New ZealandInvestment

Active investor visa in New Zealand

A resident visa for investors who put their own capital into the New Zealand economy under one of the investment categories. Once the conditions of the investment period are met, it gives the right to live in the country with no limit of time, to include a partner and children in the application and later to move to permanent residence.

Processing time

80%

of applications is given within three months

Work

The right to live in New Zealand with no limit of time.

Source: Immigration New Zealand — Active Investor Plus Visa

Two investment categories

The visa is open to investors, who themselves choose one of the two investment categories.

Growth category

An investment of at least NZD 5,000,000 in acceptable assets
Keeping the funds invested in New Zealand for at least 36 months
At least 21 days spent in New Zealand over the 36-month investment period
Direct investments, managed funds and philanthropy (no more than 20% of the amount) are permitted
The right to apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after 36 months

Balanced category

An investment of at least NZD 10,000,000 in acceptable assets
Keeping the funds invested in New Zealand for at least 60 months
At least 105 days spent in New Zealand over the 60-month period; each additional NZD 1,000,000 above the minimum reduces that period by 14 days, up to a maximum of 42 days
Direct investments, managed funds, listed shares, bonds, property development projects and philanthropy are permitted
The right to apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after 60 months

What it costs

Fee for assessing the application	27 470 NZD
Investment under the Growth category (for 36 months)	5 000 000 NZD
Investment under the Balanced category (for 60 months)	10 000 000 NZD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Investment under the Balanced category (for 60 months)” branch replaces the “Investment under the Growth category (for 36 months)” line — 10 027 470 NZD.	5 027 470 NZD

Documents to gather

What has to be prepared in order to lodge the application.

Two head-and-shoulders photographs in the prescribed format
A medical certificate and a chest x-ray as evidence of good health
Police certificates from every country of citizenship and from countries where you have lived for 12 months or more over the last 10 years (no more than 6 months old at lodgement; if a certificate is not in English, a translation is needed)
Evidence of the lawful origin of the investment funds: tax returns, payment documents, business financial statements, documents on the sale of assets, bank statements, evidence of a gift or inheritance
The Resident Visa Declaration form (INZ 1242) for a partner and children, if they are included in the application
A covering letter with a table of the sources of the funds and an index showing which document answers which requirement of the visa

How the process runs

The route from lodging the application to the lifting of the section 49 conditions.

1
Lodging the application
You lodge the form with documents on identity, health, character and the lawful origin of the investment funds, and attach a covering letter.
2
Approval in Principle
80% of applications — within 3 months
After approval in principle you can come to New Zealand on a Specific Purpose Work Visa in order to arrange the transfer and investment of the funds.
3
Transferring and investing the funds in New Zealand
6 months after approval in principle (in certain cases a further 6 months can be obtained)
The money is transferred directly through the banking system to an account in New Zealand and invested in acceptable assets of the chosen category.
4
Confirming that the investment is intact
at the 24th month and at the end of the period, with the report due within 3 months of the reference date
Twice during the investment period you have to confirm that the required amount remains invested and to complete a questionnaire on your status as an investor.
5
Lifting the section 49 conditions and moving to a Permanent Resident Visa
Once all the conditions of the investment period are met (36 months under Growth or 60 months under Balanced), the section 49 conditions are lifted and you can apply for permanent residence — a Permanent Resident Visa with no restrictions on entry and departure.

Who you can bring with you

A partner and children can be included in the same application as the main investor.

Partner

Included on evidence of a genuine, stable relationship and of living together for at least 12 months.

Children under 24

Included as dependants on a birth certificate and custody documents; for children aged 21–24 financial dependence on the applicant additionally has to be evidenced.

Deadlines for the family's entry

A partner and children included in the resident visa have to enter New Zealand within 12 months of its grant, or they will have to lodge a residence application afresh.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Growth category — at least 21 days spent in New Zealand as a resident visa holder over the 36 months of the investment period. Balanced category — at least 105 days over 60 months; the period can be reduced by additional investment.

The Active Investor Plus is a resident visa with no limit on the period of residence and does not need to be renewed. To have the section 49 conditions lifted and apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, you have to meet the conditions of the investment period: 36 months under the Growth category or 60 months under the Balanced category, confirm that the invested funds are intact and meet the requirement on the number of days spent in the country.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Active investor visa	Skilled migrant visa	Work to Residence Visa
Visa term	This is a resident visa with no limit of time: you live, work and study in the country	A resident visa with no limit on the period of residence	This is a resident visa: you live, work and study in the country with no limit of time
Money	Growth category — an investment of at least NZD 5,000,000 for a term of 36 months	The fee is from NZD 6,450	The fee is from NZD 6,450
Work	The right to live in New Zealand with no limit of time	The right to live, work and study in New Zealand with no limit of time	The right to live, work and study in New Zealand with no limit of time

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

You apply for permanent residence after three years under the Growth category and after five years under the Balanced category.

Route to citizenship

Citizenship is granted after five years of living as a resident: 1,350 days of presence over the five years and no fewer than 240 days in each year. A Growth investor needs only 21 days in the country over 36 months, and a Balanced investor 105 days over 60 months, so for citizenship you will have to live in the country appreciably longer.

Frequently asked questions about Active investor visa

Who can obtain an Active Investor Plus Visa?

An investor who is a fit and proper person, has lawfully earned or acquired the investment funds and is ready to invest at least NZD 5,000,000 under the Growth category or at least NZD 10,000,000 under the Balanced category in acceptable assets in New Zealand.

What does lodging cost and how long does the assessment take?

The fee for assessing the application is from NZD 27,470. A decision on approval in principle is made for 80% of applications within 3 months.

Can you come with your family?

Yes, a partner and children aged 24 and under can be included in the application. Once the visa is granted they have to enter New Zealand within 12 months, or residence will have to be applied for afresh.

What is the difference between the Growth and Balanced categories?

Growth requires at least NZD 5,000,000 for 36 months, permits direct investments, managed funds and philanthropy (no more than 20% of the amount), and a minimum of 21 days spent in the country. Balanced requires at least NZD 10,000,000 for 60 months, permits a wider list of assets including listed shares, bonds and property development projects, and a minimum of 105 days spent in the country over the period (the period can be shortened by additional investment).

How do you move to permanent residence after this visa?

Once the section 49 conditions have been lifted — that is, once all the conditions of the investment period have been met — you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa: after 36 months under the Growth category or after 60 months under the Balanced category. The permanent resident visa removes the restrictions on entering and leaving the country.

What happens if the visa conditions are not met by the end of the investment period?

If by the end of the investment period not all the visa conditions have been met — for example, the invested funds have not been confirmed as intact or the required number of days in the country has not been reached — the visa holder may have to leave New Zealand.

Other ways to move to New Zealand

Every route in one list — migration programmes: New Zealand.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.