The Definitive Global Investor Visa Compass: New Zealand Golden Visa (Active Investor Plus) vs. The World
Exclusive analysis of 7 major global residency-by-investment programs. "Golden Visa" is the common name used for New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa and related investor pathways, not a formal visa class.
The Investor Compass compares two main strategies under New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (Golden Visa) framework: a Growth Category and a Balanced Category. The New Zealand Golden Visa uses investment 'weightings', so the actual cash outlay can vary by asset type. The Investor Compass simplifies this into Growth (from NZD $5M) and Balanced (from NZD $10M) strategies.
| Criteria | 🇳🇿 NZ Golden Visa (Active Investor Plus) Recommended | 🇦🇺 Australia SIV Closed | 🇺🇸 US EB-5 Program | 🇵🇹 Portugal Golden Visa | 🇪🇸 Spain Golden Visa Historical | 🇦🇪 UAE Golden Visa | 🇲🇹 Malta MPRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Path to PR/Citizenship | Direct PR Path (3-5 Years) | Direct PR Path (Historical) | Conditional PR | Temporary Residency → Citizenship | Temporary Residency | 10-Year Permit (No PR Path) | Direct Permanent Residency |
| Min. Investment | From NZD $5M (Growth) / From NZD $10M (Balanced) | AUD $5M (Historical) | $800,000 (TEA) | €500,000 (Funds) | €500,000 (Historical) | AED 2,000,000 (~$545k) | €169,000 (Contribution) |
| Investment Focus | Venture Capital / Private Equity (Growth) or broader mix (Balanced) | Complying Investments (Historical) | Job Creation | Investment Funds | Real Estate (Historical) | Real Estate / Deposit | Contribution / Real Estate |
| Required Physical Stay | Approx. 21 days over 3 yrs (Growth) / 105 days over 5 yrs (Balanced), subject to policy | 40 Days per year (Historical) | ~180 Days per year | 7 Days per year | Minimal for renewal | No official minimum | No annual minimum |
| Tax Residency Risk | LOW (Due to minimal stay) | Medium (Historical) | HIGH (Due to significant stay) | Low to Medium | Low to Medium | Low | Low |
| Language Test for Citizenship | None | Required (Historical) | Required | Required | Required | None | None |
| Criteria | 🇳🇿 NZ | 🇦🇺 AU | 🇺🇸 US | 🇵🇹 PT | 🇪🇸 ES | 🇦🇪 AE | 🇲🇹 MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Path to PR/Citizenship | Direct PR Path (3-5 Years) | Direct PR Path (Historical) | Conditional PR | Temporary Residency → Citizenship | Temporary Residency | 10-Year Permit (No PR Path) | Direct Permanent Residency |
| Min. Investment | From NZD $5M (Growth) / From NZD $10M (Balanced) | AUD $5M (Historical) | $800,000 (TEA) | €500,000 (Funds) | €500,000 (Historical) | AED 2,000,000 (~$545k) | €169,000 (Contribution) |
| Investment Focus | Venture Capital / Private Equity (Growth) or broader mix (Balanced) | Complying Investments (Historical) | Job Creation | Investment Funds | Real Estate (Historical) | Real Estate / Deposit | Contribution / Real Estate |
| Required Physical Stay | Approx. 21 days over 3 yrs (Growth) / 105 days over 5 yrs (Balanced), subject to policy | 40 Days per year (Historical) | ~180 Days per year | 7 Days per year | Minimal for renewal | No official minimum | No annual minimum |
| Tax Residency Risk | LOW (Due to minimal stay) | Medium (Historical) | HIGH (Due to significant stay) | Low to Medium | Low to Medium | Low | Low |
| Language Test for Citizenship | None | Required (Historical) | Required | Required | Required | None | None |
Path to PR/Citizenship
Min. Investment
Investment Focus
Required Physical Stay
Tax Residency Risk
Language Test for Citizenship
Data current as of November 2025. Australia SIV closed July 2024; shown for historical comparison only. Spain Golden Visa real estate option ended for new applicants in April 2025; shown for historical comparison only.
How It Works (Balanced Category)
The Balanced Category requires approx. 105 days of physical presence over 5 years (subject to visa conditions). Under current policy settings, increasing the Balanced investment by NZD $1 million can reduce required presence by around 14 days, up to a maximum reduction of about 42 days. Exact conditions are set by Immigration New Zealand and may change.
From NZD $10 million, depending on asset type and weightings
Each $1M in Growth-qualifying assets can reduce stay by ~14 days (max ~$3M = ~42 days reduction, subject to policy)
Your Calculated Stay Requirement
Example Scenarios
Active Investor Plus (AIP)
Passive Investment Path
Business Investor Work Visa
Active Management Path
AIP Visa
Passive
BIWV
Active
Primary Goal
Minimum Capital
Age Limit
Job Creation
Required Activity
Physical Presence
Path to Residency
Some Golden Visa (Active Investor Plus) and legacy investor residents may be able to buy one home in New Zealand worth over NZD $5 million under a dedicated property pathway.
Important: This home purchase is normally on top of the required qualifying investments; the home itself does not usually count towards the investment minimum.
Purchases remain subject to New Zealand's Overseas Investment Act and detailed rules on what land is eligible. Personal residential property generally does not count as a qualifying investment for the Golden Visa itself. Investors should seek specialist legal and immigration advice before relying on property towards any investment threshold.
Most investors become eligible to apply for New Zealand citizenship only after at least five years of residence meeting physical-presence, character, and other legal requirements. Investment alone does not guarantee a passport.
The pathway to citizenship requires meeting all New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs requirements, which are separate from immigration visa conditions.
"The NZ AIP visa uniquely provides the certainty of a Tier 1 Permanent Residency path alongside the absolute minimum physical residency requirements globally, making it the premier choice for HNWIs focused on stability and global mobility. While Malta offers PR, its lack of an English-speaking, developed economy pathway makes the NZ offering incomparable for Anglosphere investors."
Key Insight - NZ Golden Visa Analysis
Disclaimer: All figures and timelines on this page are illustrative only and are based on current policy settings for New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (Golden Visa) framework.
Exact requirements, acceptable investments, and presence days are defined by New Zealand immigration law and may change. Always check the latest official guidance and obtain personalised legal and immigration advice before acting.
Official Source: Immigration New Zealand - Active Investor Plus Visa
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