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“Wealthy People Want to Come Here”: New Zealand AIP Visa Pulls NZ$3.39 Billion in Ten Months · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: New Zealand's Active Investor Plus, referred to as AIP visa, has attracted 573 applications representing 3.39 billion New Zealand dollars, approximately 1.95 billion US dollars, in potential investment since the government overhauled the program in April 2025.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced on February 14th, of that total,$1.05 billion New Zealand dollars has already been committed by approved applicants.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: The figures represent a stark contrast with the previous program introduced by the former Labor government, which drew just 116 applications and 70 million New Zealand dollars over two and a half years.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Stanford called the results evidence that New Zealand is perfectly placed at the bottom of the world as a haven for capital during a period of global uncertainty.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Misha Manixopey, director of client experience at Greener Pastures New Zealand, echoed that assessment, describing the renewed momentum as more than a policy adjustment that reflects growing international confidence in New Zealand as a place to invest, live, and contribute.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Immigration New Zealand's official data, current as of February 11, 2026, show the following breakdown.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: The 573 applications cover 1,833 individuals.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: The growth category,$5 million minimum, three-year investment period, accounts for the overwhelming majority, 468 applications versus 105 in the balance category, 10 million New Zealand dollars minimum, 5 years.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Of those 50 were existing applicants who transitioned from the old settings, while 523 are entirely new.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: Processing has been swift.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: The average time from application to approval in principle is 25 working days.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Of the 573 applications, 430 have been approved in principle, 358 growth, 72 balanced, and 182 applicants have already received resident visas.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Six applications have been withdrawn.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: The April 2025 overhaul replaced a single category structure requiring 15 million New Zealand dollars with two tiers.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Growth category, 5 million New Zealand dollars minimum over three years, directed toward higher risk investments, including managed funds and direct business stakes.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Applicants must spend at least 117 days in New Zealand over the investment period.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Balanced category, 10 million New Zealand doll minimum over five years, encompassing growth eligible investments plus listed equities, bonds, philanthropy, and qualifying property developments.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: The residency requirement is 105 days over five years.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Both categories dropped the previous English language test requirement and reduced mandatory time in country.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: Residency requirements can be further reduced with additional investment above the minimum thresholds.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: December statistics revealed that Americans leading demand with 182 applications, covering 524 individuals, followed by Chinese nationals with 81 applications and Hong Kong residents with 61.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Stanford cited the United States, Germany, Southeast Asia, and China as the program's principal source markets.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: The American dominance is notable.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: It mirrors a broader trend across the investment migration market, rising demand from U.S.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: national seeking second residency or citizenship, driven by political uncertainty, tax diversification goals, and more recently, the Trump administration's second-term policy environment.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: In a related development, the government recently passed amendments to the Overseas Investment Act that reverse New Zealand's seven-year ban on foreign residential property purchases, but only for AIP visa holders and only for homes valued at$5 million New Zealand dollars, approximately$2.9 million US dollars or more.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: The provision takes effect on March 6, 2026.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Stanford said the property provision has not produced massive peaks in uptake, and the government has no plans to lower investment thresholds further.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Industry observers have offered mixed assessments of the real estate carve out's likely impact, with some viewing it as a meaningful complement to the investment requirement and others dismissing it as mostly noise.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: The New Zealand dollar 3.39 billion figure needs qualifying.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: It represents the potential minimum investment implied by all applications received, not capital that has arrived in New Zealand.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: The 1.05 billion New Zealand dollars committed figure is more operationally meaningful, though still substantial for a country of 5 million people.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: The gap between the old regime and the new one is instructive for other jurisdictions considering program redesign.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: The previous$15 million New Zealand doll threshold priced out a large segment of the global investor pool without attracting proportionally higher quality applicants.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: The revised settings tripled volume while maintaining minimum investments of$5 million New Zealand dollars to$10 million New Zealand dollars, well above most competing programs globally.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Mannix Opie sees the quality of applicants as equally telling, noting that her firm is seeing high-quality investors prioritizing long-term connection over short-term access, some seeking permanent relocation, others building New Zealand optionality while establishing genuine ties here.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Stanford framed the program's appeal in geopolitical terms.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: With Trump-era tariffs unsettling international capital flows, she argued that New Zealand's political stability, rule of law, and geographic remoteness are selling points rather than liabilities.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: These investors bring not just capital, but global experience, expertise, and networks, she said.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: James Hall, director at ANZ Migrate, who met with Stanford on February 14th, said the minister acknowledged the government never anticipated the volume of applications the revised program has generated.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: On the separate Business Investor Visa launched in November 2025, Hall said Stanford confirmed the government will not proceed with a previously planned third category for startups, as officials have been unable to develop a suitable framework for it.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: New Zealand nonetheless launched the Business Investor Visa, offering residency for investments starting at$1 million New Zealand dollars, further broadening the country's investment migration architecture.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: Less than a year since the revised AIP settings took effect, Mannix OP sees no signs of a slowdown, describing momentum as strong with no indication of slowing.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: This episode first appeared as an article by Amada Bas on IMIDaily.com.
• 7:01
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