Hong Kong has one of the world's top 20 investment migration programmes

Hong Kong secured the 19th spot.

In its third year, the Global Citizenship and Residence Programmes report ranks Hong Kong in 19th place for its residence-by-investment programmes with a total score of 46 out of 100.

The report recognised Hong Kong’s good reputation and taxation system but gave average scores for processing time and quality of processing, compliance, investment requirements and total costs.

Hong Kong’s total score, however, was dragged down by its abysmal grade on citizenship requirements and time to achieve citizenship which takes a total of 10 years.

The Global Residence and Citizenship Programmes report provides a benchmark of the world’s leading investment migration programmes through the Global Citizenship Programme Index (CPGI) and the Global Residence Programme Index (GRPI) and is released this year by Henley & Partners.

Malta’s Individual Investor Programme (MIIP) secures the top spot in world’s top citizenship-by-investment programme for the third consecutive year while Portugal’s Golden Residence Permit Programme similarly occupies the top spot for the world’s best residence-by-investment programme for the third time in a row.

“The Global Residence and Citizenship Programmes publication is an indispensable tool, not only for all those interested in alternative residence or citizenship but also for professionals such as private client advisors, private bankers, lawyers, as well as governments operating investment migration programmes,” said Dr. Christian Kälin, an international immigration and citizenship law expert at Henley & Partners.

The 20 residence programmes surveyed in the report were assessed according to 10 indicators: Reputation, Quality of Life, Taxation, Visa-free Access, Processing Time and Quality of Processing, Compliance, Financial Requirements, Total Costs, Time to Citizenship, and Citizenship Requirements.

The report was released by Henley & Partners ahead of its 11th Global Residence and Citizenship Conference which is to be held in Hong Kong from November 14 to 16.