NZ Active Investor Plus Visa
New Zealand NZL
Active Investor Plus, launched April 2025, replaces the previous Investor 1 + Investor 2 categories with a points-based, weighted-investment regime. Minimum NZD 5 million invested in qualifying assets weighted by category: direct investment (3× weighting), managed funds (2× weighting), bonds (1× weighting). The weighted total must reach NZD 15 million over the 4-year period. Practically, NZD 5M direct investment satisfies the floor. Major appeal: extremely modest physical-presence requirement (117 days over 4 years), generous transitional-residency tax exemption for new arrivals, and a 5-year path to NZ citizenship with no language test.
Program Details
- Category
- Investor
- Processing Time
- 9 months
- Application Fee
- $16,000
- Minimum Income
- —
- Minimum Investment
- $9,000,000
- Family Included
- Spouse + dependent children under 24 included as principal applicant family
- Path to PR
- Yes — 2 years
- Path to Citizenship
- Yes — 5 years
- Physical Presence
- 117 days minimum in NZ over the 4-year investment period (~30 days/year average; effectively very flexible)
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Tax Impact
- NZ tax resident on worldwide income from 183-day rule. Transitional residency exemption (4 years on foreign-source income) materially attractive for new immigrants. No capital gains tax for individuals on most investment activity.
No income requirement — investment-based criteria.
Application Timeline
Apply
9mo processing
Visa Granted
Initial permit
Permanent Residency
After 2 years
Citizenship
After 5 years
Key Requirements
- ✓Minimum NZD 5 million qualifying investment (typically grows to weighted NZD 15M over 4 years)
- ✓Investments in approved categories: direct (3× weight), managed funds (2× weight), bonds (1× weight)
- ✓117 days minimum physical presence in NZ over 4 years
- ✓English language: IELTS 5 or equivalent
- ✓Clean criminal record
Am I eligible for NZ Active Investor Plus Visa?
Quick self-check based on the published criteria. Not legal advice. No data leaves your browser.
Minimum investment / capital
Programme requires $9,000,000.
Fill in the fields above to see a verdict.
This is a heuristic, not a determination. Final eligibility depends on full documentation and immigration-officer discretion.
Application Process — Step by Step
- 01
Submit Expression of Interest (EOI)
home countryOnline EOI to INZ via the Skilled Migrant / Investor portal. Self-assessment against points + investment categories.
Typical duration: 1-2 weeks
- 02
Receive Invitation to Apply (ITA)
home countryINZ invites qualifying EOIs to submit full application within 4 months.
Typical duration: 2-12 weeks after EOI
- 03
Submit full application with supporting documents
home countryFull application with investment plan, financial documentation, English-language certificate, police clearances, health certificate.
Typical duration: 1-3 months preparation
- 04
Application processing + interview
remoteINZ reviews; may request additional documentation or schedule interview. Decision typically within 9 months.
Typical duration: 6-9 months
- 05
Approval-in-principle + investment transfer
home countryIf approved in principle, applicant has 12 months to transfer the qualifying investment funds to NZ.
Typical duration: Up to 12 months
- 06
Final visa issuance
home countryUpon investment confirmation, INZ issues the resident visa.
Typical duration: 4-8 weeks
Documents Required
| Document | Issued By | Apostille | Translate to | Validity (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid passport (6+ months) | Home country | No | — | 180 |
| Investment plan + financial documentation | Applicant + financial advisor | No | en | 90 |
| Source-of-funds documentation (legal source proof) | Bank + accountant + tax authority | Yes | en | 90 |
| English language certificate (IELTS 5 or equivalent) | Test provider | No | — | 730 |
| Police clearances (NZ + all countries of residence ≥1 year) | Home country police | Yes | en | 180 |
| Medical certificate | INZ-approved physician | No | en | 90 |
Realistic Costs
Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_high.
Excludes the NZD 5M+ investment itself. Legal/migration-consultant fees are substantial — Active Investor Plus applications typically go through specialist immigration lawyers.
Realistic Timeline
- Decision → arrival8 weeks
- Residence card issuance6 weeks
- Total to residence card36–64 weeks
INZ processing is generally predictable for Active Investor Plus given the simpler weighting system replacing the previous Investor 1 + 2 categories.
Renewal
- First renewal after
- 24 months
- Subsequent cycle
- months
- Renewal fee
- $0
- Requirements
- After 2 years: apply for full PR (no investment-maintenance requirement after the 4-year period). PR is indefinite.
Path to Permanent Residency — Details
- Years required
- 2
- Language test
- IELTS (B1)
- Integration test
- Not required
Path to Citizenship — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- No
- Civic test
- Not required
- Oath
- Required
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
Tax Residency
- Trigger
- 183 days/year of presence
- Taxation scope
- Worldwide income
- Exit-tax country
- No
Special regimes
- NZ Transitional Resident Exemption4-year exemption on foreign-source income (except employment income earned for services performed in NZ)
First-time NZ tax resident (or after 10+ years absence); automatic for first 4 years
Duration: 4 years
source ↗
Health Insurance
- Mandatory
- No
- Public system access
- After 0 months
Examples: Southern Cross Health Insurance, nib NZ, Accuro Health Insurance
Family Specifics
- Spouse work rights
- Spouse receives full NZ work rights as derivative resident
- Child school enrolment
- Full access to NZ public schools (excellent quality); private international schools available in Auckland, Wellington
- Parent inclusion
- Not eligible
- Sibling inclusion
- Not eligible
Gotchas — Things to Watch For
- ⚠Investment is committed for 4 years — early withdrawal triggers visa cancellation
- ⚠Weighting system means lower-risk bonds require nominally larger investments (NZD 15M floor reached at 1× weight)
- ⚠Transitional residency exemption is automatic but should be elected explicitly on IRD form IR3
- ⚠Specialist immigration lawyer fees are substantial — budget USD 30-80k for legal preparation
What This Visa Does NOT Allow
- ×Investment in non-qualifying assets (residential property only, lifestyle assets, personal use)
- ×Switching investment categories mid-period without re-application
Common Rejection Reasons
- •Source-of-funds documentation insufficient or unclear
- •Investment in non-qualifying assets
- •English language below IELTS 5 threshold
- •Criminal record or character issues
- •Misrepresentation of investment intent
Recent Legislative Changes
2025-04-01
Active Investor Plus launched, replacing Investor 1 + Investor 2. Weighted-investment system introduced.source ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Active Investor Plus different from the old Investor 1 and 2?+
The old Investor 1 (NZD 10M) and Investor 2 (NZD 3M) categories were merged + restructured. Active Investor Plus has a NZD 5M floor with weighted-investment growth to NZD 15M over 4 years. Weighting rewards higher-impact investments (direct 3×, funds 2×, bonds 1×). The physical-presence requirement reduced — much more flexible than Investor 1's 146 days/yr.
Can I invest in NZ residential property?+
No. Residential property is excluded from qualifying investments. Approved categories cover: NZ-incorporated businesses (direct investment), managed funds (NZX-listed or NZ-domiciled), and NZ government / corporate bonds.
What's the transitional residency exemption?+
NZ tax residents who haven't been resident for 10+ years receive a 4-year exemption on foreign-source income (foreign dividends, interest, capital gains, rental). This is automatic for first-time NZ residents but should be confirmed on IRD form IR3.
Good Fit For
Applying from a specific country? Your home-country tax rules, banking access, and dual-citizenship options affect every programme differently. Browse nationality guides → for tax obligations, renunciation rules, and second-passport routes.
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