New Zealand Investor and Business Visas

New Zealand offers residence pathways for experienced investors and businesspeople who can contribute capital, commercial experience and long-term value to the country.

The principal pathways are:

The Active Investor Plus Visa for people making acceptable investments in New Zealand
The Business Investor pathway for experienced businesspeople purchasing and actively operating an established New Zealand business

These pathways have different financial, investment, business-management and residence requirements.

Trusthaven Immigration can assess your objectives, available capital, business experience, source of funds and family circumstances to identify which pathway may be appropriate.

Active Investor Plus Visa

New Zealand offers an unbeatable balance of business and lifestyle, making it the perfect place to invest and live. This is thanks to our thriving, open market, innovative thinking, and world-class quality of life.

Our Active Investor Plus visa settings give you the chance to step onto our shores to discover our welcoming culture, stunning landscapes, and a wealth of opportunities. It invites you to use your expertise and capital to help grow New Zealand's economy and immerse yourself in our wide-open spaces, breathtaking beauty, and unparalleled lifestyle.

Choosing the Right Pathway

New Zealand warmly welcomes experienced, high-value investors to help build globally successful Kiwi businesses.

With our investor visa, you can settle or spend a significant amount of time here, enjoying everything our beautiful country has to offer.

This initiative reflects our commitment to attracting overseas investors who contribute to New Zealand's sustainable growth and prosperity.

Key requirements of the visa include:

Investing between NZ$5 million and NZ$15 million, based on a weighting system that incentivizes more 'active' investments.
Making the investment over a three-year period and maintaining it for an additional fourth year.
Spending at least 117 days in New Zealand over the four-year conditional visa period.
Demonstrating a reasonable command of English, with at least a Level 5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

The financial threshold is only the starting point.

An applicant’s eligibility may also depend on:

How the funds were earned or acquired
The ownership and availability of the funds
The nature of the proposed investment or business
The applicant’s commercial experience
The proposed transaction and ownership structure
Time spent in New Zealand
Compliance with continuing visa conditions
Health and character
English-language ability where required
The circumstances of accompanying family members

A pathway that appears suitable based on the investment amount may not be appropriate once the proposed investment, business or source of funds is examined.

Active Investor Plus Visa

The Active Investor Plus Visa provides a residence pathway for people who invest substantial funds in acceptable New Zealand investments.

Applicants can apply under either the Growth Category or the Balanced Category.

Growth Category

The Growth Category generally requires:

At least NZD $5 million in acceptable investments
A 36-month investment period
Compliance with the applicable physical-presence requirement

This category focuses on investments intended to contribute more directly to New Zealand businesses and economic growth.

The range of acceptable investments is therefore more restricted than under the Balanced Category.

Balanced Category

The Balanced Category generally requires:

At least NZD $10 million in acceptable investments
A 60-month investment period
Compliance with the applicable physical-presence requirement

The Balanced Category allows a broader range of acceptable investments. However, the proposed portfolio must still satisfy Immigration New Zealand’s requirements throughout the investment period.

Placing money into a New Zealand company, fund, bond, property or charitable organisation does not automatically make it acceptable for immigration purposes.

The structure and composition of the proposed portfolio should be reviewed before funds are committed.

Acceptable Investments

The Active Investor Plus categories distinguish between different types of investments.

Depending on the selected category, potentially acceptable investments may include:

Direct investments
Managed funds
Listed equities
Bonds
Philanthropic investments
Certain property developments or commercial property investments

Not every investment within these broad classes will qualify.

Immigration acceptability may depend on matters such as:

The investment structure
The entity receiving the funds
How the invested capital will be used
Whether the investment satisfies the relevant category
Whether the applicant’s funds are genuinely at risk
Whether the investment remains acceptable throughout the required period
Whether limits apply to a particular type of investment

An investment may be commercially attractive without being acceptable for immigration purposes. Equally, immigration acceptability does not mean that the investment has been financially endorsed or is commercially suitable for the applicant.

Applicants should obtain independent financial, legal, accounting and tax advice before making investment decisions.

Trusthaven Immigration can assess the immigration implications of a proposed portfolio but does not provide financial-product recommendations.

Source and Transfer of Investment Funds

Applicants must demonstrate that their nominated funds or assets are lawfully acquired, genuinely owned and available for investment.

Funds may have been accumulated through sources such as:

Business ownership
Employment or professional income
Investment returns
Property or business sales
Inheritance
Gifts
Trust or company distributions

The existence of sufficient money in a bank account does not, by itself, establish an acceptable source of funds.

The evidence must ordinarily explain how the applicant accumulated the wealth and how ownership can be traced through any companies, trusts, transactions or asset sales involved.

Applications can become complex where:

Wealth was accumulated over many years
Funds are held through multiple entities
Assets are jointly owned
Records are incomplete or inconsistent
Funds were recently gifted
Assets are subject to debt or security
Money will move through several countries or accounts
Tax, business and banking records use different figures

Following approval in principle, the required funds must generally be transferred and invested within the permitted period.

The source, ownership and proposed transfer route should therefore be assessed before the application is submitted—not after approval has been received.

Business Investor Visa Pathway

The Business Investor pathway is intended for experienced businesspeople who will purchase and actively operate an established New Zealand business.

It ordinarily involves obtaining a Business Investor Work Visa, purchasing and operating the approved business and later applying for residence after meeting the applicable requirements.

Applicants must generally:

Be aged 55 or younger
Have qualifying business ownership or senior-management experience
Invest at least NZD $1 million in an eligible business
Hold at least NZD $500,000 in additional reserve funds
Present a credible business proposal
Be actively involved in the business
Meet the applicable English, health, character and fitness requirements

This is not a passive-investment pathway. Meeting the headline requirements does not establish that the applicant or proposed business will qualify.

Key Requirements

Business Experience and the Proposed Purchase

Immigration New Zealand examines the substance of the applicant’s previous business experience rather than relying only on a job title, company registration or shareholding.

The proposed New Zealand business must also satisfy requirements relating to matters such as:

Trading history and current operations
Purchase value and ownership
Staffing
Compliance history
The nature of the business
The applicant’s intended involvement

The advertised sale price may not be the amount recognised as the qualifying investment, and some business models are excluded or restricted.

The applicant should obtain an immigration assessment before signing an unconditional agreement, paying a substantial deposit or making commitments based on an expected visa outcome.

Business Proposal and Due Diligence

The application must include a credible proposal explaining how the applicant will acquire, fund, manage and develop the business.

Independent legal and financial due diligence will also be important. A business may appear commercially attractive while still presenting immigration, financial, legal or tax concerns.

Trusthaven Immigration can review the transaction from an immigration perspective and work alongside the applicant’s independent lawyer, accountant and other professional advisers.

Pathway to Residence and Including Your Family

Obtaining a Business Investor Work Visa is the first stage. Residence may become available after the applicant has operated the approved business for the required period. A higher qualifying investment may allow an earlier residence application, although continuing business obligations may still apply.

Residence eligibility depends on:

Active involvement in the business
Maintaining the required investment and ownership
Time spent in New Zealand
Staffing and employment creation
The business’s financial position
Compliance with visa conditions and New Zealand law

The applicant’s partner and dependent children may also qualify for accompanying temporary visas and later inclusion in the residence application, subject to relationship, dependency, age, English-language, health and character requirements.

Family circumstances should be assessed early, particularly where a child is approaching an age limit, a partner intends to work, or a family member may have a health or character concern. Changes to the business, ownership, staffing or the applicant’s role can also affect the residence pathway, so advice should be obtained before making any material change.

Common Investor and Business Visa Issues

Investor and business applications can encounter difficulties because of:

An unclear or incomplete source-of-funds history
Inconsistent business, banking or taxation records
Assets held through complex companies or trusts
Funds that are not genuinely available
An investment that does not meet the selected category
Unexplained changes in ownership or value
Missing investment or transfer deadlines
Insufficient evidence of business experience
Purchasing a business that does not satisfy immigration requirements
A business proposal that is inconsistent with financial or due-diligence information
Changes to the investment, business or ownership structure
Failure to satisfy physical-presence or continuing compliance requirements
Assuming that immigration approval amounts to commercial endorsement

These applications frequently involve substantial financial commitments. Potential immigration issues should be identified before irreversible decisions are made.

How Trusthaven Immigration Can Help

Trusthaven Immigration can assist with:

Initial Strategy

Comparing the available investor and business pathways
Assessing preliminary eligibility
Reviewing the applicant’s objectives and residence plans
Identifying potential immigration risks
Planning the application process

Active Investor Plus Applications

Assessing the proposed immigration pathway
Reviewing nominated funds and assets
Developing a source-of-funds evidence strategy
Reviewing the immigration acceptability of proposed investments
Preparing and submitting the residence application
Assisting with continuing investment-condition evidence
Advising on the immigration consequences of proposed portfolio changes

Business Investor Applications

Assessing business ownership and management experience
Reviewing a proposed business from an immigration perspective
Preparing the Business Investor Work Visa application
Reviewing the business proposal
Coordinating with independent legal and financial advisers
Assisting with establishment-stage requirements
Preparing the later residence application
Advising on business or ownership changes

Complex Applications

Addressing gaps in financial records
Explaining company, trust, gift and inheritance structures
Responding to Immigration New Zealand concerns
Advising on health or character issues
Coordinating family applications
Reviewing compliance with continuing visa conditions

Our assessment considers the applicant, family, funds, proposed investment or business and long-term residence plan together.

Trusthaven Immigration provides immigration advice. Financial-product recommendations, business valuations, accounting advice, commercial due diligence and tax advice should be obtained from appropriately qualified independent professionals.

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FAQs

Is the Active Investor Plus Visa a passive-investment pathway?

It is an investment-based residence pathway and does not necessarily require the applicant to operate a New Zealand business. However, the funds must be placed into acceptable investments and maintained in accordance with the selected category.

What is the difference between the Growth and Balanced categories?

The Growth Category has a lower minimum investment and shorter investment period but focuses on a narrower range of growth investments.

The Balanced Category requires a higher investment for a longer period but allows a broader range of acceptable investments.

Can I invest in property?

Certain property-related investments may qualify under the Balanced Category if they satisfy the applicable requirements.

Purchasing a personal residence or ordinary property does not automatically satisfy the investment requirement.

Can I use gifted or inherited funds?

Potentially. The applicant must still demonstrate lawful source, ownership, availability and the circumstances in which the funds were received.

The transaction and supporting evidence should be assessed before the funds are relied upon.

Does Immigration New Zealand recommend investments?

No. Immigration acceptability is not financial endorsement, commercial due diligence or a guarantee of investment performance.

Independent financial, legal and tax advice should be obtained.

Can I purchase any established New Zealand business?

No. The business must meet the requirements of the Business Investor pathway. Some businesses and business models are excluded or restricted.

Can I establish a new business under the Business Investor pathway?

The pathway is intended for applicants purchasing and operating an established New Zealand business. A proposed start-up will not ordinarily meet that requirement.

Does a higher business investment guarantee faster residence?

No. A higher qualifying investment may provide access to an earlier residence application, but all other requirements must still be met. Continuing business obligations may also apply after residence is granted.

Must I live in New Zealand?

Both the Active Investor Plus and Business Investor pathways have physical-presence requirements. The applicable requirement depends on the pathway and category selected.

Can my partner and children accompany me?

Potentially. Their eligibility will depend on the relevant pathway and the applicable partnership, dependency, age, English, health and character requirements.

Does visa approval mean that the investment or business is commercially safe?

No. Immigration New Zealand assesses immigration requirements. It does not guarantee investment performance, confirm the commercial value of a business or protect the applicant against financial loss.

Start Your New Zealand Investment or Business Journey

Investor and business pathways involve significant financial and personal commitments.

Before investing, purchasing a business or relocating your family, it is important to understand whether the proposed strategy can realistically support the intended immigration outcome.

Contact Trusthaven Immigration for a professional assessment of your New Zealand investor or business visa options.