New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa
- Processing time
- 3–6 months
- Physical presence
- The Growth route asks for a modest number of days in New Zealand over the three years; the Balanced route asks for less. A permanent resident visa follows after the holding period, provided the investment and presence conditions are met.
- Family
- The main applicant can include a partner and dependent children up to 24.
Investment routes
Investment fund
From $3 000 000
- Capital
- Refundable
Growth category: NZD 5 million (about 3 million USD) in higher-risk investments — managed funds or direct investment in New Zealand businesses — held for a minimum of three years, with a modest in-country presence. Up to 20% may go to approved philanthropy. Capital is at genuine investment risk.
Fixed capital
From $6 000 000
- Capital
- Refundable
Balanced category: NZD 10 million (about 6 million USD) in a mix of investments that can include lower-risk assets, held for a minimum of five years, with a lighter presence requirement than the Growth route.
Limits and drawbacks
- This is residence, not a passport. It leads to a permanent resident visa after three or five years; citizenship is a separate, later step requiring genuine residence.
- The tickets are high — from NZD 5 million — and the Growth capital sits in higher-risk managed funds or businesses, not a safe deposit.
- New Zealand taxes residents on worldwide income; the four-year transitional exemption is real but temporary, after which worldwide income becomes taxable.
- New Zealand is geographically remote, which matters for time zones, travel and running a business elsewhere.