New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa Program: New Zealand Golden Visa Guide 2025

The New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa Program is one of the most attractive investment opportunities and residency by investment pathways in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Also called the New Zealand Golden Visa, the program was launched in 2022 to attract high-net-worth individuals who want to live, work, and establish deep business and personal ties in New Zealand. The visa provides a clear path from temporary residency to permanent residency, and ultimately, citizenship. 

If you’re a high-net-worth individual seeking both personal security and economic opportunity, the Active Investor Plus Visa New Zealand offers an attractive combination of benefits: a stable investment opportunity, world-class lifestyle, and long-term global mobility through New Zealand citizenship. 

In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about the New Zealand Golden Visa 2025, from updated eligibility and investment requirements to the Growth and Balanced categories, residency and citizenship benefits, application steps, and tax benefits. 

• What is the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa? 
• Why choose the Active Investor Plus Visa New Zealand? 
• Investment Routes and Eligibility Requirements 
• New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa Application Process 
• Tax Benefits for Active Investor Plus Visa Holders 
• Risks and Compliance Considerations 
• Pathway to Permanent Residency and Citizenship
• Frequently Asked Questions

The Active Investor Plus Visa is a residency by investment program that is managed by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).

Also known as the New Zealand Golden Visa or the New Zealand Investor Visa, the program requires foreign individuals to invest significant funds into certain acceptable New Zealand-based investments that contribute to the country’s economy. 

Successful applicants also receive a resident visa valid for four years, giving them the right to live, work, and study in New Zealand. Spouses and dependent children up to age 24 can be included in the application as part of the family reunification option. 

Although sometimes referred to as the New Zealand Citizenship by Investment program, the visa doesn’t offer an automatic route to citizenship. However, after meeting the minimum investment and physical presence requirements, applicants may transition to permanent residency and later apply for New Zealand citizenship. 

New Zealand is recognized for its political stability, transparent legal system, low corruption, and exceptional quality of life. The country even ranks 12th on the list of happiest countries according to the 2025 World Happiness Report and is in the top ten safest countries in the world, making it an attractive destination for foreign capital.

For foreign investors, the New Zealand Residence by Investment Program offers: 

• Residency rights: Full right to live, work, and study in New Zealand. 
• Family inclusion: Spouse or partner and dependent children (up to age 24) can be included. 
• World-class healthcare and education: Residents gain access to sought-after subsidized social services like healthcare and educational institutions. New Zealand’s education system is widely regarded as high quality, with strong performance in global indices, and the country is home to eight universities of the highest quality. All are ranked in the top 3% (600) universities in the world according to Universities New Zealand (UNZ).
• Minimal stay requirement: Only 21 to 105 days over 3 to 5 years, depending on the investment category chosen. 
• Luxury real estate ownership: From 2025 onward, visa holders may buy only one personal residence valued at NZD $5 million or more. 
• Tax benefits: No inheritance, estate, or wealth taxes. 
• Strong global mobility: As of 2025, the New Zealand passport ranks 21st worldwide, offering visa-free access to 117 countries and a high quality of life score.
• Future citizenship: After 5 years of residence, investors can apply for New Zealand citizenship. 
• Access to Australia: New Zealand citizens benefit from the Trans-Tasman Travel Agreement, which allows them to live and work in Australia freely. 

Under the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa, applicants can choose between two investment categories: the Growth Category and the Balanced Category. 

Each category comes with different thresholds, timelines, and stay requirements, as well as specific rules on eligible asset classes. 

Growth category

• Minimum investment: NZD $5 million 
• Investment period: 3 years 
• Stay requirement: 21 days in New Zealand over 3 years 
• Eligible assets: 
  • Direct equity investments in New Zealand private businesses (for example, technology, agribusiness, renewable energy).
  • NZTE-approved managed funds in high-growth sectors such as biotech, infrastructure, and venture capital.

This investment route is designed for investors who want the shortest path to permanent residency and prefer a streamlined process with minimal physical presence obligations. 

Balanced category

• Minimum investment: NZD $10 million 
• Investment period: 5 years 
• Stay requirement: 105 days over 5 years (reduced to 63 days for investments of NZD $13 million+ in growth assets) 
• Eligible assets: 
  • Managed funds 
  • Direct investments in New Zealand businesses 
  • Listed equities on the New Zealand Exchange (up to 50% of portfolio) 
  • Government and public-sector bonds 
  • Philanthropic donations to approved charities (up to 50% of portfolio) 
  • Property development projects in new residential, commercial, or industrial builds (existing properties do not qualify) 

This investment pathway suits investors seeking lower risk and broader portfolio diversification. 

New Zealand Golden Visa Requirements

In addition to the financial thresholds for each investment pathway, applicants must meet the following New Zealand Golden Visa eligibility criteria:

• Be at least 18 years old. 
• Provide proof of a clean criminal record. 
• Pass standard health checks. 
• Demonstrate that all investment funds have been legally obtained. 

Applying for the Golden Visa New Zealand involves several clear steps, but also requires careful preparation of documentation, an understanding of the expected timeline, and awareness of associated costs. 

Step-by-step process

01/ Choose your investment category

Select either the Growth Category (NZD $5 million, 3 years holding period) or Balanced Category (NZD $10 million, 5 years holding period). 

02/ Gather required documents

These include: 

• Valid passports and identity documents 
• Police certificates from all countries of residence over the last 10 years 
• Proof of funds and source of wealth (bank statements, investment records, sale agreements, business ownership documents) 
• Medical certificates for all applicants 
• Relationship evidence for spouse/partner and dependents 

03/ Submit online application

Lodge the application with Immigration New Zealand (INZ). 

04/ Pay the government fee

As of 2025, the application fee is NZD $27,470, which is payable upon submission.

05/ Receive Approval in Principle (AIP)

If approved, you will be given six months to transfer funds into New Zealand. Extensions may be granted in exceptional cases.

06/ Transfer funds and invest

Move your capital into the country and allocate it to approved investments under the Growth or Balanced categories.

07/ Maintain investment and provide reports.

INZ requires regular compliance reporting: 

• Growth Category: Reports due at 24 and 36 months.
• Balanced Category: Reports due at 24 and 60 months.

08/ Meet stay requirements

Satisfy the minimum physical presence days based on your investment category.

09/ Apply for permanent residency

Once the investment period and stay obligations are met, you can apply for permanent residence.

10/ Progress to citizenship

After five years of residence (with physical presence requirements met), you may apply for New Zealand citizenship.

New Zealand Golden Visa processing time

• The application assessment typically takes 3 to 6 months from submission to visa issuance, depending on the completeness of documentation and fund verification. 
• After approval, applicants have 6 months to transfer funds, with extensions possible. 

Fees and costs for the Golden Visa in New Zealand

• Application fee: NZD $27,470 
• Investment amount: NZD $5 million (Growth) or NZD $10 million (Balanced)
• Other costs: Legal fees, advisory fees, fund management fees, and due diligence checks should also be factored into the total cost of obtaining the visa.  

One of the strongest attractions of the Active Investor Plus Visa New Zealand is its favorable tax environment. Unlike many other countries, New Zealand is one of the countries with no capital gains tax on most personal investments, allowing investors to retain most of their profits. 

In addition, there are no inheritance, estate, or wealth taxes, which means that assets can be transferred to future generations without incurring additional tax burdens. 

New tax residents may also qualify for the transitional tax resident exemption, which provides a four-year exemption from most foreign-sourced income, including dividends, interest, and rental income from abroad. 

This is particularly valuable for global investors who need time to restructure their financial affairs when relocating. 

New Zealand’s extensive network of over 40 tax treaties or double taxation agreements (DTAs) with countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia also prevents double taxation and provides tax relief on certain income streams. 

Personal income is taxed progressively, with rates ranging from 10.5% on lower incomes to 39% on high earners, while the corporate tax rate is set at a flat 28%, which is competitive compared to other developed economies. 

While the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa offers significant benefits, applicants should also be aware of the risks and compliance obligations. Importantly, there is no government guarantee on the returns of higher-risk investments. The performance depends entirely on the activity of financial markets, the movement of fund managers, and business outcomes. 

Applicants must also undergo strict due diligence checks to verify the lawful source of their funds, ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering regulations. After visa approval, investors are required to provide mandatory progress reports at specified intervals. Failure to maintain the required investment or submit these reports can result in visa cancellation. 

Finally, there are specific property restrictions under the program. While investors may purchase one luxury residence worth NZD $5 million or more for personal use, direct residential property purchases do not count toward the qualifying investment threshold. Only property development projects that add economic value are eligible under the Balanced category. 

Permanent residency

After completing the investment period (3 years under the Growth Category or 5 years under the Balanced Category) and meeting the stay requirements, investors can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa in New Zealand.

This status removes travel restrictions and provides indefinite residence rights in New Zealand.

Citizenship

After establishing permanent residency and maintaining it for 5 years, applicants can pursue New Zealand citizenship, provided they: 

• Stay at least 1,350 days (about 3.5 years) in New Zealand during those 5 years. 
• Accumulate at least 240 days of presence per year. 
• Demonstrate good character and display a basic level of English. 

New Zealand citizenship unlocks one of the world’s strongest passports. According to the Global Passport Index, New Zealand ranks 21st worldwide in 2025, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 117 destinations. 

Beyond offering mobility, the index also highlights New Zealand’s high performance in Quality of Life and Investment Attractiveness, further underlining the long-term value of securing a New Zealand passport.