Hong Kong · Permanent Residence
Hong Kong Permanent Residency and Right of Abode
Permanent residency in Hong Kong means the right of abode. Founders on the entrepreneur route and New CIES investors can apply after seven years of continuous ordinary residence, declaring Hong Kong their only place of permanent residence.
- Startup route
- Investment as Entrepreneurs (General Employment Policy)
- Minimum capital
- No fixed minimum; business plan and funding assessed
- Permanent residence
- 7 years of continuous ordinary residence
- Citizenship
- Discretionary naturalization as a Chinese national
Right of abode for persons not of Chinese nationality
A person who is not of Chinese nationality can become a Hong Kong permanent resident after entering with a valid travel document, ordinarily residing in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years, and taking Hong Kong as their place of permanent residence. The status is not automatic: it exists only once the Director of Immigration approves an application. ImmD's entrepreneur guidance confirms that people admitted for investment can apply once they meet the seven-year rule. Applicants must be in Hong Kong when applying, prove seven years of continuous ordinary residence immediately before the application and sign a declaration on Form ROP146. Verification of eligibility and the first permanent identity card are free of charge.
- Residence
- 7 years of continuous ordinary residence before applying
- Declaration
- Form ROP146: Hong Kong as the only place of permanent residence
- Government fee
- Free for verification and the first permanent identity card
- Where to apply
- In Hong Kong only
- Status
- Requires the Director of Immigration's approval
- Chinese citizens
- Separate category: 7 years' residence, no declaration listed
Requirements
- Have entered Hong Kong with a valid travel document and be a person not of Chinese nationality.
- Show at least seven years of continuous ordinary residence immediately before the application.
- Declare on Form ROP146 that Hong Kong is the applicant's only place of permanent residence.
- Supply evidence such as employment, school, bank or tax records covering the seven years.
- Be physically in Hong Kong when the application is made.
How to apply
- Collect proof of residence for each of the seven years and a travel document showing entry and current stay.
- Complete the verification application and the ROP146 declaration.
- Submit the application in Hong Kong; no fee is charged.
- On approval, receive a Hong Kong permanent identity card recording the right of abode.
New CIES: permanent residency or unconditional stay
The New CIES is designed so that investors who actually live in Hong Kong can move to permanent residency. After seven years of continuous ordinary residence, the investor and dependants may apply to become permanent residents under the law, and once approved the investor may dispose of the permissible investment assets, subject to the terms of each investment. Investors who hold the investment for seven years without meeting the residence test may instead apply for unconditional stay at the end of the seventh year, which also releases the investment. Until either approval, the committed investment cannot be reduced. Both decisions sit with the Immigration Department, while InvestHK monitors continued compliance with the investment rules.
- PR route
- 7 years of continuous ordinary residence for investor and family
- Fallback
- Unconditional stay at the end of the seventh year
- Investment release
- After permanent residency or unconditional stay is approved
- Compliance check
- New CIES Office at InvestHK monitors the portfolio
- Decision
- Immigration Department
Requirements
- Keep the committed New CIES investment intact throughout the stay.
- For permanent residency, ordinarily reside in Hong Kong continuously for at least seven years.
- Meet the same right of abode rules as other applicants, including the permanent residence declaration where applicable.
- Without seven years' residence, apply for unconditional stay at the end of the seventh year instead.
How to apply
- Maintain the portfolio and file each extension on time during the seven years.
- At year seven, apply for permanent residency if the residence test is met, or for unconditional stay if not.
- After approval, dispose of the investments if wished, subject to their own terms.
Proving seven years of ordinary residence
ImmD asks for proof of seven years of continuous ordinary residence immediately before the application, and lists school records, employment records, receipts, bank statements and tax receipts as examples of evidence. Founders should keep a running file from the day they arrive, because tax returns, tenancy agreements and payroll records are easier to collect year by year than at the end. The applicant also needs a travel document showing entry into Hong Kong and the current permission to stay, and anyone under 18 needs a parent's or guardian's identity documents and proof of relationship.
Time on an entrepreneur visa or under the New CIES counts toward the seven years when the person is ordinarily resident, and ImmD's guidance for both routes refers to the same continuous residence test. The declaration on Form ROP146 matters for people who are not of Chinese nationality, because the right of abode in their category depends on having taken Hong Kong as their permanent home. Chinese citizens fall under a separate category that does not list the declaration. Documents not in Chinese or English need certified translations.
Questions and answers
Does time on the entrepreneur visa count toward Hong Kong permanent residency?
Yes. ImmD's guidance for the Investment as Entrepreneurs route states that people admitted for investment who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years may apply for the right of abode in accordance with the law. Approval is still required; the status is not granted automatically on the seventh anniversary.
Is there a fee to apply for the right of abode?
No. ImmD's fee table lists the application for verification of eligibility and the first issue of a permanent identity card as free of charge. Fees apply later only for replacement cards, such as after loss or damage or a change in personal details.
What happens to a New CIES investment after permanent residency?
Once an investor's permanent residency is approved, the investor is free to dispose of the permissible investment assets held under the scheme, subject to the terms of each underlying investment. The same release applies if the investor instead obtains unconditional stay at the end of the seventh year.
Does Hong Kong permanent residency change a founder's nationality?
No. The right of abode is a residence status. A person who is not of Chinese nationality keeps their existing nationality after becoming a Hong Kong permanent resident. Acquiring Chinese nationality is a separate naturalization process under the PRC Nationality Law, which requires giving up foreign nationality.
Official sources
- Eligibility for the Right of Abode in the HKSARwww.immd.gov.hk
- Apply for Right of Abode in Hong Kongwww.immd.gov.hk
- Fee Tableswww.immd.gov.hk
- New CIES - FAQswww.newcies.gov.hk
- Investment as Entrepreneurswww.immd.gov.hk
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Hong Kong.
Startup visa
GEP entrepreneur entry, judged on business plan, jobs and capital
02Temporary residence
36-month first stay, then extensions on a 3-year then 2-year pattern
03Permanent residence
Right of abode after 7 years of continuous ordinary residence
04Citizenship
Naturalization under the PRC Nationality Law; foreign nationality ends