New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus Visa now has new categories. Details here

With the introduction of two new categories to the already existing Active Investor Plus Visa on April 1, 2025, New Zealand will become a more attractive option for investors. The addition of these categories will help attract high-value investment, simplify settings, and incentivise people to invest in ‘active’ investment classes. 

With Active Investor Plus Visa, one can:

• Live, work and study in New Zealand.

• Include your partner and dependent children aged 24 and under in the visa application.

• Apply for permanent residence after four years of keeping invested funds in New Zealand.

To offer investors greater flexibility and alignment with their investment goals, the Active Investor Plus Visa has implemented two new categories, effective April 1: Growth and Balanced.

Growth Category

• A minimum investment amount of NZD $5 million will be required for Growth category investors over a three-year investment term.

• Acceptable investments include Managed Funds & Direct Investments.

• Time to transfer the funds & invest: Six months from the date of Approval in Principle with the option to apply for a one six-month extension (12 months total).

• Conditions: Retain investment for three years; spend a minimum of 21 days in New Zealand over the investment period; and complete a questionnaire about investment activity.

Balanced Category

• A minimum investment amount of NZD $10 million will be required for Balanced category investors over a five-year investment term.

• The scope of acceptable investments for the Balanced category will be broadened to include bonds and property investments. Property investments will be limited to new residential developments that increase the housing stock in New Zealand and new or existing commercial or industrial developments which add value, such as earthquake strengthening.

• Time to transfer the funds & invest: Six months from the date of Approval in Principle with the option to apply for a one six-month extension (12 months total).

• Conditions: Retain investment for five years; spend a minimum of 105 days in New Zealand over the investment period, unless eligible for a reduction by investing above the minimum investment amount into direct investments or managed funds.

- $11 million = 14-day reduction

- $12 million = 28-day reduction

- $13 million = 42-day reduction

• Complete the questionnaire about investment activity

Changes to investment timeframes: The time Growth and Balanced category applicants have to transfer funds and to make their investments in New Zealand will be reduced.

Under both categories, all investments must be completed within six months of the date of approval in principle. However, applicants may request a one-off six-month extension if they can provide evidence they have tried and been unable to transfer and invest their funds.

Changing investment categories: Applicants who applied under the Balanced category can request to change to the Growth category, and vice versa. Applicants can change category only once.

English language requirements removed: The English language requirements introduced in 2022 will be removed.

Changes to simplify the investment process

Additionally, the following changes have been made to simplify the investment process:

• Caps on investments will be removed. 

• Investments must now be made in full to be granted a resident visa. 

• Introduction of ‘on-call investments’ for funds which the applicant has committed to placing in managed funds. These can be placed in acceptable investments (bonds, term deposits, listed equities, bank accounts (maximum of six months for funds placed in term deposits and bank accounts)) until they are ‘called on’ by the managed fund.   

• Growth category applicants will, in limited circumstances, be able to reinvest returned capital into Balanced category investments if it is less than NZD $1 million. 

How to apply

Applicants or their representatives can apply using the existing application form for Active Investor Plus, which will be updated on April 1, 2025, to reflect these changes.

Applicants will be asked whether they want to apply for the Balanced or Growth category and must provide the relevant documentation for that category.  

If the application is approved in principle, the applicant will have six months to transfer and invest funds in New Zealand. The applicant must apply for a work visa to come to New Zealand and arrange the transfer and investment of funds. If the applicant’s partner wishes to join them, they will need to apply for their own visitor visa; dependent children can apply for student visas.

Newborn children of investors will also qualify for a Dependent Child Resident Visa. They can then be added to their parents’ application for a Permanent Resident Visa.

All applicants must still meet immigration health and character requirements.

If you have already applied for an Active Investor Plus Visa and have not been granted residence yet, you will be able to transition to the new visa settings.

Processing time: Approval, in principle, is usually within five months.