Statistics & Investor Trends
Comprehensive data on New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa programme
Data current as of 15 December 2025
Active Investor Plus applications as of Dec 2025
+18% from Nov 2025
Total minimum investment committed
+18% from Nov 2025
Total individuals in applications (investors + families)
+57% from Sept data
Actual capital deployed as of Dec 2025
+210% from Sept 2025
Key Insights
Applications surged from 115 (March) to 491 (Dec) following April 2025 reforms. Investment pipeline now at NZ$2.91B.
United States leads with 39.9% of approvals, followed by China (14.4%) and Hong Kong (11.1%), driven by political uncertainty and tax advantages.
400 Growth (NZ$5M) vs 91 Balanced (NZ$10M) applications. 31 working days average approval time under new settings.
NZ$5M+ luxury home exemption passed Dec 12, 2025. Coming into force early 2026 with 5-day OIO processing.
Learn More About the NZ Golden Visa
Eligibility criteria & investment categories
Step-by-step guide & timeline
Lifestyle, education, healthcare & more
Note: Sharp increase after 1 April 2025 reforms (Growth & Balanced categories introduced)
Total of 308 applications tracked by country breakdown
Total pipeline: NZ$2.91 billion across 491 applications
Note: Sector distribution is estimated based on Growth vs Balanced category preferences and typical investment patterns.
Policy Timeline: 2018β2025
General Foreign Buyer Ban
New Zealand introduces restrictions preventing most overseas persons from buying existing residential property.
Active Investor Plus Launched
AIP visa replaces older Investor 1 and Investor 2 categories with high thresholds and "active" investment emphasis.
Low Uptake Period
Only 116 applications lodged under original AIP settings. Visa criticized as uncompetitive.
Major AIP Reforms
Government relaunches AIP with Growth and Balanced categories, lower thresholds, and removes English language requirement.
"Flood of Interest" Announcement
Officials report 189 applications since relaunch, with potential NZ$845M investment committed.
300+ Applications Milestone
308 applications covering ~1,000 people, with NZ$249M already invested and more in pipeline.
NZ$5M Property Exemption Announced
Government announces intention to allow investor residents to buy/build one NZ$5M+ home (legislation pending).
Current Status
416 applications representing NZ$2.47B investment pipeline. Property law expected in first half of 2026.
This page is a curated, independent summary of publicly available information. To maintain accuracy and transparency, we:
- Monitor official New Zealand Government releases from the Beehive, MBIE, Immigration New Zealand and related agencies
- Review coverage from reputable domestic and international media outlets reporting on investor immigration
- Cross-check figures against commentary from NZ law firms and specialist advisory practices
Data current as at: 15 December 2025
Important: Application numbers and investment totals change over time as visas are approved, withdrawn or varied. All visa, tax and investment decisions should be made in consultation with appropriately qualified professionals.
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