritative?

The rules are in a separate document: "Rules for the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme", published as form ID(E) 968 in English (37 pages, 6.06 MB) and ID(C) 968 in Chinese (35 pages, 1.93 MB). The English version is the Rules document; the Chinese version is marked "for reference only" on the Immigration Department's page. The rules pages carry a supplementary note dated 16 April 2026. This article does not restate the investment threshold, eligible asset classes or other qualifying conditions: those are set out in the rules document itself, and the filing-channel guidance here should be read alongside that document rather than as a substitute for it.

What does this mean for an applicant preparing the submission?

Suppose an applicant has completed the investment and needs to apply for residence: the applicant would read the rules in ID(E) 968, complete ID(E) 967 (or the Chinese ID(C) 967), and upload that completed form through the online extension-of-stay application system. Because the form pages list no mailing or in-person address, the upload is the only described submission step; the page also publishes a telephone enquiry number of (852) 2824 6111 and an enquiry email of enquiry@immd.gov.hk, but these are enquiry contacts rather than filing channels. This article is for general reference only and does not constitute personalised legal or immigration advice; as scheme conditions and document versions can be updated, check the requirements against the latest official publications or take advice from a qualified professional before filing.

Is any offline filing route still available?

No. The "Submission of Completed Forms" table on the form page shows Mailing Address, In Person To and Fax To all as "Not Applicable". The only actions described for the application itself are completing the form and uploading it in the online system; the enquiry telephone number and email address on the page are not submission routes.

How current is this information?

The official pages were checked as of October 2026. The application form pages carry a supplementary note dated 17 January 2025 and the rules pages a supplementary note dated 16 April 2026. Because the Immigration Department can revise forms and rules, the position should be confirmed against the latest official publication at the time of filing; the pages used for this article are listed under References below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mail or hand in a CIES residence application in 2026?

No. The official form page marks the mailing address, in-person submission and fax fields as "Not Applicable" for the completed form. The only filing route described is the Immigration Department's online application system, where the completed form must be uploaded.

Which form do I need for a CIES residence application?

Use form ID(E) 967 for the English version or ID(C) 967 for the Chinese version; both are called "Application for Residence under Capital Investment Entrant Scheme" and run to 8 pages. The completed form is uploaded to the online system rather than sent anywhere physically.

Where are the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme rules published?

The rules are in the separate document "Rules for the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme", issued as ID(E) 968 in English and ID(C) 968 in Chinese. The English version is the rules document; the Chinese version is marked "for reference only" on the official page.

Does this article set out the investment threshold or eligibility amounts?

No. This article covers only the mandatory online filing channel and the location of the scheme rules document, and does not restate thresholds, eligible investments or other qualifying conditions. Those details appear in the official rules document, which should be read directly for current requirements.

How current is the official information behind this article?

The Hong Kong Immigration Department's form and rules pages were checked as of October 2026; the form pages carry a supplementary note dated 17 January 2025 and the rules pages one dated 16 April 2026. Applicants should confirm the position against the latest official publication before filing, as forms and rules can be revised.