New Zealand Investor 2 Visa
New Zealand NZL
Closed — replaced by Active Investor Plus
Shown for reference — verify the current status before relying on it.
New Zealand's Investor 2 Visa is CLOSED to new applicants; it was replaced by the Active Investor Plus visa in September 2022. This page describes the former programme for reference only. Investor 2 was a high-net-worth residence route that required a minimum NZD 3,000,000 (~USD 1.8M) in acceptable New Zealand investments, excluding residential property, held for a mandatory four-year period. Applicants had to be aged 65 or under, show at least three years of senior business experience, meet a basic English standard (IELTS 3.0 or a settlement course), and spend at least 438 days in New Zealand across the four years; day-counting was strict and inflexible.
Partner and dependent children were included. Beyond the investment, the first-year budget was roughly USD 65,000-110,000; decisions targeted about 9 months but complex source-of-funds reviews could run 12-18 months. Completing the investment and presence obligations delivered permanent residence, with citizenship available after 5 years (basic language, oath), and dual nationality permitted.
Holders were taxed on worldwide income once tax-resident (183-day rule), though a four-year transitional exemption covered most foreign-source income for those not NZ-resident in the prior decade. New applicants should look at the separate Active Investor Plus entry instead.
Program Details
- Category
- Investment
- Est. total time
- ~9 months (indicative)
- Application Fee
- $3,525
- Minimum Income
- —
- Minimum Investment
- $1,800,000
- Family Included
- Partner and dependent children included in the residence visa application
- Path to PR
- Yes — 0 years
- Path to Citizenship
- Yes — 5 years
- Physical Presence
- Must spend at least 438 days in New Zealand over the 4-year investment period to meet residence obligations
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Tax Impact
- Resident visa holders are subject to New Zealand tax on worldwide income; a four-year transitional tax exemption on foreign-sourced income may be available for new residents
Processing time above is an indicative end-to-end estimate, not an official government figure. Official government processing times →
Application Timeline
Application (closed)
~9mo (indicative)
Visa Granted
Initial permit
Permanent Residency
After 0 years
Citizenship
After 5 years
Key Requirements
- ✓Minimum investment of NZD$3,000,000 in acceptable New Zealand investments (excludes residential property)
- ✓Investment must be maintained for a minimum of four years
- ✓Minimum 438 days of physical presence in New Zealand over the 4-year investment period
- ✓Maximum age of 65 at the time of application
- ✓Minimum business experience of three years at a senior level
- ✓Meet English language requirements (IELTS 3.0 or equivalent, or complete settlement English course)
This programme is no longer open to new applicants — the requirements above are shown for reference only.
Application Process — Step by Step
- 01
Structure Active Investor Plus investment
home countryNZD 5M (direct listed/private equity) or NZD 15M in managed funds (3x weighting applied to direct/private-equity portions). Portfolio must meet Acceptable Investment definition.
Typical duration: 8-16 weekssource ↗
- 02
Apply via Expression of Interest + invitation
onlineSubmit EOI; INZ evaluates fit with Active Investor Plus criteria.
Typical duration: 8-24 weeks
- 03
Invest funds within 6 months of approval-in-principle
destinationMust commit capital to Acceptable Investments. Transfer must be traceable and via OECD-approved channels.
Typical duration: 8-24 weeks
- 04
Physical presence 117-335 days over 3-year investment period
destinationPresence requirement varies by investment weighting: 117 days for direct / 335 days for managed funds.
Typical duration: 3 years
Documents Required
| Document | Issued By | Apostille | Translate to | Validity (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Home country | No | — | 180 |
| Source-of-funds documentation | Bank / accountant | Yes | en | 365 |
| Investment structure evidence | Fund manager / NZ lawyer | No | en | 90 |
| Police checks (all countries 10+ years) | Police authorities | Yes | en | 180 |
| Medicals | INZ panel physician | No | en | 180 |
Realistic Costs
Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_low, lawyer_fee_high, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high.
Excludes the NZD 5M-15M investment itself.
Realistic Timeline
- Consulate wait0–0 weeks
- Decision → arrival12 weeks
- Residence card issuance0 weeks
- Total to residence card32–80 weeks
INZ targets ~6 months decision; complex source-of-funds reviews can extend to 12-18 months.
Renewal
- First renewal after
- 36 months
- Subsequent cycle
- 0 months
- Renewal fee
- $0
- Requirements
- Maintain investment for full 3 years; conversion to permanent resident visa thereafter subject to continued compliance.
Path to Permanent Residency — Details
- Years required
- 0
- Integration test
- Not required
Path to Citizenship — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- Yes (basic)
- 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
- Transitional Tax Resident (4-year foreign-income exemption)source ↗
Health Insurance
- Mandatory
- No
Banking Setup
- Open account before arrival
- Not typically possible before arrival
Family Specifics
- Spouse work rights
- Child school enrolment
- Parent inclusion
- Not eligible
- Sibling inclusion
- Not eligible
Gotchas — Things to Watch For
- ⚠**Replaced the old Investor 2 category in September 2022**. Old Investor 2 (NZD 3M passive) is closed to new applicants.
- ⚠NZ taxes worldwide income once tax-resident after the 4-year transitional window — plan carefully
- ⚠Day counting is strict: 117 days (direct) vs 335 days (managed) over 3 years is not flexible
What This Visa Does NOT Allow
- ×Withdrawing or reducing the qualifying NZD 3,000,000 investment below the threshold during the mandatory four-year holding period
- ×Residential property, which does not count as an acceptable investment
- ×Falling short of the 438-day physical-presence obligation over four years, which can forfeit the residence outcome
Before You Arrive — Checklist
- Tax-structuring review (NZ worldwide taxation implications)
- Acceptable Investment selection (managed fund shortlist)
- AML/CFT source-of-funds evidence
After You Arrive — Checklist
- IRD number
- NZ bank account
- Investment deployment within 6-month window
- Physical-presence day tracking
Common Rejection Reasons
- •Source-of-funds documentation gaps
- •Investment assets not meeting Acceptable Investment definition
- •Failure to meet minimum presence days
Recent Legislative Changes
2022-09-19
Investor 2 category closed; replaced by Active Investor Plus with weighted-investment model and emphasis on direct equity.source ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Active Investor Plus give immediate residence?+
Yes. It is granted as a resident visa (not provisional) contingent on deploying the investment within 6 months and maintaining it for 3 years. After 3 years you may apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.
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.
Related Guides
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Same country
Sources & last verified
- Official source
- Last verified
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