Hong Kong

HKG

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China with its own immigration regime, judicial system, and tax authority. Salaries-tax rates are capped at 17% on assessable income; profits tax for businesses is 16.5%. Hong Kong operates a strict territorial tax system — only Hong Kong-source income is taxed.

Permanent residency requires 7 years of ordinary residence under a qualifying visa (Quality Migrant, GAS, IANG, Top Talent Pass) before HKID right-of-abode is granted. Hong Kong passport holders enjoy strong visa-free access including Schengen and the UK. Note: ongoing political reorganisation since 2020 has changed several civic institutions.

Naturalisation: 7 years
Tax system: Territorial
Currency: Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Capital: Hong Kong
Region: asia
Population: 7,500,000
Cost-of-living: 87 /100

→ If you hold a Hong Kong passport, see the Hong Kong nationality guide

Passport Rank

#17

Visa-Free

150

destinations

Visa-free travel

A Hong Kong passport has visa-free access to 150 destinations. See the full Hong Kong passport breakdown →

Passports that enter Hong Kong without a prior visa (145)

Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.

Bosnia and Herzegovina+127 more

Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.

4 approved English test centres in Hong Kong →

Country Details

Capital: Hong Kong
Currency: Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Languages: Cantonese, English, Mandarin Chinese
Population: 7,500,000
Tax System: Territorial
Dual Citizenship: Allowed
Naturalisation: 7 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Humid subtropical
English Proficiency Rank: #31
GDP per capita: $56,983
Life expectancy: 85.39 yrs
Population growth: -0.34%/yr
Territorial Taxation: Yes — foreign-sourced income may not be taxed

GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

167

Tax Summary

Tax System: Territorial
Territorial Taxation: Yes — foreign-sourced income may not be taxed
Naturalisation: 7 years of legal residency
Dual Citizenship: Allowed

Cost of Living by City

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Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
Hong Kong	$2,700	$1,900	$480	$220	$80

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Visa Categories & Immigration Authority

Major Visa Categories

Visitor / Tourist
Student
General Employment Policy (GEP)
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP)
Investment as Entrepreneurs
Dependant

Authority: Hong Kong Immigration Department
Official Portal: www.immd.gov.hk
Phone: +852-2824-6111
Email: enquiry@immd.gov.hk

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years: 7
Language Test: No
Civic Test: No
Oath Required: Yes
Dual Allowed: Yes
Fee: $64
Processing: ~6 months

International Schools

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International schools by city, curriculum, and annual tuition
School	City	Curriculum	Tuition (USD/yr)
Hong Kong International School	Hong Kong	American	$28,000–$45,000
Chinese International School	Hong Kong	IB / Mandarin-bilingual	$26,000–$42,000

Daily Life Logistics

Internet

280 Mbps median

99% fibre coverage

eSIM: CSL, 3HK, China Mobile HK, SmarTone

LGBTQ+ Legal Status

Same-Sex Marriage: Not legal
Civil Partnerships: Recognised
Anti-Discrimination Law: No
ILGA Rank: —

Religious Life

Halal Food: Widely available
Kosher Food: Widely available
Prayer Facilities: Common

Related Guides

Zero and low-tax residencies: the real list

Countries with zero personal income tax, territorial-only taxation, or special expatriate regimes — and what each one actually requires from you to qualify as a resident.

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.

Related on The Citizenship Desk

Life logistics

Reference tables

Cities in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong remains one of Asia's great commercial cities — a low-tax, common-law financial centre with world-class infrastructure and direct access to mainland China as a Special Administrative Region with its own currency, judiciary, and immigration regime. Its territorial tax system taxes only Hong Kong-source income, with salaries tax capped at 17% and no capital gains, dividend, or inheritance tax, long making it a preferred base for finance professionals across Asia. Permanent residency requires seven years of continuous ordinary residence under a qualifying visa. The city's expat landscape has been visibly reshaped since 2019. That year's political unrest, the 2020 National Security Law, and some of the world's strictest pandemic border controls drove a substantial outflow of long-term Western residents, many relocating to Singapore. Hong Kong's government has since pushed talent-attraction schemes to rebuild the pool of skilled foreign professionals, and the international business community, smaller and different in composition than a decade ago, remains active and well-resourced. Real estate remains among the most expensive in the world, which keeps most foreign professionals renting rather than buying. Hong Kong is not a budget destination or a residency-by-investment shortcut; it suits professionals with a specific Asia-based career reason to be there.