New Zealand offers several residence visa options to investors with different financial capabilities. The visas allow investors and entrepreneurs to live and work in the country, and potentially apply for permanent residency.
INVESTOR 1 RESIDENT VISA
The basic investor category, Investor 1 Resident Visa, requires a minimum investment of NZ$10 million for a period of three years. Also, investors must be in the country for 44 days in each of the last two years of their investment period to meet the physical presence requirements. Visa holders of this kind are permitted to live, work, and study in New Zealand. If Investor 1 Residence Visa holders meet all the conditions by the end of the investment period, they may apply for permanent residency, which allows them to travel in and out of the country indefinitely.
INVESTOR 2 RESIDENT VISA
A less costly option is the Investor 2 Resident Visa, which requires an investment of NZ$3 million. Applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest detailing their business experience, investment, and settlement funds to Immigration New Zealand, the government agency responsible for issuing travel visas and managing immigration.
Applicants cannot begin the application process until an invitation is issued. Applicants must have at least three years of business experience, be 65 years old or younger, and both the principal and secondary applicants must speak English. A longer and more stringent physical presence requirement applies to Investor 2 Resident Visa holders during an investment term of four years. If Investor 2 Residence Visa holders meet all conditions by the end of their investment term, they, too, may apply for permanent residency, allowing them to travel in and out of the country indefinitely.
GLOBAL IMPACT WORK VISA
New Zealand offers one of the most entrepreneur friendly visa options in the world — Global Impact Visa (GIV) – to attract visionary investors and ambitious businesspersons. Partnering with the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF), Immigration New Zealand grants a three-year open work visa to talented investors to establish or support innovative ventures in the country. To be eligible for the GIV, candidates must first be accepted by the EHF. The EHF selection is held every two years, looking for candidates with innovative potential and entrepreneurial spirits. After obtaining a Letter of Offer from the EHF, applicants who can prove a maintenance funds of NZ$36,000 and meet health, character, and English language requirements will be granted a GIV. GIV holders are free to live in New Zealand and work in business ventures for global impact. Upon completion of the program, the GIV holder must remain in the EHF and keep supporting it to be eligible for permanent residence. A maximum of 400 GIVs are granted over four years.
BUSINESS VISITOR VISA
For people who need to visit the country temporarily for business reasons, New Zealand offers a temporary travel visa, Business Visitor Visa, which is valid for up to three months in a 12-month period. Business Visitor Visa holders cannot work in the country, but can engage in business activities related to the specific business for which they were granted visas. Multiple entry is available if permitted.
