New CIES Costs Government Charges Professional Fees and Household Reserves

The HK$30 million New CIES investment threshold is not a quotation for the total cost of moving a family to Hong Kong. It describes the scheme's investment requirement. Government charges, professional assessments, transaction expenses and household spending are separate items. Treating them as one number can leave an investor with an incomplete budget before the application begins.

A useful cost plan should answer four questions. How much capital must be allocated to the scheme? Which expenses arise before or during the application? Which costs continue after approval? How much readily available money remains for the family outside the investment arrangement?

This guide explains how to compare quotations and build that plan. It does not provide a PremierVisa fee quote or recommend an investment. The final costs depend on the applicant's documents, family, assets and chosen professional services. Ask for written scope and current official charges before relying on a total.

Separate investment capital from spending

The scheme investment structure includes at least HK$27 million in permissible investments and HK$3 million in the CIES Investment Portfolio. The official requirements are explained at https://www.newcies.gov.hk/en/application-procedures/application-to-investhk/investment-requirement/. Capital invested is not the same as an application service fee, although it can involve risk, restrictions and transaction costs.

Make separate budget lines for the investment components, acquisition costs, professional services and household reserves. Do not subtract a consultant's invoice from the amount intended to satisfy the investment threshold. Do not assume that a fund's purchase price includes every charge in a form that counts for immigration.

The official FAQ states that fees, commissions, stamp duties, taxes, levies and other acquisition or disposal expenses are not counted as committed investment. Review https://www.newcies.gov.hk/en/resources/faqs/ and ask the engaged assessment professional to explain the net amount relied on in the application.

This separation also makes comparison more honest. One proposal may quote only immigration preparation, another may include an accountant and a third may display a projected investment balance. They are not equivalent totals until the components and exclusions have been reconciled.

Confirm government charges for each application

New CIES is among the Immigration Department's specified schemes with a defined application and visa issuance fee structure. The published table identifies a HK$600 application fee and a visa issuance fee that depends on the relevant period: HK$1,300 where it exceeds 180 days and HK$600 where it does not. Check the actual application and current table at https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/specifiedschemes.html.

The principal applicant and dependants should be budgeted individually where the charges apply. A family quotation should identify which government charges are included, which are paid directly and at which stage they arise. Do not assume a headline family fee contains every later issuance or extension charge.

Application fees can be non refundable under the specified scheme arrangements. Read the current payment instructions and the professional engagement terms before submission. A refused or withdrawn application does not necessarily create a right to recover charges already paid to the authority or for work already performed.

Retain receipts and distinguish them from professional invoices. A payment confirmation establishes that a charge was paid; it does not establish approval. The family should also know who will make the payment and download the issued documents so that an approval stage is not delayed by an overlooked administrative task.

Understand the accountant's engagement

New CIES financial assessments require an appropriately engaged Certified Public Accountant Practising. The work may cover net asset evidence, investment requirements and later portfolio maintenance. Ask whether the quotation covers one assessment, several stages or a defined annual reporting service.

The complexity of the asset record can affect the work. A straightforward personal bank portfolio may require a different evidence exercise from interests in overseas companies, property, joint assets or multiple currencies. Professional fees should be discussed with the actual documents and ownership arrangements available.

Ask what is included in the engagement: review of records, preparation of the relevant fulfilment document, communication about missing evidence, and any response to further requests within the agreed scope. Clarify whether translations, valuations and overseas confirmations are separate expenses.

Do not compare accountants solely by the cheapest headline price without understanding the work. Equally, a higher fee does not guarantee an application result. A good comparison identifies the professional's role, deliverables, assumptions, additional charge triggers and timing. The government remains responsible for the assessment or immigration decision.

Review the immigration adviser's scope

An immigration preparation quotation should say which applicants and stages it covers. It may include reviewing the route, organising the principal file, preparing forms, coordinating supporting records and handling defined follow up enquiries. Ask whether spouse and child files, later extensions or a subsequent status application are included.

Clarify what happens if the family composition changes or the applicant chooses a different asset arrangement. A new dependant, substantial document revision or a changed application plan can require work beyond the original scope. Written terms should explain how additional tasks are agreed before they are charged.

Also ask what the adviser needs from you and from the other professionals. An adviser cannot produce an authentic bank record, property title or legal relationship document simply by offering an all inclusive package. The applicant remains responsible for truthful information and the relevant institutions must provide their own records.

PremierVisa Group can discuss the immigration preparation appropriate to your situation and quote an agreed scope. We should not be described as providing investment returns, legal judgments or tax outcomes through an immigration fee. Those specialist services need their own properly qualified professionals and engagement terms.

Identify legal and property expenses

If the proposed investment involves Hong Kong real estate, legal and transaction costs deserve a separate budget. A property purchase may involve conveyancing work, searches, stamp duty, agency fees and other expenses. Obtain current written figures from the relevant professionals for the actual transaction.

The amount paid for a property can differ from the amount counted under the scheme's property limits. A family's preferred home may require substantially more spending than the qualifying amount. The investment decision should therefore consider both immigration eligibility and the household's financial capacity.

Overseas asset evidence can also generate legal or valuation costs. A company ownership issue, trust arrangement, estate transfer or jointly held property may need professional clarification before the accountant can rely on the record. Identify those questions early rather than assuming that a simple balance statement is sufficient.

If the application raises a contested legal issue, obtain a specific legal engagement. Do not treat a general immigration preparation quotation as covering litigation, nationality advice or family court work. An accurate budget names the service required and the professional responsible for it.

Examine investment charges and product restrictions

Investment costs can include dealing commissions, custody charges, management fees, administration fees and redemption or surrender charges. The actual structure depends on the product and intermediary. Request the complete fee schedule and an explanation of when each charge is deducted.

An ongoing product charge and an acquisition charge may have different treatment under scheme rules. The immigration assessment should review the actual transaction, not a general assumption that all charges are included or excluded in the same way. Keep the institution's documents available for the engaged accountant.

Ask a qualified financial professional how costs affect the expected investment outcome, especially where a product has a long holding period or limited exit arrangements. Scheme eligibility does not establish that a product is suitable for the investor's risk tolerance, age or need for liquidity.

Avoid choosing a product because someone describes it as an immigration shortcut. Compare it as a financial commitment with the relevant restrictions and risks. If changing the product later can create switching, reporting or redemption work, include those possible costs in the longer term budget.

Allow for document production and overseas records

Translations, certified copies, replacement certificates, professional valuations and courier services can become significant when records span several countries. Identify which documents are actually required before ordering multiple versions. The cheapest translation is not useful if it omits legal terms or fails the applicable requirements.

Create a document budget with the issuing authority, expected charge, currency and delivery time. If an original record must be obtained overseas, include the practical cost of local assistance where appropriate. Avoid assuming every missing record can be downloaded immediately.

Names, dates and ownership descriptions should be consistent or explained with evidence. A lawful name change may require an additional record connecting two documents. A jointly held asset may require documents beyond the statement showing its value. These are preparation questions with potential cost consequences.

Ask the preparation team to distinguish essential records from helpful background. An organised document request can reduce unnecessary expenditure while preserving the evidence needed for the application. Saving money by omitting an essential ownership record is different from avoiding a redundant translation.

Budget the family move outside the scheme investment

A family's first year can involve rent deposits, temporary accommodation, school deposits, insurance and moving expenses. These funds should be available outside the capital relied on for scheme requirements. Do not assume you can withdraw invested capital whenever relocation costs become higher than expected.

Use actual quotations for the main household items. The appropriate budget for a single investor differs from one for a spouse, several children and two homes during a staged move. A generic expatriate cost estimate should not be presented as the family's own spending plan.

Separate refundable deposits from expenses that cannot be recovered. Check what happens if immigration timing changes, a school place is declined or a lease start date needs to move. Flexibility can have a price, but it may also avoid a larger loss from an early commitment.

Include healthcare and an emergency reserve. The reserve should be readily accessible and its currency appropriate for the expected spending. A projected investment gain is not the same as available cash for an urgent household need.

Consider the cost of maintaining two countries

Some investors keep a home, business or family obligations overseas while establishing Hong Kong residence. That can involve duplicated living costs, frequent travel, professional services and foreign tax or reporting obligations. The residence application should not be budgeted as though all previous costs disappear on approval.

Ask qualified tax advisers to review the actual relocation plan, income and asset arrangements. A Hong Kong permission does not automatically end tax residence elsewhere. Departure filings, ongoing income and investment reporting may remain relevant under the applicable rules.

Include exchange costs and currency movement in the cash plan. Funds held abroad may need conversion for Hong Kong expenses, and the investment evidence may have its own valuation and exchange requirements. Avoid treating a rough currency conversion made months earlier as a guaranteed available amount.

If the family will move in stages, prepare a month by month estimate for the transition. It can reveal periods when school, rent and travel costs overlap. That is more useful than an annual average that conceals the highest cash requirement.

Ongoing compliance has a recurring budget

New CIES involves portfolio maintenance and subsequent immigration work. Annual professional assessments, account administration and later extension preparation should be discussed before the first application, even where they are not included in the initial quotation.

Ask the accountant what future reporting is expected and how recurring fees are determined. Ask the intermediary for ongoing account and product charges. Ask the immigration adviser what work is needed for the principal and dependant extensions under the actual permission.

Keep these recurring costs separate from the original capital commitment. A household may be able to make the initial investment but still want to compare the long term administration with another eligible route. That is a legitimate planning question, not an argument that all schemes have the same cost.

Review the budget annually against actual invoices and changes in family circumstances. If the portfolio structure changes, the professional work may also change. Update the plan rather than relying indefinitely on the initial package price.

Compare quotations using the same assumptions

Send each provider the same factual outline: applicant category, family members, asset complexity, intended investment structure and services requested. A quotation based on different assumptions cannot be compared fairly. Ask providers to identify unresolved assumptions in writing.

Create a comparison schedule showing investment capital, government charges, accountant work, immigration preparation, legal or tax services, document costs and recurring charges. For each line, mark included, excluded, paid directly or subject to a separate quote. Do not add unknown items as zero.

Review payment stages and refund or cancellation terms. A deposit may cover work already started, while a later stage may depend on receiving additional records. Read the terms for an application that is withdrawn, refused or changed, without assuming every provider applies the same policy.

The comparison should also consider what the deliverables mean. A prepared application is not an approval, and a financial assessment report is not investment advice. Precise descriptions help the family understand what it is buying and which responsibilities remain with the applicant or other professionals.

A hypothetical budget that looks complete but is not

Imagine an investor who receives a quotation described as a complete New CIES package. This is a hypothetical example and does not represent a PremierVisa price or client outcome. The document includes immigration preparation but excludes accountant fees, property legal work and school costs.

The investor initially adds the quotation to the investment threshold and calls it the total relocation cost. A fuller review identifies several separate obligations and a property amount that cannot all count toward the investment requirement. The family also needs funds for two homes during the first term.

The revised budget does not assume that the scheme portfolio can cover those expenses through unrestricted withdrawals. It identifies a separate household reserve and recurring professional work. The investor obtains itemised quotations rather than relying on one ambiguous phrase.

This exercise does not establish that the route is affordable or that the application will be approved. It shows how transparent components can prevent a financial decision from being made on an incomplete total. The family can then compare the route with actual alternatives using the same assumptions.

Keep payments and application milestones connected

Before paying an invoice, check the service stage and deliverable. Retain the engagement, invoice and receipt together. Record whether the payment is a government charge, professional fee, refundable deposit or investment transaction. These categories answer different questions later.

Avoid sending funds to an account whose role is unclear. Confirm the payee and purpose through the appropriate secure process, especially where an intermediary or professional introduces another provider. A convenient payment instruction should still be reconciled with the agreed service.

For investment transactions, keep the evidence needed by the accountant and institution. For professional work, retain the completed deliverable or a factual record of the stage performed. A payment receipt alone does not show that an application was submitted, an assessment was finalised or permission was issued.

An orderly payment record is also useful for family administration. If the investor is travelling, another authorised person can identify the next due payment without guessing from a bank transfer description. Share only the information needed and protect sensitive account details.

How PremierVisa Group can help you assess the preparation scope

PremierVisa Group can discuss the immigration route, family files and document preparation required for your circumstances. Our Hong Kong and Shenzhen presence can support coordination where applicants and records span those locations. We can define the immigration service scope before you compare it with other costs.

Bring a family overview, asset inventory and any proposed investment or property documentation. If you have other quotations, ask what each includes rather than assuming the headline figures describe the same work. Specialist accounting, legal, tax and financial services should have their own clearly defined professional responsibilities.

Contact https://www.premiervisagroup.com/contact-premiervisa-hong-kong to discuss a preparation scope and the information needed for an appropriate quotation. An itemised decision is more useful than a promised all inclusive total that has not considered the actual documents or family plans.

A comparison should also identify currency and tax assumptions in a quotation. A service priced in one currency can cost a different amount when paid from another account, and an invoice may include charges not visible in a short advertisement. Ask for the actual payable amount and the period for which the quote remains valid. If a provider offers a discount, confirm that the service scope remains the same. A lower price is only comparable when the deliverables and exclusions are understood.

Frequently asked questions

Is HK$30 million the total cost of New CIES

No. It is the headline investment threshold, subject to the scheme's structure and rules. Government charges, professional services, transaction expenses and household reserves should be budgeted separately. Ask for the net amount counted and the full cash requirement.

Are dealing fees counted toward the investment

The official FAQ excludes acquisition and disposal expenses such as fees, commissions, stamp duties, taxes and levies from committed investment. Ask the engaged assessment professional to review the particular transaction and keep the relevant institution records.

Does one professional quotation include the accountant automatically

Do not assume that it does. Read the scope, named deliverables and exclusions. Net asset, investment and maintenance assessments can be separate professional engagements. Clarify who is responsible and how any additional work is charged.

Should I include my family's government charges separately

Yes, identify the applicable charges for each principal or dependant application and issuance stage. Check the current official table and payment instructions. A family package should explain whether those amounts are included or paid directly.

Can investment returns pay for the family move

Do not base a relocation budget on assumed returns or unrestricted access to scheme capital. Review liquidity, risk and scheme restrictions with qualified professionals. Keep an accessible reserve outside the investment arrangement for household and unexpected expenses.

How do I compare two very different quotations

Use the same applicant, family and asset assumptions, then compare line by line. Mark exclusions and unknown costs explicitly. Consider payment terms and deliverables, while remembering that a professional fee does not guarantee a government decision or investment outcome.