Hong Kong New CIES 2026: Filing Online and Tracking Your Application

You file an entry application under the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (新資本投資者入境計劃, “New CIES”) through the GovHK online service, upload your supporting documents in the same submission, and then wait for the Immigration Department (“ImmD”) to email you the outcome. According to the Immigration Department’s New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme FAQ page (last revised 02-03-2026), email is the notification channel, and the fallback listed for failed electronic delivery is a technical support hotline at (852) 3128 8668. This page explains the published filing and notification mechanics only; it is general information, not advice on an individual case, so check the latest official pages or take professional advice before you act on it.

Where do you submit the application?

ImmD’s FAQ gives one route: you submit the application and upload the necessary documents online through the GovHK page set up for the scheme. The FAQ does not describe a parallel paper or in-person filing route for this stage.

The catch is timing. The online ImmD application is not the first step of the scheme, so filing it early does not speed anything up.

What documents do you have to upload?

Yes, supporting documents are required. ImmD points applicants to the same GovHK page for the requirements, and that checklist is maintained there rather than in the FAQ itself.

Because the list sits on a separate page that ImmD can update, treat the version you see on filing day as the one that applies to your submission.

How will ImmD tell you the result?

By email, to the address you provide in the online application. There is no account dashboard or reference-number lookup described in the FAQ.

ImmD also flags the obvious failure modes: an invalid or incorrect email address, or a mail server that treats the notification as spam and blocks or deletes it, will stop the result from reaching you.

What if the result email never arrives?

Check the address you entered and your spam or quarantine folder first, since those are the two causes ImmD names. If that does not resolve it, ImmD lists a technical support hotline at (852) 3128 8668.

Can your family file in the same submission?

Yes. One online application can cover you and your accompanying dependants — up to eight of them. You do not need to open separate applications for each family member at the initial entry stage.

How does the online filing fit into the rest of the process?

The scheme runs in two tracks that alternate between two offices. InvestHK verifies money matters; ImmD decides immigration matters. Your online filing to ImmD is the second step, not the first.

Step	Who handles it	What happens
Net Asset Assessment	InvestHK	You show net assets or net equity of not less than HK$30 million held throughout the six months before you lodge the assessment, then receive a certifying proof
Entry application	ImmD (online)	You file within the certifying proof’s validity period; approval-in-principle brings a visitor entry permit of not more than 180 days to make the committed investment
Investment verification	InvestHK	After you invest, InvestHK checks the Investment Requirements and issues a second certifying proof
Formal approval	ImmD	You submit that proof within its validity period; upon formal approval, permission of stay is normally granted to the applicant/entrant and his/her dependants (if any) for not more than 24 months on time limitation only, subject to the condition that the applicant/entrant continues to satisfy the requirements of the New CIES throughout this period

Each entry permit carries its own condition, so the practical rule is simple: file to ImmD while the relevant InvestHK proof is still valid.

What changes when you file for an extension of stay online?

Extensions use a different GovHK online service — the one for New CIES entrants and their dependants. Two extra conditions apply that do not appear at the initial filing stage.

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 sequence also matters. You approach InvestHK no earlier than three months before your limit of stay expires — that limit is granted for 24 months on first entry or 36 months on extension — and InvestHK issues a certifying proof for the Portfolio Maintenance Requirements. You and any dependants still have to file the extension with ImmD before the limit expires, even if the proof has not arrived yet. ImmD then decides, and normally grants not more than three years.

Who actually verifies your investment?

InvestHK, not ImmD. InvestHK is the office responsible for verifying the Net Asset Requirement, the Investment Requirements and the Portfolio Maintenance Requirements, and it publishes scheme details on its own site.

ImmD assesses the immigration side, including whether you have no adverse immigration record, meet normal immigration and security requirements, and can support and accommodate yourself and any dependants without relying on returns from the permissible investment assets, employment, or public assistance. The full asset definitions sit in the Rules for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I file the New CIES entry application on paper?

ImmD’s FAQ names the GovHK online service as the route for both the application and the document upload. It does not set out an alternative paper or counter-filing route for this stage.

How do I check my application result online?

ImmD notifies you by email rather than through an online status checker. Keep the email address on the application valid and watch your spam folder, since a blocked or deleted message counts as failed delivery.

What should I do if my result notification bounces?

Confirm the email address you submitted is correct and check whether your mail server filtered the message. If delivery still fails, the FAQ lists a technical support hotline at (852) 3128 8668.

Do I need to file separately for my dependants?

No. A single online application can include you and up to eight accompanying dependants. Dependants admitted under the scheme are allowed to take up employment or study under prevailing policy.

Do I apply to ImmD before InvestHK checks my net assets?

No. InvestHK verifies the Net Asset Requirement first and issues a certifying proof. You then file the entry application with ImmD within that proof’s validity period.

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

Yes. You must be physically present in Hong Kong at the time of the extension application, and again when you pay for and collect the e-Visa after approval.