Open (reforming)New Zealand
New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa: Cost, Requirements & Processing Time (2026)
The short version
New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa has a minimum investment of €2,531,000 via the company shares / equity route and is currently open (reforming).
[Data] Immigration New Zealand · verified
Programme detail
New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa requires a minimum investment of €2,531,000 (company shares / equity route); the end-to-end processing time is not published, with a path to citizenship in 5 years.
Investment routes compared
| Route type | Amount (EUR) | Notes | Primary? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company shares / equity | €2,531,000NZD 5,000,000 | Growth category: managed funds, direct NZ business investments, angel/venture. Held 36 months. 21 days NZ presence required. | Most common |
| Capital transfer | €5,062,000NZD 10,000,000 | Balanced category: broader acceptable investments (listed equities, bonds, managed funds, qualifying property developments, philanthropy). Held 60 months. 105 days NZ presence (reducible with Growth allocation). |
At a glance
- €2,531,000 minimum qualifying investment
- not published expected end-to-end processing
- 5 years of residence citizenship timeline
- No Schengen access travel rights
- ~7 days/yr physical-presence requirement
- Authority processing metric
- Two-stage at Immigration New Zealand: INZ averages ~35 working days to approval-in-principle, then ~36 working days to final approval once investment documentation is provided (~7 weeks each). A 6-month window to transfer funds sits between the stages, so end-to-end calendar time is applicant-paced. These stage averages are not an end-to-end percentile service standard. Current INZ page quote: ‘Approval in principle 80% within 4 months’; this is an AIP-stage metric, and INZ does not publish an end-to-end time.
Physical presence: Growth: 21 days over 3 years (~7/yr). Balanced: 105 days over 5 years (~21/yr), reducible by 14 days per each additional NZD 1M in Growth allocation (max 42 days reduction).
Official program source · Source: Immigration New Zealand · Last verified Oct 7, 2026 · Verify current rules with an authorized immigration adviser or the destination's consulate before applying.
Next review 2026-11-30.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum investment for the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa?
The minimum qualifying investment is €2,531,000. ~€2.53M (NZD 5M) Growth category (higher-risk investments); NZD 10M Balanced category (broader acceptable investments). Qualifying routes: Company shares / equity (€2,531,000); Capital transfer (€5,062,000) Most applicants use the Company shares / equity route (€2,531,000).
How long does the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa take to process?
Expected end-to-end processing is not published.
Can I get citizenship through the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa, and when?
Citizenship is available after 5 years of legal residence. NZ citizenship requires 5 years of residence as a PR, with at least 240 days presence in each of those years. More restrictive than the visa's own presence requirement.
What is the physical-presence requirement for the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa?
Growth: 21 days over 3 years (~7/yr). Balanced: 105 days over 5 years (~21/yr), reducible by 14 days per each additional NZD 1M in Growth allocation (max 42 days reduction).
Are my spouse and children included in the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa?
Spouse, minor children, dependent children up to 24 can be included.
Does the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa grant Schengen access?
No. New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa does not by itself grant Schengen-area travel rights.
Is the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa currently open to new applicants?
The programme is currently open (reforming). Rules relaxed in 2025 — Growth category (NZD 5M) has much lower physical-presence requirement (21 days over 36 months).
Who regulates the New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa?
New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa is administered by Immigration New Zealand. The canonical source is https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/active-investor-plus-visa/. Facts last verified 2026-10-07; next review 2026-11-30.