The Active Investor Plus Visa

The Active Investor Plus Visa will allow you to:

live, work and study in New Zealand
include your partner and dependent children, aged 24 and younger, in your application
apply for permanent residence after 3 years of keeping your funds in New Zealand if you invest under the Growth category, or after 5 years if you invest under the Balanced category

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Applications are now open. Very short processing times!

The average time for an application under the new settings to be approved in principle is 23 working days.

As of 31 August 2025, 39 applications have been approved and applicants have been granted resident visas, 12 in the balanced category and 27 in the growth category.

The majority of the investments to date have been in Invest-NZ approved managed funds and bonds.

The recent changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa - an overview

Changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa included the introduction of 2 investment categories:

Growth category: focuses on higher-risk investments, including managed funds and direct investments in New Zealand businesses. It will require a minimum investment of NZD $5 million for a minimum period of 3 years. 
Balanced category: focuses on mixed investments, with the ability to choose ones that are lower risk. There will be a minimum investment of NZD $10 million over 5 years.

Other changes included:

reducing the minimum investment amount from NZD $15 million (or weighted equivalent) to NZD $5 million for Growth and NZD $10 million for Balanced category investors 
broadening the scope of acceptable investments to include bond and property-type investments for Balanced category investors
removing the English language requirement
fewer immigration requirements, for migrants who choose more active investments, such as reducing the time required to be spent in New Zealand.

The two investment levels of the Active Investor Plus Visa:

Growth Category and Balanced Category

The Growth Category

You must invest at least NZD $5 million for the Growth Category.

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Acceptable investments for the Growth Category can include:

direct investments, or
managed funds.

The Growth category includes higher-risk investments, including managed funds and direct investments in New Zealand businesses.

These investments are typically illiquid (not easily converted to cash) and may require a long-term commitment, which may extend beyond the minimum investment requirements of the Active Investor Plus visa.

Any direct investments or managed fund investments (made under the Growth category) must be considered acceptable by Invest New Zealand.

While Invest New Zealand determines whether direct investments or managed funds are acceptable for this visa category, they do not endorse or guarantee the success of any investments. You should make sure that you do your due diligence on any investment opportunities you are considering before you invest.

The Balanced Category

You must invest at least NZD $10 million to apply under the Balanced Category.

Acceptable investments for the Balanced Category can include:

direct investments
managed funds
listed equities
philanthropy
bonds, or
property developments (new residential, commercial or industrial developments or existing commercial and industrial developments).

To apply for the Active Investor Plus Visa you must:

be a fit and proper person
invest at least NZD $5 million if you invest under the Growth category or at least NZD $10 million if you invest under the Balanced category in acceptable investments in New Zealand
transfer your investment funds to New Zealand
have earned or acquired your investment funds lawfully
meet the other requirements of this visa.

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Investment funds

You must invest at least NZD $5 million for the Growth category or NZD $10 million for the Balanced category in acceptable investments in New Zealand.

You must invest your nominated investment funds in acceptable investments in New Zealand for at least 36 months for the Growth category and for at least 60 months for the Balanced category.

Important: While Invest New Zealand determines whether direct investments or managed funds are acceptable for this visa category, they do not endorse or guarantee the success of any investments. You should make sure that you do your due diligence on any investment opportunities you are considering before you invest.

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Transfer investment funds

You must transfer your investment funds to New Zealand:

directly from your bank account to New Zealand through the banking system
from a joint bank account that you share with your partner or dependent children who are included in your application, or
through a third party such as a solicitor acting on your behalf, a pension scheme in your name or an investment portfolio account in your name.

You will have 6 months from that date of the Approval in Principle to transfer your nominated funds.

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Source of investment funds

You must have earned or acquired your investment funds lawfully.The evidence you provide will depend on how you came by your funds. It may include:

tax returns or certificates
pay slips
business financial statements
business shareholdings
dividends
receipts for property sales
bank certificates
share trading profits
evidence of gifted money
probate and other evidence of inherited money.

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Invest in New Zealand

If you apply for the Growth category, you must keep at least NZD $5 million in acceptable investments in New Zealand for 36 months.

,You must provide evidence that your nominated funds have remained invested in New Zealand at 24 months and at 36 months.

If you apply for the Balanced category you must keep at least NZD $10 million in acceptable investments in New Zealand for 60 months.

You must provide evidence that your nominated funds have remained invested in New Zealand at 24 months and at 60 months.

You must provide this evidence within 3 months (from the 24, 36 or 60 month date).

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Spend time in New Zealand

If you apply for the Growth category you must spend at least 21 days in New Zealand as a holder of a resident visa during the 36 month investment period.

If you apply for the Balanced category you must spend at least 105 days in New Zealand as a holder of a resident visa during the 60 month investment period.

However, for each additional NZD $1 million you invest in acceptable Growth category investments, you can reduce the time required in New Zealand by 14 days. You can do this up to a maximum reduction of 42 days.

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Bring your family to New Zealand

If your family are included in your resident visa, they will need to come to New Zealand within 12 months of their visa being granted.

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Getting a Permanent Resident Visa

After you have held a Migrant Investment or an Active Investor Plus Resident Visa for at least 24 months, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.

With a Permanent Resident Visa, you can travel in and out of New Zealand indefinitely, as long as you keep your visa in a valid passport.

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Please note: Applications under the Investor 1 and Investor 2 visas are no longer accepted. All applications currently in progress with INZ will continue to be processed.

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