The Immigration New Zealand has made changes to the Active Investor Plus visa (Golden visa) immigration instructions to replace the weighted system with Balanced and Growth categories, which came into force from Apr 1, 2025.
Active Investor Plus Visa
The objective of the Active Investor Plus visa category is to increase the flow of foreign capital and attract skilled and experienced active investors into areas that align with Government’s economic strategy, by providing resident visas to those who wish to participate in New Zealand’s investment ecosystem and make a significant contribution to New Zealand’s economy.
Amendments
The Key changes implemented are:
- Investment Minimum – Requiring a minimum investment amount of NZD$5 million for Growth category investors and NZD$10 million for Balanced category investors
- Expansion – Broadening the scope of acceptable investments for the Balanced category to include bond and property (new residential, new/existing commercial or industrial developments) investments
- Residence period – Updating the time required to be spent in New Zealand – 105 days over the investment period for the Balanced Category (with options to reduce the period by up to 6 weeks with further investment) and 21 days over the investment period for the Growth category
- Investment period – Reducing the transfer and investment period to within 6 months of the approval in principle, with the ability to be granted a 6-month extension in certain circumstances
- Language – Removing the English language requirement
- Children – Other changes relating to investment periods, section 49 checks and eligibility for residence for newborn children.
All amendments to immigration instructions take effect from 1 April 2025.
