Business and
Investment Visa

The Active Investor Plus Visa aims at attracting skilled and experienced high-value investors to New Zealand to encourage economic growth. This visa replaced the previous Investor 1 and Investor 2 Residence Visa categories from July 2022.

Active Investor Plus Visa enables you to live, work, and invest in New Zealand. You must have at least NZD 15 million or the weighted equivalent in available assets or funds as acceptable investments in New Zealand.

An acceptable investment for the Active Investor Plus Visa means an investment of the funds that are not for personal use of the applicant, is invested in New Zealand in NZD and is invested in either listed equities or philanthropy or managed funds, or direct investments.

Acceptable investments carry different weightings towards the NZD 5 million to NZD 15 million investment threshold. Investors may be able to investacross a combination to meet the threshold. Direct investments are valued at 3 times, managed funds are valued at 2 times and listed equities or philanthropic investments are valued at 1 times your actual investment amount.

The total value of your investments must be at least NZD 15 million or the weighted equivalent.

Acceptable investments must be able to make a commercial return and have the potential to contribute to New Zealand’s economy.

The Applicant must

• meet health and character requirements
• be a fit and proper person
• meet English language requirement

You can include your partner and dependent child aged 24 and under in your application or even include your partner as an Investor.

After your application is approved in principle (AIP) you will have 6 months to make a minimum initial investment to be granted a Residence Visa and invest the remainder of the funds into holding investments and/or other acceptable investments.

Within the first 18 months of the 48-month investment period, you must invest NZD 7.5 million or the weighted equivalent into acceptable investments. Within 36 months of the 48-month investment period, you must invest the full NZD 15 million or the weighted equivalent into acceptable investments,

You must retain the total NZD 15 million or weighted equivalent in acceptable investments for the final 12 months of the 48-month investment period. You must retain any investments you have made throughout the 48-month investment period. This will be in your visa conditions. You must meet all the conditions on your visa at the end of the 48-month investment period to be eligible for a Permanent Residence Visa.

You must show that your funds or assets came from the source you named in your residence application and are genuine. You can transfer your investment funds directly from your bank account to New Zealand through the banking system or you may wish to come to New Zealand to arrange the transfer and investment of your funds. You will need to apply for a Work or Visitor Visa to do this.

Investments must be in bonds, equities, property or other investments.

Bonds can be

• issued by the New Zealand Government or local authorities
• issued by New Zealand firms traded on the New Zealand Debt Securities Market (NZDX)
• issued by New Zealand firms with at least a BBB- or equivalent rating from an internationally recognised credit rating agency, for example, Standard and Poor’s
• issued by New Zealand registered banks
• in finance companies

Equity can be

• in New Zealand firms – these can be public or private
• in New Zealand registered banks
• eligible New Zealand venture capital funds
• eligible New Zealand private equity funds

Property can be

• residential property development
• commercial property

Other investments can be

• philanthropic investment
• angel funds or networks’ investments