New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa

The Active Investor Plus Visa is New Zealand's investor residence visa. Holders can live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely while their money stays in acceptable New Zealand investments, and can apply for permanent residence later (Immigration New Zealand). It's a route for wealthy investors, not a remote-work visa.

• Status: active, with Growth and Balanced categories since April 1, 2025.
• Growth category: at least NZ$5,000,000 in direct investments or managed funds, held for 36 months.
• Balanced category: at least NZ$10,000,000, held for 60 months, with listed equities, bonds and property developments also allowed.
• Fee: from NZ$27,470, application fee and immigration levy combined.
• Permanent residence: Apply for permanent residence after keeping the funds invested 3 years (Growth) or 5 years (Balanced).

The April 2025 rebuild cut the old minimum, widened the acceptable investments and dropped the English language requirement (INZ).

The principal applicant must have at least NZ$5,000,000 to invest under Growth or NZ$10,000,000 under Balanced, and must show the money was lawfully earned or acquired and can be transferred to New Zealand (INZ).

• Fit and proper person: applicants confirm they meet INZ's fit and proper person requirements, including never having been investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.
• Health: applicants must be in good health and usually need a medical examination and chest X-ray.
• Character: applicants must be of good character, shown through police certificates.
• Family: Yes. A partner in a genuine relationship and dependent children aged 24 and younger can be included.

The category page lists no nationality restriction and no English language test.

Applications are made online, and INZ asks for evidence for the principal applicant and every family member included (INZ):

• Passports and photos that meet INZ's specifications.
• Medical and chest X-ray certificates.
• Police certificates from every country of citizenship and any other country where the person has stayed 12 months or more.
• Evidence of the nominated funds or assets, how they were lawfully acquired and how they will be transferred.
• An indicative investment plan for the chosen category.
• For a partner, evidence of the relationship and of living together for at least 12 months; for children, evidence that they meet INZ's definition of dependent children.

Documents not in English need certified translations.

• Application fee and immigration levy: from NZ$27,470 for the principal applicant (INZ). The exact amount depends on the applicant's country, and INZ's fee tool gives the final figure.
• Investment: at least NZ$5,000,000 (Growth) or NZ$10,000,000 (Balanced), kept in New Zealand for the investment period.

Medical examinations, police certificates, translations and any legal, tax or investment advice cost extra and vary by provider and country.

1. Apply: Online with Immigration New Zealand; after approval in principle, transfer and invest the funds within 6 months. The fee is paid online with the application.
2. Approval in principle: INZ decides 80% of applications within 4 months.
3. Invest: in some cases INZ allows a further 6 months to transfer and invest the funds. The principal applicant can get a Specific Purpose Work Visa to come to New Zealand and arrange the transfer.
4. Residence: the resident visa follows once INZ accepts that the funds are invested in the chosen category.

Growth investors can now put part of their investment into philanthropy. Up to 20% of the total Growth investment can go to eligible New Zealand charities, for new applicants from June 1, 2026 (INZ).

Resident visa: live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. The visa isn't renewed; instead, holders meet its conditions and then apply for permanent residence (INZ).

• Growth: keep the funds invested for 36 months and spend at least 21 days in New Zealand as a resident in that time. Travel conditions run for 4 years from the first day in New Zealand.
• Balanced: keep the funds invested for 60 months and spend at least 105 days in New Zealand. That falls by 14 days for each extra NZ$1 million in Growth investments, up to 42 days. Travel conditions run for 6 years.
• Checkpoints: evidence that the funds are still invested is due at 24 and 36 months (Growth) or 24 and 60 months (Balanced).

Permanent residence: Apply for permanent residence after keeping the funds invested 3 years (Growth) or 5 years (Balanced).

The visa carries no special tax treatment. Holders fall under New Zealand's normal rules: Inland Revenue treats someone as tax resident after more than 183 days in New Zealand in any 12-month period, or once they have a permanent place of abode there (Inland Revenue).

INZ advises applicants to take professional tax advice, since moving large sums and becoming resident can change how income is taxed. The New Zealand guide covers the personal tax basics.