New Zealand Updates Active Investor Plus Visa Requirements

• New Zealand has announced several updates to its Active Investor Plus Visa program aimed at providing greater clarity on investment, source-of-funds and application requirements for foreign investors. 

Active Investor Plus Visa Changes Announced 

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) introduced a series of changes designed to make it easier for investors to understand the evidence required to support an Active Investor Plus (AIP) Visa application and to provide greater certainty throughout the investment process.  

The government said the updates build on the strong performance of the refreshed AIP Visa, which attracted 637 applications and approximately NZD $3.7 billion in potential investment during its first year. 

Key Changes for Investors 

Under the updated requirements: 

• Applicants may only use borrowed funds that originate from the same country or jurisdiction as the assets supporting their application.
• Applicants must provide evidence showing they lawfully earned or acquired their nominated investment funds and transferred them through appropriate banking channels.
• Investors who use gifted funds must demonstrate that the gift was unconditional and complied with applicable local laws.
• Investors who use managed funds only need to provide a legally binding agreement because INZ has removed the requirement for a non-revocable agreement.
• New Zealand will also align certain fund transfer requirements across the AIP visa, Parent Retirement and Temporary Retirement visa categories.  

Changes for Dependent Children 

INZ also introduced a new process that allows investors to include children born after visa approval as secondary applicants in certain residence-related applications.

To qualify, the child must: 

• Be a dependent child of an AIP visa, Investor 1 or Investor 2 Resident Visa holder. 
• Hold a Dependent Child Resident Visa.  
• Have entered New Zealand on that visa.  

Don’t Miss an Update

At Envoy Global, we combine smart, friendly legal teams with smart, friendly technology to facilitate immigration for companies and the global talent they depend on. Our holistic, proactive immigration services are built for accuracy and efficiency, always putting people first.

Reach out today to learn how we can support your company’s immigration needs.