New Upgrades For New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus Visa You Need To Know

New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus Visa Just Got an Upgrade.

Changes have been made to the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa.

Here is what you should know. As of April 2025, the Active Investor Plus Visa has been revamped. Its main goal is to promote significant investment and provide applicants more freedom.

So, what’s changed about the Active Investor Plus Visa?

• To start, there are now two separate investing routes:

1. The Growth Category
2. The Balanced Category

• The Growth Category is aimed at those ready to invest a minimum of NZD $5 million into higher-risk ventures like direct investments or managed funds. If you’re going down this route, you’ll need to hold the investment for three years and spend at least 21 days in New Zealand during that time. This is meant for investors keen on investing in New Zealand’s entrepreneurial scene.
• The Balanced Category is for those playing the long game. It requires a minimum NZD $10 million investment, spread across lower-risk options like property. There is a five-year investment period, which is longer than the three years for the Growth category, and you’ll need to spend 105 days in New Zealand during that time.

• The amount of the investment spent determines just how much reduction you get in the number of days you have to spend in New Zealand. You can spend

1. 91 days in New Zealand if your total investment is at least NZD $11 million
2. 77 days in New Zealand if your total investment is at least NZD $12 million, 
3. 63 days in New Zealand if your total investment is at least NZD $13 million.

• The additional funds above NZD $10 million must be nominated before the application is approved in principle and then be placed in acceptable direct investments or managed funds under the Growth category.
• Removal of caps on investments.
• Investments must now be made in full to be granted a resident visa.
•  Removal of the English language requirement
• You now have to complete your full investment before your visa is granted.
• You must complete investments in both categories within 6 months of approval.
• Introduction of on-call investments, meaning your funds can be temporarily held in approved places like bank accounts or bonds while you wait for your main investment to activate.

Bottom line? 

These updates make the visa more flexible and appealing to global investors who want to build real economic ties in New Zealand. Whether you’re looking to grow a business or simply invest in a stable future, this could be your signal to start planning.