New Zealand has introduced a targeted policy change allowing certain investor-residence visa holders, including Active Investor Plus visa holders, to buy or build one luxury residential property valued at NZ$5 million or more.
What has changed
Under amendments to the Overseas Investment Act, eligible investor-residence visa holders can now purchase or build one residential property in New Zealand if it is valued at NZ$5 million or above.
The change creates a narrow exception to New Zealand’s broader restrictions on foreign buyers. Overseas buyers still cannot freely purchase property in the general housing market.
The policy is limited to the top end of the market and is intended to avoid wider effects on housing affordability for local residents.
Active Investor Plus visa
The Active Investor Plus visa is New Zealand’s main residence-by-investment pathway.
Applicants must invest through one of two routes:
- Growth category: minimum NZ$5 million invested over three years
- Balanced category: minimum NZ$10 million invested over five years
The required investments must be made into approved assets such as businesses, equities, or managed funds.
Residential property does not count toward the Active Investor Plus investment requirement. Any qualifying luxury property purchase is an additional lifestyle benefit, not a qualifying visa investment.
Practical effect for investors
The change allows eligible high-net-worth migrants to combine an investor residence pathway with the ability to establish a personal base in New Zealand.
For eligible applicants, the policy may support:
- Extended stays in New Zealand
- Family use of a property
- Future relocation planning
- Long-term personal ties to New Zealand
- Access to the premium residential property market
Limits and caveats
The pathway remains tightly controlled.
Key limits include:
- The property must be valued at NZ$5 million or more
- Only one residential property may be bought or built
- Investors must still meet all visa requirements
- Property purchases remain subject to regulatory approval
- The general foreign buyer restrictions remain in place
The property option is therefore limited to a small segment of the market and does not create a general right for overseas buyers to purchase New Zealand residential property.
Source article: migrationassociates.com
