New Zealand AIP: investment, duration and stay requirements for Growth and Balanced categories
New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa sets minimum investments of NZ$5 million for Growth and NZ$10 million for Balanced. Asset choices, holding periods and time in the country also differ. Their significance depends on when the family may need its capital and how it intends to live.
Balanced applicants may qualify for presence reductions through additional investment, as explained in the article. The visa investment term is not a product maturity or guaranteed exit date; eligibility does not guarantee capital or returns.
The principal differences
| Comparison | Growth | Balanced |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum qualifying investment | NZ$5,000,000 | NZ$10,000,000 |
| Required investment period | 36 months | 60 months |
| Basic physical presence | At least 21 days during the investment period | At least 105 days during the investment period |
| Main asset scope | Eligible direct investments, managed funds and donations within the permitted limit | Also includes eligible listed equities, bonds and property development, among other categories |
| Family planning focus | Risk tolerance and liquidity | Higher capital, a longer holding period and asset choice |
Amounts, investment periods and presence requirements follow the visa page,[1] while asset categories follow the current operational instructions.[5] The table summarises the two routes; individual investments must meet the applicable conditions when made.
Growth: three years is not necessarily an exit date
Immigration New Zealand notes that Growth’s direct investments and managed funds are generally less liquid, with commitments that can outlast the minimum visa investment period.[2] Current rules also permit charitable donations of up to 20% of the total. That portion is not capital available for redemption.[5]
Access to the money depends more directly on the fund term, extension provisions, transfer restrictions and distribution policy. A seven-year fund, for example, does not fit a family that may need the capital in year three. Visa eligibility cannot resolve that mismatch.
Investment review thus has two purposes: establishing compliance with immigration rules and deciding whether the risk and term suit the family. Eligibility answers the first question, but not the second.
Balanced: broader choice still carries risk
Balanced admits a wider range of assets, without implying capital protection. Listed-market volatility, bond credit and interest-rate risk, and restrictions on exiting development or private investments must be assessed individually. Government recognition for immigration purposes does not guarantee success or a return.[2]
A family home does not qualify merely because it is in New Zealand. The rules exclude investments for the applicant’s personal use and impose separate conditions on eligible property development.[2]
The broader range allows more portfolio choices, all of which remain subject to continuing eligibility. The eventual holdings still need to fit the family’s other assets, cash needs and capacity to absorb losses.
How extra investment reduces required days
Balanced applicants can add qualifying Growth investments above the NZ$10 million base to reduce their stay requirement. Each extra NZ$1 million removes 14 days, up to a maximum reduction of 42 days. The additional amount must be declared before approval in principle and maintained as required; charitable donations do not count towards this reduction.[1]
| Qualifying declared total | Additional Growth investment | Required presence |
|---|---|---|
| NZ$10,000,000 | None | 105 days |
| NZ$11,000,000 | NZ$1,000,000 | 91 days |
| NZ$12,000,000 | NZ$2,000,000 | 77 days |
| NZ$13,000,000 | NZ$3,000,000 | 63 days |
The table follows the official category guidance.[6] The value of investing more depends on family time, other demands on the capital and the additional risk. Fewer required days are only one part of that decision.
Residence procedures and investment exits run separately
Investments must remain eligible, supported by transfer, holding and applicable reporting records. Changes, reinvestment after capital is returned, and evidence submissions must follow the approval conditions and current instructions.[3]
Once the relevant investment period and conditions have been met, including the necessary removal-of-conditions procedures, an investor can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.[1] The end of the period, grant of that visa and actual payment of investment proceeds are distinct events, each requiring its own place in the cash plan.
Citizenship requires a longer physical presence
New Zealand’s general citizenship presence test requires at least 1,350 days in the country as a resident over the preceding five years, including at least 240 days in each 12-month period. Other conditions and an intention concerning continued residence also apply.[4] AIP’s minimum stay does not replace that test.
A family seeking to retain a residence option may concentrate on investment and ongoing obligations. Those considering citizenship also need to plan for relocation, where each person’s daily life will be based and the time actually spent in New Zealand.
The starting questions are when the capital may be needed and whether the family intends to live in New Zealand long term. Aligning those answers with the investment period gives the category choice a practical basis.
Explore New Zealand investor residence · Related policy update: investment assessment changes from 28 September · Discuss your circumstances
Official sources
1. Immigration New Zealand: Active Investor Plus Visa
2. Immigration New Zealand: acceptable Active Investor Plus investments
3. Immigration New Zealand: managing Active Investor Plus investments
4. New Zealand Government: citizenship presence requirements
5. Immigration New Zealand: operational instructions, BN7.10, effective 1 June 2026
6. Immigration New Zealand: category options and reductions in required presence
This article provides general information, not recommendations for individual investments or guarantees of returns, exit dates or immigration approval. Individual immigration and investment matters should be reviewed by appropriately qualified professionals.