Top Talent Pass Scheme

Year establishedPublished

2022

Governing lawPublished

Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115); TTPS is an administrative admission scheme announced in the 2022 Policy Address and run by the Immigration Department under its general immigration-control powers, not a standalone statute

Responsible authorityPublished

Hong Kong Immigration Department

What the program providesPublished

Hong Kong's talent visa lets high earners or top-university graduates land with no job offer, no investment and no minimum stay, granting a 24-month (36 for Category A) unconditional stay that can be extended by taking up Hong Kong employment or starting a Hong Kong business

No governed customer claim is present for this section.

Minimum ageUnknown

Unknown

Clean criminal record requiredUnknown

Unknown

Local health insurance requiredUnknown

Unknown

Nationality restrictionsPublished

No

Basic eligibilityPublished

Meet one of three categories: Category A - annual income of HK$2.5 million or more (or foreign-currency equivalent) in the year before applying; Category B - degree from an eligible top-ranked university plus at least 3 years' work experience within the past 5 years; Category C - graduate (within past 5 years) of an eligible top-ranked university with under 3 years' experience, capped by an annual quota (10,000, first-come first-served)

Employment statusPublished

Full-time employee or self-employed

Generational limitPublished

Not applicable

Family sponsorshipPublished

Yes

Spouse includedPublished

Yes

Children includedPublished

Yes

Child age limitPublished

18 years

ChildrenPublished

Spouse (including same-sex partners under civil partnership/union/marriage) and unmarried dependent children under 18 may be included; dependants must show a genuine relationship, no adverse record, and that the sponsor can support them well above subsistence level. Dependants' stay is linked to the sponsor's permit and they are free to work or study in Hong Kong.

No governed customer claim is present for this section.

Processing timePublished

4 weeks

Can apply without travelingPublished

Yes

How you applyPublished

Fully online: submit the application, upload all supporting documents and pay the application fee through the Immigration Department's e-Visa portal (linked from the GovHK TTPS page); no embassy/consulate step and no need to be physically in Hong Kong to apply

Required in-person stepPublished

Holder must land in Hong Kong at least once to activate the visa, and must register for a Hong Kong Identity Card within 30 days of arrival if staying

What the processing time measuresPublished

Immigration Department states entry applications normally take about 4 weeks from receipt of a complete application with all required documents and fees; extension applications take about 2-3 weeks for routine cases

Official application routePublished

https://www.gov.hk/en/nonresidents/visarequire/visasentrypermits/applyttps.htm

Minimum investmentPublished

None required

Minimum passive investment (July 2026)Published

None required

Minimum active investment (July 2026)Published

None required

Processing feePublished

$167

Application feePublished

$77

Total cost to applyPublished

$244

Monthly income requiredUnknown

Unknown

Monthly pension income requiredUnknown

Unknown

Monthly rental income requiredUnknown

Unknown

Savings requiredUnknown

Unknown

Proof of sufficient fundsUnknown

Unknown

Local bank deposit requiredPublished

No

Minimum local bank depositPublished

None required

Fees paidPublished

Before approval (application fee) and after approval (visa issuance fee)

Cost notesPublished

HK$600 non-refundable application fee paid by the principal applicant and each dependant separately when lodging the application; on approval a visa/entry-permit issuance fee of HK$1,300 applies where the permitted stay exceeds 180 days (true for every TTPS grant, 24 or 36 months) or HK$600 where it does not. HKD converted to USD at the ~7.80 HKD/USD peg (Sept 2026): HK$600≈US$77, HK$1,300≈US$167.

Stay required to keep statusPublished

None

Physical presence requiredPublished

No

In-country visit requiredPublished

Yes

Move-in windowUnknown

Unknown

Length of residencyPublished

24 months

Residency is lifetimePublished

No

RenewablePublished

Yes

Maximum durationUnknown

Unknown

Maximum duration is lifetimePublished

No

Stay rule (Sept 2026)Published

None to keep or renew status during the initial permitted stay: the Immigration Department grants TTPS entry 'on time limitation only, without other conditions of stay' - no residence, work or investment condition attaches. To extend beyond the initial period the holder must show stable Hong Kong employment or an operating Hong Kong business; that is an extension test, not a day-count presence rule.

Time to permanent residencyPublished

7 years

Time to citizenshipUnknown

Unknown

Work for a local employerPublished

Yes

Start a businessPublished

Yes

Remote or freelance workUnknown

Unknown

Local healthcare accessUnknown

Unknown

University accessUnknown

Unknown

Can buy landUnknown

Unknown

Local bankingPublished

Yes

Permanent residence timeline basisPublished

Years stated

Citizenship timeline basisPublished

Not applicable

Plan B note (Sept 2026)Published

Temporary permission: nothing requires presence; it simply lapses if unused. The initial 24-month (Category B/C) or 36-month (Category A) stay carries no presence, work or investment condition, and media reports describe approved holders who do not plan to move to Hong Kong, using the permit purely as a backup option. To extend beyond the initial period the holder must show stable Hong Kong employment or an operating Hong Kong business (extensions up to 3 years or the contract term; a top-tier stream offers 6-year extensions to those earning HK$2 million+ assessable income after 2+ years in Hong Kong). Hong Kong permanent residency (Right of Abode) follows 7 years' continuous ordinary residence; Hong Kong is not a sovereign state and this scheme does not itself grant Chinese citizenship.

Official program websitePublished

https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/TTPS.html

Plan B sources (Sept 2026)Published

https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/TTPS.html | https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/faq/TTPS.html | https://www.gov.hk/en/nonresidents/visarequire/visasentrypermits/applyttps.htm

Every fact on this page comes from the CitizensOS Mobility Asset Database (Sep 21, 2026 edition). A blank is shown as Unknown.