New Zealand Active Investor Plus
A path to New Zealand permanent residence through direct investment into New Zealand businesses or managed funds, with minimal physical presence required.
New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa Overview
New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa is governed by the Immigration Act 2009 and administered by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The visa operates through two categories — Growth and Balanced — distinguished by the type and risk profile of qualifying investments; Indohill tracks the Growth category, which permits direct investments in New Zealand businesses and managed funds.
Immigration New Zealand relaxed several Active Investor Plus settings in 2025 and again from August 2026, part of a deliberate government effort to attract more investment capital — INZ reported 837 applications between 1 April 2025 and 23 July 2026, adding approximately NZD $4.845 billion to the investment pipeline.
Benefits of New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa
- A pathway to New Zealand permanent residence for investors who back New Zealand businesses and managed funds directly
- A minimal physical presence requirement — just 21 days over 36 months for the Growth category, among the lightest stay requirements Indohill tracks for any residence-by-investment route
- Effective 1 June 2026, up to 20% of the total investment may be allocated toward philanthropic contributions in New Zealand
- Spouse and dependent children may be included in the same application
- Residence in one of the world's most politically stable, low-corruption jurisdictions
Requirements
The main applicant must meet good character and source-of-funds requirements, transfer funds through appropriate channels, and complete a qualifying Growth-category investment:
1. Growth Category — Direct Investment
A minimum of NZD $5,000,000 invested directly into New Zealand businesses or managed funds meeting Immigration New Zealand's definition of an acceptable investment, held for a minimum of 36 months. Up to 20% of this total may be allocated to approved philanthropic contributions from 1 June 2026.
Procedure
Applicants apply to Immigration New Zealand, providing full source-of-funds documentation and evidence that the intended investment meets INZ's acceptable-investment definition, alongside standard good-character checks. Once the visa is granted, the applicant transfers and places the qualifying funds, then must maintain both the investment and the required minimum physical presence (21 days over 36 months for Growth category) through the holding period before residence status is confirmed as ongoing.
Fees & Costs
Beyond the NZD $5,000,000 investment itself, applicants pay Immigration New Zealand application and visa fees per applicant and dependant, plus separate legal, fund-selection, and source-of-funds advisory fees. Indohill discloses the full statutory and legal fee breakdown for this programme, and every other programme we track, in the Global Matrix Marketplace fee breakdown tool before you commit to a specific investment.
Settings Have Changed Twice in the Past Year
Immigration New Zealand relaxed Active Investor Plus rules in 2025 and again with settings updated from August 2026, including the new philanthropic-contribution allowance effective 1 June 2026. Indohill re-verifies current investment definitions and physical-presence rules against INZ's own operations manual before every client engagement, rather than relying on a single point-in-time summary.
Background & Legal Considerations
The Active Investor Plus visa is granted under the Immigration Act 2009, with resident visas issued under this category subject to conditions under section 49(1) of that Act. Detailed eligibility and investment-definition rules are published by Immigration New Zealand in its operations manual, with separate provisions for the Growth and Balanced categories.
Why Indohill Advises This Program
- A private, advisor-reviewed intake — every application is scoped by a person, with the proposed investment tested against INZ's current acceptable-investment definition before submission
- Coordination with independently licensed New Zealand immigration counsel and investment advisors, vetted against Indohill's Certified Partner Network standards before any introduction is made
- Full statutory and legal fee disclosure through the Global Matrix Marketplace before you commit to a specific business or fund
- The same 5-phase advisory methodology Indohill applies across every program, from initial audit through lifelong governance and renewal support
New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa FAQ
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