The New Zealand investor visa is one of the main routes into the country for people who want to invest and settle long term. It gives investors several ways to put capital into a growing economy and, in time, to apply for permanent residence.
The conditions and benefits are structured so that applicants considering moving to New Zealand can pick the route that matches their capital and their plans. This guide covers the categories, the application process, the documents and the points that catch people out.
What is the New Zealand investor visa?
The New Zealand investor visa, formally the Active Investor Plus visa, lets foreign investors put capital into the New Zealand economy and, once the conditions are met, apply for residence.
The advantages include bringing family members, living in a country with a high standard of living, an advanced education and health system, and a strong natural environment. New Zealand also has no inheritance tax and no general capital gains tax.
It suits investors who want security, economic stability and a broad set of commercial opportunities in a developed country.
Types of investor visa in New Zealand
If you are looking at residence in New Zealand through investment, the first question is which category applies to you. This section sets out the options so that you can decide with a clear picture.
The Active Investor Plus visa
Active Investor Plus is one of New Zealand’s newer residence categories, designed to attract international capital. It was introduced in 2022 and reworked in 2025 to make it easier to use. It grants residence in return for investment in assets and projects approved by the New Zealand government. There are two routes:
- Growth
The Growth route requires a minimum of NZD 5 million invested in active assets such as private businesses or managed growth funds. The investment must be held for three years.
The physical presence requirement is very light: 21 days in total in New Zealand across those three years.
There is no English language requirement, and you have six months after the visa is approved to transfer your capital into New Zealand. - Balanced
If you want a safer and more diversified investment, the Balanced route is the better fit. It requires a minimum of NZD 10 million spread across a mix of assets such as bonds, managed funds, commercial property and listed shares.
The presence requirement is higher: at least 105 days in New Zealand over five years. That can drop to 63 days if you put more of your capital into growth assets.
The previous investor categories (Investor 1 & Investor 2)
Until 2022 New Zealand ran two other categories, Investor 1 and Investor 2. Both are now closed, though existing holders can move to the current system.
- Investor 1: NZD 10 million in capital and a light presence requirement
- Investor 2: around NZD 3 million in capital, but with a points test, an English language requirement and heavier presence obligations
Requirements for the New Zealand investor visa
The investor visa is aimed at people who want to invest in New Zealand, obtain permanent residence and eventually apply for citizenship. Here are the core conditions and the documents involved.
- Good physical and mental health, evidenced by a medical certificate
- No criminal record, particularly for fraud or financial offences
- Proof that the source of funds is lawful, through bank statements, tax returns and business records
- Capital from lawful sources, including earnings, inheritance or a legally documented gift
- Sufficient evidence that you own the funds and can transfer them to New Zealand
Also from Aval Visa: read our full guide to the New Zealand partner and dependant visa.
Costs of the investor visa in New Zealand
If you plan to invest through the Active Investor Plus visa, budget for the application costs. Immigration New Zealand raised these fees significantly in October 2024.
- Application fee for applicants outside New Zealand (Band C): NZD 12,070
- Fee for applicants from Pacific countries (Band B): NZD 6,190
- Immigration levy, payable by all applicants: NZD 15,400
- Total for most offshore applicants: approximately NZD 27,470
The increase reflects security checks, document processing and upgrades to Immigration New Zealand’s systems. Plan your finances before you file. Current fees are published on the official Immigration New Zealand website.
Read more: The New Zealand tourist visa
Documents required
An investor visa application is assessed on the following documents:
- A valid passport with at least six months of validity remaining
- Two passport photographs
- Police certificates from every country where you have lived for more than 12 months in the past ten years
- A full medical report and a chest X-ray
- Evidence of mental health and absence of specified conditions
- Proof of ownership and source of your investment capital
- Records of the transfer of funds to New Zealand
- Legal documentation for the source of funds
- Application forms completed accurately and legibly
- Proof of relationship for accompanying family, including a marriage certificate or family documents for a partner and children under 24
How the application works, step by step
The process runs as follows:
1. Check your eligibility and choose a route
Start by assessing your own position and confirming that you meet the conditions. Choose the route that matches your capital and how you intend to live.
2. Assemble your documents
Prepare your identity, medical and financial records.
3. Complete the online application
Create a RealMe account on the official Immigration New Zealand portal and complete the Active Investor Plus application online. You upload your documents at this stage and pay the fees.
4. Assessment and approval in principle
Immigration New Zealand reviews your documents and information. If everything is complete and the conditions are met, you receive approval in principle in writing, allowing you to move to the next stage.
5. Transfer and invest the capital
Once you have approval in principle, you have six months to transfer the full investment amount to New Zealand and place it in approved assets.
Evidence of the transfer, such as bank receipts and investment contracts, must be submitted to Immigration New Zealand. An extension is possible where there is a good reason.
6. Apply for permanent residence
Once the investment period is complete and all conditions have been met, you can apply for a permanent resident visa. Your documents are reviewed again at that stage.
From investor visa to permanent residence
Moving from the Active Investor Plus visa to permanent residence depends on several conditions.
- You must keep your capital in approved New Zealand assets.
- Throughout the investment period you must file periodic reports with Immigration New Zealand showing that the investment remains in approved assets and continues to meet the conditions.
- Once the investment period ends and those conditions have been met, you can apply for permanent residence.
- Immigration New Zealand assesses your documents and, where the conditions are satisfied, issues the permanent resident visa.
Permanent residence is the significant step for anyone intending to live and work in New Zealand long term. Citizenship can follow, subject to having lived in New Zealand for at least five years and meeting the presence, language and character requirements.
Aval Visa: support with New Zealand visa applications
The investor visa involves a defined sequence of steps, and experienced support makes the process clearer. Aval Visa works with applicants across the range of New Zealand visa categories, from the first assessment through to the decision. Contact our advisers for more detail.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the Active Investor Plus visa compare with investor programmes elsewhere?
Active Investor Plus targets active investors who will participate in the New Zealand economy in exchange for residence. It is aligned with the government’s economic strategy and carries its own specific conditions. - Apart from the minimum investment, what else is assessed?
You must meet the health and character requirements. The English language requirement that applied under the earlier version of the programme was removed in the 2025 changes, so no IELTS score is currently required for Active Investor Plus. Confirm the position on the Immigration New Zealand website before you apply. - Can family members be included in an Active Investor Plus application?
Yes. The principal applicant can include a partner and dependent children in the application.
