US High-Net-Worth Individuals Flood New Zealand's Relaxed Golden Visa Program

In the last 14 months, New Zealand has received more than 700 applications for its golden-visa scheme, a sharp rise from 115 applications over the prior three years, following recent policy relaxations. Americans represent over one-third of the new applicants, with 277 filings, many originating in California. The Active Investor Plus Visa mandates a minimum NZ$5 million investment across funds, companies or charities, with a philanthropic cap of 20 percent, while a separate “balanced” track demands NZ$10 million in passive assets such as bonds.

The government has also removed the English-language requirement, reduced the minimum investment from the 2022 level of NZ$15 million, and eased the residency-time obligations, allowing as few as 21 days in three years for growth-category investors. Additional reductions in required days can be earned by increasing the investment amount, subject to pre-approval. These changes aim to attract high-net-worth migrants to the country of just over five million people.