To boost economic growth, New Zealand simplified visa regulations in April of this year to attract more affluent overseas investors, encouraging them to choose the country for their "capital, skills, and international connections," according to Immigration Minister Erica Stanford. The country's investor visa category has been made "simpler and more flexible" with the implementation of new rules for the Active Investor Plus visa. It has lower investment thresholds, eliminates English-language requirements, and reduces the amount of time applicants must spend in the country to establish residency from three years to three weeks. New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa: Overview New Zealand's Investor Visa, officially known as the Active Investor Plus Visa, is divided into two investment categories: growth and balanced. Permanent Residency (PR) can be gained by investing in various categories based on the visa type. The prerequisites are as follows. Growth Category Visa Requirements: Investment of NZ$5,000,000 for 3 years No maximum age No English language requirement Minimum stay of 21 days over 3 years Investment options: equities, managed funds, etc. Balanced Category Visa Requirements: Investment of NZ$10,000,000 for 5 years No maximum age No English language requirement Minimum stay of 105 days over 5 years Investment options: bonds, property development, equities, managed funds, etc. As a result of the new rules, Immigration New Zealand reports that it has received 308 applications, representing 1,000 people; before the revisions, the visa received 116 applications over two and a half years. Meanwhile, New Zealand nationals are leaving the country in historic numbers to pursue better work opportunities and greater incomes. According to Statistics New Zealand, 73,400 New Zealanders left between July 2024 and July 2025, while 25,800 returned home to live. Top 10 'Golden Visa' applications by nationality: Nationality Applications People US 129 386 China 45 152 Hong Kong 38 113 Germany 23 87 Singapore 17 62 Taiwan 15 52 Japan 7 24 Vietnam 5 22 South Korea 5 19 Great Britain 6 16 Source: Immigration New Zealand | Active Investor Visa Plus category, as of 31 August 2025
