New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa Changes 2025

The New Zealand government has announced plans to relax the eligibility criteria for the Active Investor Plus Visa, including reducing the amount of investment required to qualify and removing the English language requirement. These changes will come into force from 1 April 2025 and are intended to make it easier for wealthy foreign nationals to invest in New Zealand businesses.

Nicola Willis, the Economic Growth Minister, described the changes as evidence that the New Zealand Government is “intent on welcoming people who want to contribute to New Zealand”, also alluding to the recent easing of visitor visa work rules for digital nomads. Immigration Minister, Erica Stanford, drew attention to the Active Investor Plus Visa’s four-year pathway to permanent residence, saying “we are now making our investor visa simpler and more flexible to incentivise investors to choose New Zealand as a destination not just for their capital, skills and international connections, but to build a life for themselves and their family here”.

What are the changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa?

The main Active Investor Plus Visa changes that have been announced so far are as follows:

• two simpler categories of investment: ‘Growth’ and ‘Balanced’
  • the Growth category has a minimum investment requirement of NZD $5,000,000
  • the Balanced category has a minimum investment requirement of NZD $10,000,000
• the definitions for ‘acceptable investments’ in the Balanced category will be expanded to include bond and property investments (e.g. new residential, new/existing commercial or industrial developments)
• the time in which visa holders in the Growth and Balanced categories must make their New Zealand investments has been reduced
  • investments must be made within six months of receiving visa approval in principle
  • a six month extension may be requested
• the time holders are required to spend in New Zealand during their investment will be reduced
  • in the Growth category, holders must spend at least 21 days in New Zealand over the course of a minimum 36-month investment
  • in the Balanced category, holders must spend at least 105 days in New Zealand over the course of a minimum 60-month investment (can be reduced for direct investments and investments in managed funds)
• periodic checkpoints to ensure investments are still active have been reduced from three to two
  • the first checkpoint will be at 24 months; the second will be at the end of the minimum investment term (36 or 60 months)
• the existing English language requirement has been removed

Taken in combination, the intention of these changes is to make it easier for high value investors to apply for and receive an Active Investor Plus Visa, and to encourage investment in so-called ‘active’ classes of investment such as direct investment in New Zealand businesses. The changes will also give foreign investors additional time and scope to familiarise themselves with the investment community in New Zealand, making it simpler for them to make additional active investments over time.

	Growth Category	Balanced Category
Minimum investment amount	NZD 5,000,000	NZD 10,000,000
Acceptable investment categories	Managed funds Direct investments	Managed funds Direct investments Bonds Property development Listed equities Philanthropy
Time to transfer and invest	6 months from Agreement in Principle	6 months from Agreement in Principle
Investment retention time	36 months	60 months
Investment retention checkpoints	At 24 months and 36 months	At 24 months and 60 months
Minimum time in NZ	21 days during the investment period	105 days during the investment period. Reductions apply for direct investments and managed funds.

Full details of the new Active Investor Plus Visa requirements are expected to be published in March 2025. The application process itself is anticipated to remain unchanged.

What can I get from the Active Investor Plus Visa in 2025?

The changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa are expected to focus on easing the eligibility criteria, not on changing what the visa permits holders to do in New Zealand. Potential new applicants for this visa can therefore still expect that, if successful, they will be permitted to:

• live in New Zealand for an indefinite period
  • NB: This is not a permanent residence visa
• work for any employer in New Zealand in any role
• study in New Zealand on any course for any length of time
• travel freely in and out of New Zealand for a period of five years
  • After this five year travel facility expires, visa holders must renew it or acquire permanent residence in order to re-enter the country on this visa
• apply for permanent residence after 48 months, providing that their investments remain in New Zealand for the entirety of this period
• bring their partner and/or dependent children to New Zealand with you (within no more than 12 months of your entering the country), providing that they are included in the application and that they meet the identity, character and health requirements

The previous set of changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa eligibility criteria in 2022 raised the barrier to entry to New Zealand via this investor route, and consequently saw a decline in the number of applications and investment visas issued. The April 2025 changes should make it easier for foreign investors to qualify for a New Zealand investment visa, and a increase in applications over the next couple of years can be expected.

If you are considering a long-term investment in New Zealand and would like to explore your visa options, including the Active Investor Plus Visa, our team of qualified migration advisors can help. Contact us or book a consultation today and we will be happy to provide you with a comprehensive suite of options tailored to your unique needs and circumstances.