New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa

Programme Overview

New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa, originally introduced in September 2023 and substantially overhauled on 1 April 2025, is the country's flagship investment migration programme. The original 2023 version replaced the previous Investor 1 and Investor 2 categories with a single weighted-investment framework, but it attracted very few applicants. The relaunched 2025 settings abolished that weighted-multiplier model and replaced it with two simpler categories — Growth and Balanced — with lower entry thresholds and a much reduced stay requirement designed to attract more investment.

New Zealand offers a rare combination of natural beauty, political stability, an English-speaking population, a transparent legal system, and — critically for internationally mobile investors — the absence of capital gains tax and inheritance tax. The country's clean, green brand, world-class outdoor recreation, and high rankings on quality-of-life indices make it consistently attractive to affluent families seeking a second home or long-term relocation destination.

The AIP is not a passive golden visa. New Zealand Immigration requires applicants to make active investment decisions and to spend time in New Zealand, reinforcing genuine commitment to the country rather than acquiring residency as a paper exercise.

Investment Requirements

Since 1 April 2025 the AIP offers two investment categories, with no weighting multipliers:

Growth category:

• Minimum investment of NZD 5 million held for at least three years
• Restricted to higher-growth assets: direct investments in New Zealand businesses (including private equity and venture capital) and managed funds that invest in such assets
• Carries the lowest stay requirement

Balanced category:

• Minimum investment of NZD 10 million held for at least five years
• A wider range of permitted assets, including listed equities, bonds, commercial property and philanthropy (within limits), as well as the higher-growth assets eligible under the Growth category
• Investors can reduce their required days in New Zealand by investing above the NZD 10 million minimum

All investments must be in New Zealand-based assets (or New Zealand-focused fund investments). Overseas share portfolios, overseas property, and offshore deposits do not qualify. Residential property that is not a permitted asset class does not count.

Investment holding period: The qualifying investment must be maintained for the applicable three-year (Growth) or five-year (Balanced) term and cannot be withdrawn early without jeopardising the residency.

Stay Requirement

The relaunched AIP carries a low physical-presence requirement, reflecting the government's aim of attracting mobile capital:

• Growth category: a minimum of 21 days in New Zealand over the three-year investment period
• Balanced category: a minimum of 105 days in New Zealand over the five-year investment period (reducible by investing above the NZD 10 million minimum)

These are minimums assessed by Immigration New Zealand. Applicants should take professional advice on optimising their investment structure relative to their travel flexibility.

Eligibility Requirements

• Minimum age: 18
• No formal maximum age
• Good health: satisfactory medical examination required
• Good character: police clearances from New Zealand and all countries of residence in the prior five years
• English language: no minimum English requirement for the AIP (unlike the former Investor 2 category), though basic communication ability is expected
• Evidence of investment funds: all investment capital must be lawfully acquired; source-of-funds documentation is required
• No Points test applies (the AIP removed the points test that applied to the former Investor 2 category)

Dependants: Spouse/partner and unmarried dependent children under 24 may be included on the application.

Processing Timeline

• Document preparation: 4–8 weeks
• Application lodgement with Immigration New Zealand: online submission
• Initial assessment (including source-of-funds and character checks): 4–8 months
• Approval in principle issued: applicant has a set period to transfer and place the qualifying funds
• Residence granted: upon completion of the investment placement, with residence confirmed once the investment-holding and stay requirements for the chosen category are met

Total elapsed time to initial approval is typically 8–14 months. The investment must then be held for the three-year (Growth) or five-year (Balanced) term. Timeline is subject to change.

Benefits

No capital gains tax: New Zealand does not levy a general capital gains tax on most capital disposals by individuals. There are nuances (the bright-line test taxes gains on residential property bought and sold within two years, following the reduction from ten years to two years on 1 July 2024), but broadly, investment gains are not taxable. This is a major advantage for investors managing global portfolios from a New Zealand base.

No inheritance tax: New Zealand abolished estate duty in 1992. There is no gift duty and no wealth tax. This makes New Zealand an attractive platform for multi-generational wealth planning.

No general income tax on offshore income for new migrants: New Zealand operates a transitional tax residency regime for new migrants, providing a four-year exemption from New Zealand tax on most foreign-sourced income. This grace period gives new residents time to reorganise offshore structures before full New Zealand tax obligations apply.

Pathway to citizenship: After five years of permanent residency (with minimum 1,350 days of physical presence in New Zealand during that period), AIP holders may apply for New Zealand citizenship. The New Zealand passport provides access to over 185 countries visa-free.

High quality of life: New Zealand consistently ranks highly on global quality-of-life, safety, and environmental indices. Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch offer international-standard schools, private healthcare, and cosmopolitan urban amenity.

Clean, green environment: New Zealand's landscapes — from the Fiordland fjords to the Bay of Islands — are internationally recognised. For families who value space, outdoor recreation, and environmental quality, New Zealand is difficult to rival.

Straightforward legal system: New Zealand's legal system, based on English common law, is transparent, well-functioning, and accessible.

Limitations

• Minimum investment of NZD 5 million (Growth) or NZD 10 million (Balanced) is substantial. Exchange-rate movements mean the USD equivalent fluctuates; investors should factor in currency risk.
• New Zealand is geographically remote from Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Long-haul travel is a material consideration for internationally mobile investors who spend significant time elsewhere.
• The investment must be held in New Zealand assets throughout the active phase; limited flexibility to liquidate if the investment performs poorly.
• New Zealand tax residency applies to those spending 183+ days per year in the country. After the four-year transitional period, worldwide income becomes subject to New Zealand tax. This requires careful offshore planning before the transitional period expires.
• New Zealand permits dual citizenship, so naturalising as a New Zealand citizen does not in itself require renouncing an existing nationality. Applicants should nonetheless check whether their current country of nationality permits dual citizenship.
• The weighted-stay requirement, while modest for direct investors, still requires a genuine New Zealand presence. Investors with fully mobile lifestyles should model their travel patterns carefully.

Due Diligence Notes

Immigration New Zealand applies rigorous source-of-funds and source-of-wealth checks. Investors must be able to demonstrate that all investment capital is lawfully acquired and free from any criminal activity or sanctions connections.

New Zealand's Financial Markets Authority (FMA) regulates investment managers. Investors placing capital with managed fund managers should verify their FMA registration and review fund performance, fees, and investment strategy independently.

All investment migration applications in New Zealand must be lodged by the applicant or a licensed New Zealand immigration adviser (or solicitor). Using an unlicensed adviser carries legal risk.

Programme terms, investment thresholds, and stay requirements are subject to change. This page reflects the position as understood at the date of publication. Professional immigration, investment, and tax advice must be sought before making any decision.

How Global Investments can help

Global Investments supports investors considering New Zealand as a permanent residency or citizenship destination. We work with licensed New Zealand immigration advisers, FMA-regulated fund managers, and New Zealand tax specialists to provide a fully integrated advisory service.

Our support covers: investment structure optimisation (direct vs. managed), fund selection and due diligence, application documentation, source-of-wealth file preparation, transitional tax planning, and Auckland/Wellington real estate guidance.

We also help clients understand how New Zealand sits within a broader multi-jurisdiction planning framework — including comparisons with Australia, Singapore, and other Asia-Pacific programmes — to ensure the chosen pathway aligns with long-term family and investment objectives.

Contact us for a confidential discussion. Thresholds, stay requirements, and tax rules change; professional advice must always be sought before commitment.