Hong Kong New CIES 2026: Online Submission and How to Check Application Result

You file an entry application under Hong Kong's New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) online with the Immigration Department (ImmD), uploading supporting documents through the same service, and ImmD notifies you of the result by e-mail. If that e-mail address is invalid or your own mail server blocks or deletes the message, the department lists a Technical Support Hotline at (852) 3128 8668 for delivery problems. This follows the Immigration Department's "New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme" Frequently Asked Questions page, as of the October 2026 version of the official page, and the pages it points to.

Treat what follows as general information about published procedure, not as advice on your own case; the official pages and any qualified adviser you consult should govern how you actually file.

How do I submit a New CIES application online?

ImmD takes the entry application for a visa/entry permit under the New CIES through its online application service, and that same service is where you upload the necessary documents. Supporting documents are required — the department publishes the document requirements on the gov.hk page it links to for this scheme.

Filing online does not shorten the scheme into a single step. Two offices are involved: InvestHK verifies the financial requirements, and ImmD handles the immigration assessment and the visa itself.

What has to happen before you can file with ImmD?

You approach InvestHK first for a Net Asset Assessment. You need net assets or net equity of not less than HK$30 million (or the equivalent in foreign currencies) held throughout the six months before you lodge that assessment, and you must be absolutely beneficially entitled to them. InvestHK issues a Certifying Proof for Fulfillment of Net Asset Requirement once it is satisfied, and your entry application to ImmD has to go in within the validity period of that proof.

The other eligibility criteria, stated subject to the Rules for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, are these: you are aged 18 or above when you apply for the Net Asset Assessment; you fall into one of the covered categories (foreign nationals, Chinese nationals who hold permanent resident status in a foreign country, Macao SAR residents, or Chinese residents of Taiwan); you make the committed investment in permissible investment assets on or after the scheme's launch date; you have no adverse immigration record and meet normal immigration and security requirements; and you can support and accommodate yourself and any dependants without relying on investment returns, employment, business or public assistance in Hong Kong. Nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are excluded, and the Security Bureau and ImmD review that list from time to time. Stateless persons who hold foreign permanent resident status with proven re-entry facilities are eligible.

What does the online application lead to?

The filing sequence runs through two InvestHK checks with an ImmD decision on either side of the investment.

Stage	What you do	What it produces
Net asset check	Apply to InvestHK for a Net Asset Assessment covering the six months before you lodge it	Certifying Proof for Fulfillment of Net Asset Requirement
Entry application	File online with ImmD within the validity of that proof	Approval-in-principle, then a visa/entry permit to enter on visitor status for not more than 180 days
Committed investment	Invest not less than HK$30 million net in permissible investment assets within the specified timeframe	Eligibility for InvestHK's investment check
Investment check	Return to InvestHK for verification	Certifying Proof for Fulfillment of Investment Requirements
Final assessment	Submit that proof to ImmD within its validity period	Formal approval; permission to stay for not more than 24 months, on time limitation only, conditioned on continued compliance

The details of permissible investment assets and of the investment requirement itself sit in the Rules for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, not in the FAQ.

How will ImmD tell me the result?

By e-mail. The FAQ states that ImmD notifies applicants of the application result electronically, and it flags two failure cases: the e-mail address you gave is invalid or incorrect, or your e-mail server — a spam filter, for example — blocks or deletes the notification. In those cases delivery by electronic means fails, and the department gives (852) 3128 8668 as a Technical Support Hotline.

So the practical precaution is on your side of the mailbox: use an address you actually monitor while the application is pending, and make sure the department's messages are not being filtered out.

Can dependants go in the same online application?

Yes. You can submit an application for yourself and your accompanying dependants together in a single online application, with a maximum of eight accompanying dependants. Dependants in this context cover a spouse or the other party to a recognised same-sex or opposite-sex civil partnership, civil union or marriage, plus unmarried dependent children under 18. Their length of stay normally follows the sponsor's, and under prevailing policy they may take up employment or study in Hong Kong.

What if I am already in Hong Kong on another visa?

ImmD accepts an entry application from anyone who meets the New CIES eligibility criteria, whether the person is residing in Hong Kong or elsewhere. There is no requirement to be outside Hong Kong when you file.

Does the same online route apply to an extension of stay?

It does. You apply and upload documents through ImmD's online service for extension of stay, and you must be physically present in Hong Kong at the time of application, and again at payment and collection of the e-Visa after approval.

The sequence before that filing: you approach InvestHK, not earlier than three months before your limit of stay expires, to verify continued compliance with the Portfolio Maintenance Requirements and obtain a Certifying Proof for Fulfillment of Portfolio Maintenance Requirements. You and any dependants must still apply to ImmD before the limit of stay expires, even if that proof has not arrived yet. ImmD normally grants extension for not more than three years; the limit of stay is 24 months on first entry and 36 months after an extension.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check my New CIES application result online in 2026?

ImmD notifies applicants of the result by e-mail, according to its New CIES FAQ page as of October 2026. The page describes e-mail as the notification channel and does not describe a separate online status lookup for applicants.

What if the result e-mail never arrives?

Two causes are named on the official page: the e-mail address on file is invalid or incorrect, or your own mail server blocks or deletes the notification, for instance through a spam filter. For delivery failures, ImmD lists a Technical Support Hotline at (852) 3128 8668.

Do I have to upload supporting documents with the online application?

Yes, supporting documents are required. The list of what to supply is published on the gov.hk page for New CIES applications rather than in the FAQ itself, so check that page for the current document requirements before you start uploading.

Can my family be included in one application?

Yes. A single online application can cover you and up to eight accompanying dependants, which includes a recognised spouse or civil partner and unmarried dependent children under 18. Later, dependants can also apply separately if you have already been admitted under the scheme.

Do I have to be in Hong Kong to apply for an extension of stay?

Yes. You must be physically present in Hong Kong when you submit the extension application, and again when you pay for and collect the e-Visa after approval. The application itself must reach ImmD before your current limit of stay expires.

Does seven years under the scheme make me a permanent resident?

No. Continuously meeting the financial requirements for seven years does not by itself confer the right of abode, and ImmD treats it as no acknowledgement that you meet the ordinary residence requirement under the Immigration Ordinance. A person claiming permanent resident status applies separately for verification of eligibility for a permanent identity card.