Obtaining a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card (HKPIC) and “settling down” in Hong Kong is the ultimate goal of the vast majority of people applying for a Hong Kong identity. After all, only by becoming a permanent resident can you enjoy all the benefits and conveniences that come with your Hong Kong identity.

Regardless of which route to apply for Hong Kong status through the Merit, Specialist and High Talent passes, obtaining the initial visa is only the first step, the subsequent two renewals and meeting the full 7-year residency requirement are the real highlights.

Combined with the actual cases we have handled in the past, we will systematically sort out the specific operation process of applying for permanent residence in Hong Kong, as well as the key details that can be easily overlooked in each step. If you are planning to apply for permanent residence in the near future, please bookmark this page.If you have any questions about Hong Kong identity application, visa renewal or permanent residence, Enterprise Caiying Group can provide one-stop professional services, welcome to contact us at any time (Tel: 16620947137, WeChat: Qicaiyingjituan).

I. From Hong Kong Identity to Hong Kong Permanent Residence: The Three Stages to Go Through

01. Phase I: Getting the ticket

According to your academic qualifications, work background and other conditions, choose the appropriate channel (Premium/Professional/Student/Higher Talent Pass, etc.) to submit your application. Upon approval, you will be granted Hong Kong status and enjoy the right to live, work, study and do business in Hong Kong. A period of stay of 2-3 years is usually granted upon first approval under various talent schemes.

Hong Kong High Achievers Programme

Applicants are categorized into three groups, namely, A, B and C, with different eligibility criteria. Applicants are not required to secure an offer of employment upon their first entry into Hong Kong.

🟣 Category A: Annual income ≥ HK$2.5 million (or equivalent in foreign currency) in the year prior to application, including salary, bonus, profits from shareholding companies, etc. (except investment income), with no restriction on academic qualifications.
If the application is based on business profits, the business owner must have held ≥50% in the previous full tax year and the company's profits are calculated on a pro-rata basis to meet HK$2.5 million (for 60%, the company's profits must reach HK$4.17 million).

🟢 Category B: Bachelor's degree from one of the world's 200 eligible universities (including 23 in the Mainland, e.g. Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, etc.) with at least 3 years of cumulative work experience in the past 5 years; Master's/Doctoral degrees will not be recognized in lieu of Bachelor's degree.

🟡 Category C: Graduated from an eligible university within the past 5 years but with less than 3 years of working experience (annual quota of 10,000 on a first-come-first-served basis), Bachelor's Degree only, no part-time qualifications such as post-secondary/self-learning, etc. are accepted.

Hong Kong Talents Scheme

📚 basic qualification: Applicants are required to meet four basic qualifications (18 years of age or older, a bachelor's degree or higher, financial independence, and a clean criminal record) and choose either the Achievement Points System or the Comprehensive Points System for assessment:

✅ Points for Achievement System (PAS): Only for a very small number of applicants who have won international awards (e.g. Olympic medals, Nobel Prize) or top industry achievements (e.g. major scientific breakthroughs), and will be approved if they meet the criteria, otherwise they will be rejected outright.

✅ General Points System (GPS): For the core pathway, applicants are required to meet at least 6 specific criteria (e.g. Master's degree in STEM majors, executive experience in prestigious companies, annual income exceeding HK$1 million, annual profit of shareholding companies exceeding HK$5 million, etc.) under 12 assessment criteria in 6 dimensions: age, academic qualifications, language proficiency, work experience, annual income, business ownership, etc. There is no quota restriction.

Study in Hong Kong Continuing Education Program

Simply put, it means studying in Hong Kong, including associate degree, undergraduate degree, master degree and doctorate degree. Usually after graduation, you can unconditionally apply for a 2-year IANG visa, which can be renewed for a full 7 years (the time spent studying is also included), and then you can apply for Hong Kong permanent resident status. Usually the most applied for is the 1-year taught master's degree, the actual study time is only about 9 months.

Hong Kong Professionals Scheme

👨‍💼 personal condition: Applicants should be at least 18 years old, possess a bachelor's degree or above (some shortage sectors may be relaxed to post-secondary + professional skills), and have been employed by a local Hong Kong company in a position commensurate with their academic qualifications/experience and with a salary up to the market level;

🏘 Employer Requirements: Employers should have been established for more than 12 months, have a fixed office address (≥300 sq. ft.) and demonstrate that it is difficult to recruit suitable candidates for the position in Hong Kong (e.g. there is a lack of local talents with the relevant skills).

New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme

✅ Age requirements: Be at least 18 years of age with no upper age limit.
✅ Status requirements: Foreign nationals (except Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea), Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country, residents of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), and Chinese nationals of Taiwan, and mainland residents who need to obtain permanent residency in a third country (e.g., a green card such as those of Vanuatu and Guinea-Bissau) before they can apply.
✅ Asset requirements: Continuous absolute beneficial ownership of net assets of not less than HK$30 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) throughout the 6-month period prior to the submission of the application.
✅ investment requirement: Upon approval in principle, a permissible investment allocation of not less than HK$30 million must be completed within six months, and mainland residents are required to replace their assets with offshore assets in order to make the investment.
✅ conduct requirements: Applicants are required to have a clean criminal record and no adverse immigration record.

02. Phase II: stabilization of status (renewal session)

Before the expiration of your initial visa, you need to submit an application to the Immigration Department for an extension of your stay visa, which is often referred to as a renewal.

Here is a special reminder: Starting from March 1, 2026, the window period for visa renewal applications has been extended from 28 days in advance to 3 months in advance for all persons coming to Hong Kong through the QMAS and their dependants. We suggest you set up a calendar reminder so that you don't get stuck at the last minute.

hint: The preparation of renewal documents is complicated, especially when it comes to proof of the company's operation (e.g. audit reports, MPF records, etc.).Enterprise Finance GroupWe provide one-stop corporate services such as annual audit of Hong Kong companies, bookkeeping and tax reporting, tax compliance, etc. We can assist you in organizing standardized renewal materials to ensure smooth passing of the review.

03. Stage 3: Sprinting for Permanent Residence

Through one or more successful renewals, you can ensure that your Hong Kong status will be valid for a cumulative total of seven years. As long as the seven-year “continuous ordinary residence” requirement is met, the application for verification of permanent identity card can be formally submitted to the Immigration Department.

II. Regarding “seven years of continuous ordinary residence”, what exactly does the Immigration Department check?

This is the core of the whole application for permanent residence and also the one that people have the most questions about. For those who came to Hong Kong through the channels of talents/senior talents/specialists/students, the criterion of “ordinarily resident” is really crucial when applying for permanent residence.

However, according to the cases we have come into contact with over the years, the ImmD does not require the applicants to stay in Hong Kong throughout the seven years.

“What exactly is meant by ”ordinarily resident"?

Earlier on, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr. TSANG Kwok-wai, gave an explanation from his personal experience at a press conference on the Legislative Council general election. He mentioned that during the years when he worked in the Beijing Office, he actually lived in Beijing most of the time, but this did not affect the fact that he was regarded as “ordinarily resident” in Hong Kong.

There are two layers of information that can be read from this example:

1️⃣ Absence of person from Hong Kong does not mean that the ordinary residence requirement is not satisfied(b) “Ordinarily resident” status: Even prolonged absence from Hong Kong may be recognized as "ordinarily resident" as long as it can be proved that the person maintains close ties with Hong Kong.

2️⃣ The Immigration Department will take into account a number of dimensionsAccording to section 2(6) of the Hong Kong Immigration Ordinance, “ordinary residence” is examined in the following aspects:
① Reasons for absence, duration and frequency of absence from Hong Kong
② Have a habitual residence in Hong Kong
③ Whether family members (spouse and minor children) are ordinarily resident in Hong Kong
④ Whether employed by a local Hong Kong company
⑤ Whether he/she has a stable income to support himself/herself and his/her family in Hong Kong.
(vi) Whether tax returns are filed and paid legally and on time.

3️⃣ Persons who commute between the Mainland and Hong Kong for a prolonged period of time are still “ordinarily resident” in Hong Kong.: For those who commute between the Mainland and Hong Kong for a long period of time for work and living, they can still be regarded as “ordinarily resident” in Hong Kong.

Invisible red lines on departure times

Although there is no explicit provision on the specific number of days, the industry generally advises that a single departure from Hong Kong should not exceed 180 days in any one year. If this time limit is exceeded, it is recommended that adequate explanatory notes and relevant supporting materials be prepared.

What proof of residency do I need to prepare in advance?

The following documents may be required, but are not limited to, when applying for permanent residence:

① Proof of address (utility bills, rental contracts, etc.);
② Proof of employment (employment contract, pay stubs, MPF records);
③ Proof that the child is studying in Hong Kong;
④ Tax returns and bank statements;
⑤ Immigration records;

For those who renewed their visas by starting a self-employed businessIt is recommended to prepare in advance company audit reports, profits tax returns, employee MPF records, etc., which are the key evidence to prove “economic contribution” and “residential connection”.Enterprise Finance GroupExperienced in Hong Kong company registration, bookkeeping and tax preparation, auditing, etc., we can provide you with professional support to help you build a complete chain of evidence.

III. Application for Hong Kong Permanent Resident Identity Card: Online + Offline Full Process

You can submit your application half a month before you complete 7 years. The Immigration Department's system will start processing it only after you have completed 7 years, so don't worry that it will be returned if you submit it early. If it has been more than 7 years, you can submit it anytime.

📑 Organize the following materials in advance:

① Existing Hong Kong Identity Card (non-permanent resident);
② Hong Kong and Macau Travel Permit/Passport;
③ Visa tags/e-visas for previous years;
④ Proof of academic qualifications (diploma, degree);
⑤ Work-related documents (contracts, MPF records, etc.);
⑥ Immigration records (can be checked at the kiosk or APP at the Immigration Department);

How to submit an application online

① Enter the official website

Open the Online Application for Verification of Eligibility for Permanent Resident Identity Card page:
https://www.gov.hk/tc/residents/immigration/idcard/verifypic.htm

② Confirmation of location

I must be in Hong Kong and in a state of lawful stay at the time of application, check the disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

(iii) Fill out the application form

Fill in personal information item by item as prompted by the system.

④ Upload supporting documents

Support image or PDF format, single file does not exceed 5 M. It is recommended to scan the material in advance, named by category, easy to upload.

⑤ Submit and save the confirmation letter

After successful submission, the system will instantly generate a confirmation, it is recommended to take a screenshot or download and save it, and it will be used for subsequent progress checks.

⑥ Waiting for Immigration Department letters (usually three)

📑 First letter: acknowledgement of receipt of application

Officially, it takes 6 weeks to process, but most cases we've handled show that the first letter is usually received in about 10 days (sent by surface mail, watch your mailbox).

📑 Second: Replacement Notice (if required)

If the materials are incomplete you will receive this letter, just add them as required.

📑 Third letter: approval notification + appointment time

This letter will inform you that your application for permanent residence has been approved and include an appointment time to meet with the director. If you feel that the time given is too late, you can change it yourself by going to this website below:
https://www.gov.hk/tc/apps/immdes2permanentidcardchange.htm

Offline Permanent Resident Identity Card On-site Process

Below is an example of the Wan Chai Immigration Department to break down the on-site steps:

Step 1: 25th floor verification of eligibility

It is recommended that you arrive 15 minutes early. When you get to the 25th floor, go straight to counter 11, present that approval letter to pick up your chips, and then wait next to it for your number to be called. This is usually a very quick process, and you will get your turn in about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Interview with the Director

After the call, the officer at the counter will check your Hong Kong Identity Card and Hong Kong and Macao Exit Permit to verify your identity and ask you to sign a “Declaration of Cancellation of Account on Returning to the Mainland”. (You may not cancel your account)

At the same time, the officer will make an appointment for you to apply for a Hong Kong ID card on the same day, give you a voucher for the appointment and congratulate you for officially becoming a permanent resident of Hong Kong! Then you can go to the 8th floor to have your photo taken for the temporary ID card.

Step 3: 8th floor to take ID photos + temporary ID cards

When you arrive at the 8th floor, pick up a number and fill in the “Application for Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card” while you wait. There are usually a lot of people here, so it is advisable to allow enough time. When your turn comes, go to the counter to check your information, sign, take your fingerprints, and take a photo - this is the photo that will appear on your new ID card, so it is advisable to look good in advance.

Step 4: Obtaining a Temporary ID Card

The staff will take away your non-permanent identity card and issue you with a temporary identity paper (commonly known as “street paper”). This piece of paper is legally equivalent to an official ID card and can be used in conjunction with a Hong Kong and Macau Travel Permit when crossing the border.

Step 5: Receive an official permanent residence ID card

After about a week, return to Counter 14 on the 8th floor of Wan Chai with the temporary identity card (no need to take a number), sit across the street and wait for your name to be called, and in two or three minutes you will have your brand new Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card!

Extension step: applying for a SAR passport

You can apply for a HKSAR passport on the same day you get your Permanent Resident Identity Card. there are application forms on the 8th floor that can be filled out on-site, or you can submit your application directly online, which makes the process very simple.

Enterprise Finance GroupWe are your global business and identity planning partner. We specialize in providing corporate services such as Hong Kong company registration, company annual audit, bookkeeping and tax reporting, tax compliance, bank account opening, etc. We also provide Hong Kong identity application/renewal/permanent residence services to help your business and identity planning in Hong Kong take off simultaneously. Whether you are a start-up company in need of landing support, or an existing company in need of tax compliance, or in need of Hong Kong identity planning consulting, we will provide you with one-stop solutions.

You need or interested in any time to contact me (Tel: 16620947137, Wechat: Qicaiyingjituan).