The objective of the Investment Visas is to attract financial capital to local firms or government by providing resident visas to those who wish to make a significant contribution to New Zealand’s economy. The Migrant Investment Categories are comprised of two sub-categories. These are the Investor 1 Category and the Investor 2 Category. Both are similar to each other but have some distinctive features.
Applicants for investor visas must meet the ‘fit and proper’ person requirements, which means that:
- all businesses they have influence over have complied with all relevant immigration, employment and taxation laws; and
- they have never been convicted of any offence arising in the course of, or resulting from, business dealings; and
- they have never been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty in New Zealand or a foreign country; and
- they have never been involved in business fraud or financial impropriety.
Investor visas are indefinite and allow applicants to include their partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in the visa application.
Investor 1 Resident Visa
This visa is for you if you have at least NZ $10 million to invest in New Zealand over a 3-year period. The category has the highest level of priority and is assigned to a case officer almost immediately.
For an application to be approved under the Investor 1 Category:
- the principal applicant and family members included in the application must meet health and character requirements; and
- the principal applicant must nominate funds and/or assets equivalent in value to at least NZ$10 million and demonstrate ownership of these funds and/or assets; and
- the principal applicant must demonstrate that the nominated funds have been legally earned or acquired; and
- the principal applicant must continue to meet fit and proper person requirements; and
- the principal applicant must undertake to invest NZ$10 million for a period of three years in New Zealand and transfer and place the funds in an acceptable investment.
Investor 2 Resident Visa
The process for Investor 2 visas is similar to that of the Skilled Migrant category and consists of two steps – Expression of Interest and Invitation to apply.
People notify their interest in being invited to apply for a resident visa under the Investor 2 Category by tendering an Expression of Interest (EOI) to Immigration New Zealand in the prescribed manner.
Through completion of an EOI, a person provides information regarding their identity, health, character, provides information about their English language ability and claims points for age, business experience and other factors.
For an application to be approved under the Investor 2 category:
- the principal applicant must qualify for the points on the basis of which their EOI was selected from the Pool; and
- the principal applicant and family members included in the application must meet health and character requirements; and
- the principal applicant must be aged 65 years or younger; and
- the principal applicant must have a minimum of three years of business experience; and
- the principal applicant must qualify for at least 1 point for English language ability; and
- the principal applicant must nominate investment funds and/or assets equivalent in value to at least NZ$5.0 million; and
- the principal applicant must demonstrate ownership of the nominated funds and/or assets and that they have been legally earned or acquired; and
the principal applicant must meet fit and proper person requirements.