Gaining NZ residence under the Migrant Investor Policy

The Migrant Investment Policy, announced by the New Zealand government in July 2009, replaces the Active Investor Policy. It is divided in two categories: Investor Plus (Investor 1 category) and Investor (Investor 2 category).

Key requirements	Investor Plus (Investor 1 category)	Investor (Investor 2 category)
Maximum age	n/a	65 or younger
Business experience	n/a	Minimum of three years
Investment funds	NZ$10 million invested in NZ for three years	NZ$1.5 million invested in NZ  for four years
Settlement funds	n/a	NZ$1 million (transfer not required)
Principal applicant's English language	n/a	An English speaking background or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test report with an overall band score of three or more or a competent user of English
Family member's English language	n/a	Same as principal applicant or pre-purchase ESOL tuition
Minimum time in New Zealand	73 days in NZ in each of the last two years of the three-year investment period	146 days in NZ in each of the last three years of the four-year investment period
Health and character	Applicants under both categories must be of good health and character.

Do I qualify?

Investor Plus (Investor 1 Category)

Aside from the usual health and character requirements that all applicants must meet, there are additional criteria that you must meet to be eligible under this category. As mentioned in the table above, you must nominate funds and/or assets equivalent to at least NZ$10 million. You will also be asked to provide evidence that these funds and/or assets:

• Are owned by you or jointly by you, your partner and/or dependent children
• Are unencumbered, i.e. not subject to any mortgage, lien, charge and/or encumbrance (whether equitable or otherwise) or any other creditor claims
• Have been earned or acquired legally
• Are transferable through the banking system

If your application is successful, you will need to invest a minimum of NZ$10 million in an acceptable investment in New Zealand.

Investor (Investor 2 Category)

In order to be eligible in this category, you will need to provide evidence showing that your investment and settlement funds and/or assets are owned by you or jointly by you and your partner and/or dependent children. Additionally, you will need to prove that your intended investment funds:

• Are unencumbered, i.e. not subject to any mortgage, lien, charge and/or encumbrance (whether equitable or otherwise) or any other creditor claims
• Have been earned or acquired legally
• Are transferable through the banking system

If your application is successful, you will need to invest a minimum of NZ$1.5 million in an acceptable investment in New Zealand.

How do I apply?

Investor Plus (Investor 1 Category)

You will need to submit an Investor Plus (Investor 1 Category) application for residence (INZ 1163) form. The Investor Plus (Investor 1 Category) guide (INZ 1162) will assist you.  Additionally, a client manager will be made available through for all Investor Plus applicants. To contact a client manager, email investors@dol.govt.nz

Along with the application form, you are required to submit two passport-size photos, photocopies of the identity pages of your passport and a full birth certificate.

If your partner is included in the application, you will be asked to provide evidence that you have been living together in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months. That can include original or certified copies of documents showing shared accommodation, or correspondence addressed to both of you and your partner at the same address.

You will also need to provide evidence of your funds/assets. This can include bank books/statements, title deeds, a recent valuation report for your property from an independent registered advisor, mortgage documents or statements showing any liability incurred in the property, share certificates, documents of ownership, or financial interest in, the company/ business and an independent valuation by a chartered accountant (or appropriate person), including details of any mortgages, loans, or other financial obligations.

The application fee for the Investor Plus Category is NZ$3400.

Investor (Investor 2 category)

If you meet the requirements, you will need to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form, though you will not be required to provide any evidence with this). If you are eligible, Immigration NZ will invite you to apply for residency. A fee of $460 must be paid at the time of EOI submission.

Points on your Investment EOI can be claimed for age, business experience, English language skills, and investment funds.

Your application must then be sent to the Business Migration Branch within three months of receiving the letter from Immigration NZ inviting you to apply. Along with the application form and a residence fee of $3400, you must also send two passport-size photos, photocopies of the identity pages of your passport(s) and a full birth certificate.

You will be required to send a medical and chest x-ray certificate to prove that you meet the health requirements, and a police certificate as a evidence that you are of good character.

For your English requirements, the evidence that you will be asked to provide depends on how many points you claimed in your EOI. If you claimed one point, you must provide an IELTS certificate that shows you gained at least an overall band score of 3 in the IELTS General or Academic Module. For people claiming four points, the requirement is to send an IELTS certificate showing that they gained at least an overall band score of 4 in the IELTS General or Academic Module.

If your EOI says you claimed 10 points, you must provide either evidence that you have an English speaking background, any other evidence that you are a competent user of English, or an IELTS certificate which shows you gained at least an overall band score of 5 in the IELTS General or Academic Module.

If you are including your partner in your application, you need to show that you have been living together in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months. That can include original or certified copies of documents showing shared accommodation, or correspondence addressed to both of you and your partner at the same address.

You will also be asked to provide evidence of your business experience, which can include original or certified copies of the following:

• Business registration
• Company financial statements
• Company tax returns and records
• Shareholder certificates or proof of ownership of business
• Pay slips
• Job specifications
• Job assessments
• Personal tax returns
• Letters of appointment
• Certificates of service
• Strategic planning documents
• References from employers on company letterhead, stating your position(s) and dates of employment and giving the contact phone number and address of the employer.

In addition to this, you will be required to provide evidence of your funds/assets. This can include bank books/statements, title deeds, a recent valuation report for your property from an independent registered advisor, mortgage documents or statements showing any liability incurred in the property, share certificates, documents of ownership, or financial interest in, the company/ business and an independent valuation by a chartered accountant (or appropriate person), including details of any mortgages, loans, or other financial obligations.