New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa

Licensed Immigration Advice for Investors Considering New Zealand

The Active Investor Plus Visa is New Zealand’s main residence pathway for high-net-worth individuals who wish to invest significant capital in New Zealand and obtain residence for themselves and their eligible family members.

This visa may be relevant if you are an investor, business owner, entrepreneur, senior executive or internationally mobile family considering New Zealand as a place to live, invest, work, study, raise children or plan long-term settlement.

At Aspiring Immigration, you are supported by Tatiana Elvery, a Licensed New Zealand Immigration Adviser, regulated by the Immigration Advisers Authority, Licence No. 202101015.

Based in Wanaka, New Zealand, I assist clients across Queenstown, Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand and worldwide with immigration strategy, visa eligibility assessments, document preparation and representation.

What Is the Active Investor Plus Visa?

The Active Investor Plus Visa allows eligible investors to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, provided they meet the required investment, health, character, source-of-funds and visa conditions.

Immigration New Zealand currently requires applicants to invest at least NZD $5 million under the Growth category or at least NZD $10 million under the Balanced category in acceptable investments in New Zealand. The visa can include a partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger, if they meet the relevant requirements.

This is a residence visa, not merely a temporary investor visa. It can provide a long-term immigration pathway for investors and their families, subject to meeting all visa conditions.

Who Is This Visa For?

The Active Investor Plus Visa may be suitable for clients who:

  • have significant lawfully earned or acquired funds available for investment;

  • want to obtain residence in New Zealand;

  • are considering New Zealand for lifestyle, family, education, business or investment reasons;

  • wish to include a partner and dependent children in their residence plans;

  • want flexibility to live, work and study in New Zealand;

  • are prepared to invest in acceptable New Zealand investments for the required investment period;

  • can provide clear evidence of source of funds and transfer of funds;

  • can meet health, character and fit-and-proper-person requirements.

For many clients, this visa is not only an immigration decision. It is part of a wider family, investment, tax, asset protection, education and lifestyle strategy.

The Two Active Investor Plus Visa Categories

There are currently two main investment categories under the Active Investor Plus Visa:

Growth Category

The Growth category requires a minimum investment of NZD $5 million in acceptable investments in New Zealand.

Acceptable Growth category investments may include:

  • direct investments; and

  • managed funds.

The Growth category is generally focused on higher-risk investments, including managed funds and direct investments into New Zealand businesses. Immigration New Zealand notes that these investments are typically illiquid and may require a long-term commitment beyond the minimum investment period.

Under the Growth category, the investment must generally be maintained for 36 months. Evidence that the nominated funds have remained invested must be provided at the relevant checkpoints.

Balanced Category

The Balanced category requires a minimum investment of NZD $10 million in acceptable investments in New Zealand.

Acceptable Balanced category investments may include:

  • direct investments;

  • managed funds;

  • listed equities;

  • philanthropy;

  • bonds; and

  • property developments.

Under the Balanced category, the investment must generally be maintained for 60 months. Evidence that the nominated funds have remained invested must be provided at the required checkpoints.

Growth Category or Balanced Category: Which One May Be More Suitable?

Choosing between the Growth and Balanced categories is not simply about the amount invested.

The right pathway may depend on:

  • the amount of capital available;

  • investment preferences and risk tolerance;

  • liquidity expectations;

  • desired timeframe to permanent residence;

  • family relocation plans;

  • appetite for direct investment or managed funds;

  • wider tax, financial and legal considerations;

  • how much time the applicant can realistically spend in New Zealand;

  • whether the proposed investment is acceptable under Immigration New Zealand requirements.

Aspiring Immigration can advise on the immigration requirements and pathway implications. Investment, tax, financial and legal advice should be obtained from appropriately qualified professionals where required.

Acceptable Investments

For Active Investor Plus Visa purposes, an acceptable investment must generally:

  • not be for the applicant’s personal use;

  • be invested in New Zealand in New Zealand dollars;

  • be on the list of acceptable investments for either the Growth or Balanced category;

  • continue to meet the requirements throughout the relevant investment period.

Immigration New Zealand has made clear that it does not endorse or guarantee the success of investments. The fact that an investment may be acceptable for visa purposes does not mean that it is financially suitable for a particular investor.

This is why investors should obtain both immigration advice and separate financial, tax and legal advice before committing capital.

Source of Funds and Lawful Acquisition

A key part of the Active Investor Plus Visa application is proving that the investment funds were lawfully earned or acquired.

This can be one of the most document-heavy parts of the process.

Evidence may need to address:

  • business ownership;

  • sale of business or shares;

  • dividends or retained earnings;

  • employment income;

  • investment returns;

  • property sales;

  • inheritance;

  • gifts;

  • trusts or corporate structures;

  • tax records;

  • bank statements;

  • audited accounts;

  • fund transfers;

  • asset ownership history.

For high-net-worth individuals, funds may be held across multiple entities, jurisdictions, currencies or asset classes. This can create complexity, especially where funds have accumulated over a long period or moved through different structures.

A strong application should present the source and path of funds clearly, logically and with supporting documentation.

Time Required in New Zealand

The Active Investor Plus Visa has physical presence requirements.

Under the Growth category, the investor must spend at least 21 days in New Zealand as a resident visa holder during the 36-month investment period.

Under the Balanced category, the investor must spend at least 105 days in New Zealand as a resident visa holder during the 60-month investment period. Immigration New Zealand also provides for reductions to the Balanced category time requirement where additional funds are invested in acceptable Growth category investments, up to the relevant maximum reduction.

This makes planning important, particularly for internationally mobile clients who may have business, family or tax residence considerations in more than one country.

Family Members

The Active Investor Plus Visa may allow the principal applicant to include:

  • their partner; and

  • dependent children aged 24 or younger.

Immigration New Zealand requires evidence that a partnership is genuine and stable. If a partner is included, the couple must generally provide evidence that they have been living together for at least 12 months.

Family planning should be considered early, especially where children are close to age thresholds, studying overseas, financially dependent, or where the family has spent time living in different countries.

Permanent Residence

The Active Investor Plus Visa can lead to permanent residence if the required conditions are met.

Immigration New Zealand states that applicants may apply for permanent residence after 3 years of keeping funds in New Zealand under the Growth category, or after 5 years under the Balanced category.

This makes the category attractive for clients who want a long-term immigration position in New Zealand, while maintaining flexibility over when and how they relocate.

Why Professional Immigration Advice Matters

The Active Investor Plus Visa involves significant capital and careful documentation.

Professional advice is particularly important where:

  • funds are held through companies, trusts or multiple bank accounts;

  • funds have been accumulated over many years;

  • business ownership or sale proceeds need to be evidenced;

  • investments are being considered before the visa strategy is confirmed;

  • family members need to be included;

  • there are previous immigration, health or character issues;

  • the applicant needs to coordinate immigration timing with business, tax, education or relocation plans;

  • the applicant wants to understand whether the Growth or Balanced category is more appropriate.

Mistakes at the planning stage can be costly. Before committing funds, it is important to understand whether the proposed investment and supporting evidence are likely to meet immigration requirements.

How Aspiring Immigration Can Help

Aspiring Immigration can assist with the immigration aspects of the Active Investor Plus Visa, including:

  • initial eligibility assessment;

  • comparison of the Growth and Balanced categories from an immigration perspective;

  • advice on visa requirements and process;

  • review of family eligibility;

  • source-of-funds evidence planning;

  • document checklist preparation;

  • review of supporting evidence;

  • coordination with investment, tax, financial, legal or business advisers where appropriate;

  • preparation of immigration submissions;

  • application preparation and lodgement;

  • communication with Immigration New Zealand where representation is agreed in writing;

  • responses to Immigration New Zealand requests for further information.

The exact scope of services will be confirmed in writing before representation begins.

Important: Immigration Advice, Not Financial Advice

Aspiring Immigration provides licensed New Zealand immigration advice.

We do not provide financial, tax, investment, accounting or legal advice unless separately qualified to do so. Investors should obtain advice from appropriately qualified professionals before making investment, tax, corporate structuring or asset planning decisions.

Our role is to help you understand the immigration requirements and prepare the visa application in a clear, compliant and well-documented manner.

Why Work With Aspiring Immigration?

Clients choose Aspiring Immigration because they want careful, strategic and personalised immigration advice.

You benefit from:

  • advice from a Licensed New Zealand Immigration Adviser;

  • professional regulation by the Immigration Advisers Authority;

  • experience across immigration, finance, HR and business operations;

  • practical understanding of investor, employer and migrant perspectives;

  • clear advice on eligibility, risks, timing and evidence;

  • a structured approach to complex documentation;

  • support for individuals, families and business migrants considering New Zealand long term.

For investor migrants, the immigration process is only one part of a broader life and wealth decision. My role is to help you approach the immigration pathway with clarity, care and professional guidance.

Book an Active Investor Plus Visa Consultation

If you are considering the Active Investor Plus Visa, you can book a consultation with Aspiring Immigration to discuss your circumstances, family position, investment category options, documentation requirements and immigration strategy.

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