Hong Kong Has Two Founder Routes, and They Test Different Things
Hong Kong gives founders two realistic doors, both run by the Immigration Department. Investment as Entrepreneurs, part of the General Employment Policy (GEP), is assessed on the business you plan to build: the plan, the money behind it, the local jobs and what it adds to the economy. The Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) is assessed on you: your income, or your degree plus work experience.
The fact that matters most: the entrepreneur route publishes no fixed minimum investment, so your business case carries the application. If you fit a TTPS category, that route admits you on your profile, with stay granted without other conditions of stay. If you do not, or your case rests on the company itself, the entrepreneur route is built for you.
Hong Kong Founder Visas at a Glance (2026)
| Field | Investment as Entrepreneurs (GEP) | Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Hong Kong Immigration Department | Hong Kong Immigration Department |
| Initial stay | Up to 36 months | 36 months (Category A), 24 months (Categories B and C) |
| Renewal | Normally 3 years, then 2 years | Normally up to 3 years; a 6-year top-tier extension after 2+ years with HK$2 million assessable income |
| Funds / investment | Not published: no fixed minimum, a 3-year investment plan and financial evidence are required | No investment test; Category A requires HK$2.5 million income in the prior year |
| Government fee | HK$600 application + HK$1,300 issuance (stay over 180 days) | HK$600 application + HK$1,300 issuance (stay over 180 days) |
| Processing time | About 2 to 3 weeks after complete documents and fee | Normally 4 weeks after complete documents and fee |
| Path to permanent residence | Right of abode after 7 years of continuous ordinary residence, plus other conditions | Same 7-year route |
| Official source | immd.gov.hk: Investment as Entrepreneurs | immd.gov.hk: TTPS |
Who Qualifies
Investment as Entrepreneurs (GEP). You must be able to make a substantial contribution to Hong Kong's economy. Per the April 2026 guidebook, ID(E) 1000, the Department weighs your business plan, turnover, financial resources, investment sum, local jobs created and any new technology or skills. New technology is one factor, not a separate innovation test.
- No mandatory endorsement. The Department may ask government departments or professional bodies for views. A start-up backed by a government-supported programme with rigorous vetting may receive favourable consideration.
- A local sponsor is required: a company, or an individual who is an adult, a bona fide Hong Kong resident and acquainted with you.
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS). The TTPS guidebook, ID(E) 1026, sets out three categories:
- Category A: annual income of at least HK$2.5 million in the year before you apply.
- Category B: a degree from an eligible university plus at least 3 years of work experience in the last 5 years.
- Category C: a degree from an eligible university obtained in the last 5 years, with under 3 years of experience. It has a first-come, first-served annual quota of 10,000.
Honorary bachelor's degrees are not accepted.
How to Apply
- Pick the route. Check the TTPS categories first. If none fits, build the entrepreneur case.
- Prepare the evidence. Entrepreneur route: personal and company documents, sponsor details, a business plan, a detailed 3-year investment plan and financial information. TTPS: the evidence for your category.
- Submit online through GovHK, via the entrepreneur application or the TTPS application, and pay the application fee.
- Wait for the assessment. On the entrepreneur route, the Department may consult other bodies.
- Pay the issuance fee on approval. The entrepreneur route then issues an e-Visa.
Fees and Processing Time
Under the fee schedule effective 11 a.m. on 26 February 2025, each application costs a non-refundable HK$600, for the principal applicant and every dependant. On approval, issuance costs HK$1,300 for a stay over 180 days, or HK$600 for 180 days or less. Both routes normally start above 180 days, so budget HK$1,900 per person.
The entrepreneur route normally takes about 2 to 3 weeks once the Department has your documents and fee, an estimate rather than a guarantee. TTPS normally takes 4 weeks.
Stay Length, Renewal and Permanent Residence
Entrepreneur route. The initial stay is normally up to 36 months, on an employment condition. Extensions normally run 3 years, then 2 years, while you remain eligible. Apply in the 3 months before expiry, and no later than 6 weeks before.
TTPS. The initial stay is 36 months for Category A and 24 months for B and C. An ordinary extension is normally up to 3 years. The guidebook says a founder who has set up or joined a business may be favourably considered if it is operating healthily and sustainably. After at least 2 years under TTPS, a 6-year extension may be available if your assessable income for salaries tax reached HK$2 million in the previous tax-assessment year.
Permanent residence. Neither route grants it. Per the right of abode guidance, a non-Chinese national needs a valid travel document, at least 7 years of continuous ordinary residence, and to take Hong Kong as their permanent home. It is not automatic.
Family Members
Both routes let you bring a spouse or qualifying civil partner and unmarried dependent children under 18. Their stay is normally tied to yours, and they are not prohibited from working or studying. On the entrepreneur route, the relationship must be genuine, and you must support them above subsistence level with suitable accommodation.
What Changed in 2025-2026
- New fee structure (26 February 2025) for specified schemes, including both routes.
- TTPS university list: the annual update took the list from 199 to 200 institutions, effective 1 January 2026. Check it before relying on your degree.
- Start-up extension relief, announced: the 2026 Policy Address says proprietors of technology start-ups supported by designated public-sector organisations will be exempted from requirements such as proof of company income when extending under TTPS. It gives no start date or full list of organisations, so we could not confirm it is in force.
Where Hong Kong Fits vs Other Founder Visas
Hong Kong stands out for fast published processing and a talent route that does not tie your stay to a business plan. The trade-offs: case-by-case assessment with no published threshold on the entrepreneur side, and a 7-year road to permanent residence.
Weighing Asian bases? Compare our guides to Singapore, Japan and South Korea. Considering the Gulf too? See the UAE guide.
Find Investors Before You Relocate
The visa gets you into Hong Kong. It does not raise your round. And on the entrepreneur route, your financial resources and investment sum are assessed, so lining up capital is not a job to leave until after you land.
Browse VC firms in Hong Kong on Round Funded →
Raising across the region? Also check VC firms in China and VC firms in Singapore. Round Funded covers 60,000+ active investors, sends outreach from your own Gmail, and includes a free Data Room.
Comparing nearby options? See the Taiwan founder visa guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a minimum investment for the Hong Kong entrepreneur visa?
No fixed minimum is published in the April 2026 guidebook. Your investment sum and financial resources are assessed case by case, alongside a 3-year investment plan.
Can I start a company in Hong Kong on the Top Talent Pass Scheme?
TTPS stay comes without other conditions of stay. At extension, a founder whose business is operating healthily and sustainably may be favourably considered.
How long does a Hong Kong founder visa take?
About 2 to 3 weeks on the entrepreneur route and normally 4 weeks under TTPS, once your documents and fee are in.
Do I need a Hong Kong sponsor for the entrepreneur visa?
Yes: a local company, or an adult, bona fide Hong Kong resident who knows you.
Can my spouse work in Hong Kong?
Dependants on both routes are not prohibited from working or studying.
When can I get permanent residence in Hong Kong?
After at least 7 years of continuous ordinary residence, plus the other right of abode conditions. It is not automatic.
The Short Version
Meet a TTPS category? Start there: you are judged on your profile, not your plan. Building a business case instead? The entrepreneur route is fast but judged on substance, so arrive with a sponsor, a 3-year plan and financial backing. Either way, start investor conversations before you move. Start raising with Round Funded →
