Active Investor Plus Visa: current requirements
The Active Investor Plus Visa lets eligible investors live, work and study in New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand currently lists two investment categories:
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Growth category: at least NZD 5 million in acceptable investments for at least 36 months.
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Balanced category: at least NZD 10 million in acceptable investments for at least 60 months.
Applicants must also be fit and proper persons, transfer the nominated investment funds to New Zealand, show that funds were earned or acquired lawfully, and meet the other requirements of the visa.
Growth category investments can include direct investments and managed funds. Balanced category investments can include direct investments, managed funds, listed equities, philanthropy, bonds and qualifying property developments.
The previous NZD 15 million weighted-equivalent framing no longer reflects the current post-1 April 2025 settings.
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What the Active Investor Plus Visa allows
The Active Investor Plus Visa can suit investors who want a residence route tied to acceptable New Zealand investments.
1. Residence rights. The visa lets holders live, work and study in New Zealand, subject to visa conditions.
2. Family inclusion. Applicants can include a partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger if they meet Immigration New Zealand requirements.
3. Permanent-residence pathway. Visa holders may apply for permanent residence after keeping funds invested for 3 years under Growth or 5 years under Balanced, if conditions are met.
4. Investment choice. Current rules separate Growth and Balanced categories, with different acceptable-investment types and holding periods.
5. Lifestyle planning. New Zealand may appeal to families and investors considering long-term residence, education and business interests.
The visa does not guarantee approval, tax outcomes, citizenship or passport benefits.
Investment period, residence conditions and permanent residence
Immigration New Zealand lists the Growth investment period at 36 months and the Balanced investment period at 60 months.
Growth category applicants must spend at least 21 days in New Zealand as resident-visa holders during the 36-month investment period. Balanced category applicants must spend at least 105 days in New Zealand as resident-visa holders during the 60-month investment period, although additional Growth-category investment may reduce the time-in-country requirement under INZ rules.
If the application is approved in principle, applicants normally have 6 months to transfer and invest their nominated funds in New Zealand. INZ may grant a further 6 months if requirements are met.
Permanent residence is not automatic. Visa holders may apply after meeting the relevant investment-period and visa-condition requirements.
Required Documents
Prepare and submit the required documentation, which may include:
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Passport.
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Birth, marriage and divorce certificates.
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Proof of funds.
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Financial statements.
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Business records.
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Tax documents.
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Evidence of the source of your investment funds.
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Medical and character certificates.
Application process under the Active Investor Plus Visa
Before applying, investors should review the current Growth and Balanced category settings and confirm whether their proposed assets qualify as acceptable investments.
Typical steps include selecting the investment category, preparing source-of-funds and identity documents, applying to Immigration New Zealand, transferring funds after approval in principle, and keeping the investment in New Zealand for the required period.
Applicants should use qualified immigration and financial advisers before committing funds.
Application process under the Active Investor Plus Visa
These steps summarise a typical planning path. Immigration New Zealand requirements and evidence requests depend on the applicant's circumstances and selected investment category.
Review the current category settings
Check the Growth and Balanced category thresholds, investment periods and acceptable-investment rules before choosing a route.
Check the Growth and Balanced category thresholds, investment periods and acceptable-investment rules before choosing a route.
Prepare evidence
Gather identity, health, character, source-of-funds and relationship evidence for family members included in the application.
Gather identity, health, character, source-of-funds and relationship evidence for family members included in the application.
Apply to Immigration New Zealand
Submit the application and supporting documents through the official process.
Submit the application and supporting documents through the official process.
Transfer and invest funds after approval in principle
If approved in principle, transfer nominated funds to New Zealand and place them into acceptable investments within the allowed transfer period.
If approved in principle, transfer nominated funds to New Zealand and place them into acceptable investments within the allowed transfer period.
Maintain the investment and visa conditions
Keep funds invested for the required 36-month Growth or 60-month Balanced period and meet the relevant time-in-New-Zealand conditions.
Keep funds invested for the required 36-month Growth or 60-month Balanced period and meet the relevant time-in-New-Zealand conditions.
Permanent residence and citizenship are separate steps
The Active Investor Plus Visa is a residence visa, not a citizenship-by-investment programme.
Immigration New Zealand states that visa holders may apply for permanent residence after 3 years under the Growth category or 5 years under the Balanced category if they keep funds invested and meet the visa conditions.
New Zealand citizenship is handled through a separate nationality process and has its own presence, character and eligibility requirements. The investor visa should not be presented as guaranteeing citizenship, a passport, or a fixed naturalisation timeline.
Other residence by investment options without English-language tests
Residence by investment programmes differ by country, and requirements can change. Some countries do not require an English-language test, while others focus on investment type, source of funds, residence conditions or family eligibility.
Investors comparing options should confirm current rules with official sources and qualified advisers before choosing a programme.
Conclusion
The New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa is a residence route for eligible investors who can meet Immigration New Zealand's current Growth or Balanced category requirements.
The current settings start from NZD 5 million under Growth and NZD 10 million under Balanced, with different acceptable-investment types, investment periods and residence conditions.
Because immigration rules and investment criteria can change, applicants should verify the latest official requirements before applying and should not treat the visa as a guaranteed path to permanent residence, citizenship or tax outcomes.
