First documents: HKID and account
Identity document, tax file, bank account — and the paperwork that will matter seven years from now
Status secured — now comes everyday life, which in Hong Kong is organized quickly and firmly: identity document, tax file, bank account, Octopus. We do this within one week and along the way explain which of these documents will, seven years from now, serve as proof of ordinary residence — you need to start keeping them from day one.
Who it suits. For those who have just arrived on a work or talent visa, and their families.
What is included
- We book your Immigration Department appointment and prepare the full package
- We accompany you to submit biometrics
- We receive the card and verify the details before you leave the office
- We explain which events count toward your seven-year ordinary residency clock residence, what does and does not count, and which documents to start keeping from the first day
What the package does not include
Paid separately and directly, with no markup from us.
- First-time HKID issuance carries no government fee; replacement for a replacement — 370 HKD; for a change of details — 460 HKD
- The bank decides on account opening: we prepare the full package and guide you through
- Account before receiving HKID: for a Russian citizen without a Hong Kong identity card identity — Hong Kong banks almost never open accounts remotely
Russian nationals enter Hong Kong visa-free for 14 days. Entry is free — and that is exactly where people lose money. A long-term visa is processed before entry: a tourist already in Hong Kong cannot change their status on the spot. Coming for a scouting trip and applying from abroad won’t work, and leaving for a day trip to a neighbouring city and back — the border officer notices and asks questions. We work out this calendar before you buy your first ticket.
The second thing the market doesn’t tell you: permanent status in Hong Kong is granted after seven years of continuous ordinary residence, and that period resets easy. Time spent as a tourist does not count, time as a dependent or student — goes on, and any gap between visas resets the time already served. The Talent Visa for 24 months does not renew itself: to renew, you must show employment or your own business, and someone who arrives and doesn’t settle loses two years. Proving seven years will require lease agreements, tax files and bank statements that are impossible to find by year seven — they need to be collected from the start, not recalled at the end.
⚠️ We speak plainly about banking because it is the main challenge in this country for a Russian citizen. Owning a Hong Kong company and obtaining status r a Russian citizen it is possible: Hong Kong has not joined Western sanctions, and there is no ban. But the bank is a different story. International banks here they apply their own compliance to avoid losing access o US and EU markets: a Russian passport is not on simplified-entry lists opening, remotely for a new client, an account in 2026 is practically do not open accounts without a personal visit, and any bank will examine incoming transfers from Russia Hong Kong under a microscope. The key that changes everything — the HKID: holder of a Hong Kong identity card opens an account as a resident, not as a foreigner with a passport. That is why we in the right order — status and HKID first, then the bank — and we do not promise an account to those who do not yet have status.
The right of abode is granted to anyone who has lived in Hong Kong for at least seven years continuously. Time spent as a tourist does not count toward this period, nor does time spent as a dependent and as a student — it works, but a gap between visas breaks continuity. We have been tracking this counter from day one, not recalling it in year seven.
The exact amount for your situation is stated before we begin and confirmed in writing in the agreement. If it changes, you will be informed before payment, not after.
Appointment, document package preparation, biometrics, card collection, and data verification.
HKID, tax file, personal bank account, Octopus card, and local SIM card, residential address registration.
- Opening a tax file
- Accompaniment for opening a personal bank account
- Octopus card and a local SIM card
- Address registration
- We identify what from the documents received serves as evidence of ordinary residence and what needs to be kept
Prices are in US dollars and are all-inclusive — nothing is added on top. Hong Kong government fees are paid separately and directly to the authority: visa or extension — 230 HKD (approx. $30), initial HKID card — free. There is no VAT in Hong Kong. SVOY initial consultation — 100 $, credited in the cost of support — the same as for Mexico and Argentina. It is paid from the first minute: a breakdown of the Chilean case — these are two dates that must align, a category matching your income and an honest answer on whether you can make it in time. We hand over the roadmap with a schedule and budget, even if the conclusion is negative.
Other points
Housing rental and purchase, documents, bank accounts and taxes, schooling, driving licence — 39 services in Hong Kong, each has its own price.
Package «First documents» · Hong Kong
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The same package in another country
There is only one moment in life, but the documents, deadlines and costs are unique to each case: the rules are set by the country.