Immigration

We have provided various services in respect of Hong Kong visas and immigration services for over 10 years and have substantial hands-on experience in relation to immigration matter.

Our scope of services in this practice area mainly include:

● assisting clients to apply for different types of Hong Kong visas; and
● providing immigration services, including application for third country passports or right of abode in Hong Kong.

I. Visas

i. Working Visas

These are applicable to persons intending to work in Hong Kong. Normally applications can be categorized into two schemes, namely “Employment under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals” and “General Employment Policy”, and the choice of schemes depends on the origins of the applicants. Processing time is approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Successful applicants can come to Hong Kong with their spouses and unmarried dependent children who are under 18. After they have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years, they can apply for  right of abode in Hong Kong.

ii. Residence as Dependents

Under the regulations of the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the following persons’ spouses and unmarried dependent children under 18 can reside in Hong Kong as dependents subject to visa application:

a. persons who have been admitted into the HKSAR to take up employment (as professionals, for investment to establish/join in business, or for training);
b. persons who have been admitted into the HKSAR to take up studies (in a full-time undergraduate or post-graduate program in a local degree-awarding institution); and
c. persons who are permitted to remain in the HKSAR as entrants under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme or the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.

iii. Investment (to establish/ join in business)

Overseas Chinese nationals holding People’s Republic of China (PRC) passports who meet the following criteria may apply to enter the HKSAR for investment:

a. having permanent residence overseas; or
b. having been resided overseas for at least one year immediately before the submission of application (“overseas” means places outside the PRC, the Macao SAR and Hong Kong SAR) and the application is submitted from overseas.

II. Immigration

i. Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
a. We are able to apply for respective visas for the following persons:
● foreign nationals;
● Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) residents
● Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country;
● Taiwan residents; and
● stateless persons who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign  country with proven re-entry facilities.

b. Applicants have to satisfy the following criteria:
● be aged 18 or above when applying for entry under the Scheme;
● have net assets of not less than HK$10 million to which he/she is absolutely beneficially entitled throughout the two years preceding his/her application;
● have no adverse record both in Hong Kong and country/region of residence; and
● have invested not less than HK$10 million in permissible investment asset classes.

(Note: entrants must have invested within six months before submission of their applications to the Immigration Department, or will invest within six months after the granting of approval in principle by the Immigration Department, not less than HK$10 million in permissible investment asset classes)

c. Processing Time

It depends on the workload of Immigration Department and generally takes 10 months to a year. If the supporting documents are inadequate, the process will be delayed.

d. Becoming a Permanent Hong Kong Resident

Entrants may be allowed to bring in their dependants including spouse and unmarried dependent children under 18 years of age. After being ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years, entrants can apply for Hong Kong permanent resident status in Hong Kong.

ii. Quality Migrant Admission Scheme

The Scheme is an entrant scheme. It is quota-based and seeks to attract highly skilled or talented persons who are fresh entrants not having the right to enter and remain in Hong Kong to settle in Hong Kong in order to enhance Hong Kong’s economic competitiveness in the global market. Successful applicants are not required to secure an offer of local employment before their entry to Hong Kong for settlement.  All applicants are required to fulfill a set of prerequisites before they can be awarded points under one of the two points-based tests, namely the General Points Test and Achievement-based Points Test, and compete for quota allocation with other applicants. Successful applicants under the Scheme may bring their spouse and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 to Hong Kong provided that they are capable of supporting and accommodating their dependants on their own financial resources without relying on public assistance in Hong Kong.