Active Investor Plus Visa — Rooney Estates

What it is

The Golden Visa, reimagined.

New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa is the country's residency-by-investment programme — commonly referred to internationally as New Zealand's Golden Visa. Introduced in 2022 and substantially reformed in April 2025, it is now one of the most accessible and competitive investor residency programmes in the world.

Unlike many Golden Visa programmes, the AIP visa grants residency from day one. You and your family can live, work, and study in New Zealand immediately upon approval.

Key facts

Residency from day one
No English language requirement
No maximum age
Family members included
Processing: typically 1–2 months
33 countries represented in current applicants

The two categories

Two routes to residency.

Growth Category

NZD 5M

Minimum investment

Duration3 years

Investment typesDirect investments in NZ businesses, qualifying managed funds

Residential buildQualifies as direct investment

Presence requirement105 days over 3 years

Rooney Estates builds qualify

Balanced Category

NZD 10M

Minimum investment

Duration5 years

Investment typesAll Growth investments plus NZ bonds, new residential & commercial property

New residential buildExplicitly qualifying investment

Presence requirement105 days over 5 years

Rooney Estates builds qualify

A Rooney Estates residential build in Queenstown Lakes — structured correctly — qualifies as a direct investment under both the Growth and Balanced categories of the AIP visa. Your home is your investment.

Why now

A window opened. Capital is moving quickly.

Since the April 2025 reforms, the AIP visa has received over 570 applications from 33 countries, representing a potential investment pipeline of NZD 3.4 billion. The UAE is among the top 10 applicant nationalities.

Many traditional investor visa programmes — including Australia's — have been restricted or closed. New Zealand has moved in the opposite direction: simplifying, opening, and accelerating.

573+

Applications

NZD 3.4B

Pipeline value

Top 10

UAE nationalities

48×

Uplift since April 2025

Rooney Estates is not a registered immigration adviser. The information on this page is for general guidance only and does not constitute immigration advice. We work alongside licensed New Zealand immigration professionals and will connect you with the right adviser for your specific circumstances.

New Zealand residency through direct investment.

The Golden Visa, reimagined.

Two routes to residency.

A window opened. Capital is moving quickly.

Understand how your build qualifies.