Latest news with #ActiveInvestorPlus
Business Wire
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Greener Pastures Applauds Milestone as Active Investor Plus Program Surpasses 100 Applicants and $600 Million in Capital Commitments
AUCKLAND, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Greener Pastures New Zealand, a premier investment and lifestyle advisory firm specializing in facilitating high-net-worth investor residency through New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa program, today celebrated a major milestone in the country's revamped Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa program. The program has now received over 100 formal applications, representing an estimated NZD $600 million in committed capital to be deployed across New Zealand's private sector. In a promising signal for New Zealand's innovation-driven economy, 80% of these applicants selected the growth investment category, which prioritizes direct investment into New Zealand-managed funds and operating businesses. 'As one of the pioneering firms supporting clients through the AIP process, we have witnessed this first hand with our various meetings with clients around the world,' said Dominic Jones, Managing Director of Greener Pastures New Zealand. 'It reflects not only strong international interest in New Zealand as a destination for strategic investment and lifestyle, but also the government's success in aligning immigration policy with long-term economic development.' Greener Pastures operates the Greener Pastures Diversified Fund, an approved investment vehicle under the AIP program. The firm provides end-to-end advisory for global investors pursuing residency in New Zealand, including investment management, relocation support, and strategic introductions across New Zealand's business and lifestyle ecosystems. The program's success to date is the result of coordinated efforts by Invest New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand, and private sector partners working across borders to attract high-quality investors and activate capital that will fuel job creation, innovation, and sustainable growth across the country. Invest New Zealand General Manager, Benny Goodman says the recent changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa have made it even easier to invest in New Zealand. 'New Zealand has a vibrant eco-system of investment opportunities – from growth companies through to more established entities, projects and funds. The Active Investor Plus Visa pathway makes it easy for investors to connect with these opportunities and gain permanent residence in New Zealand.' For more information on Greener Pastures New Zealand, please visit About Greener Pastures New Zealand Greener Pastures New Zealand is a premier investment and lifestyle advisory firm specializing in facilitating high-net-worth investor residency through New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa program. As a subsidiary of Origin Capital Partners, the firm provides tailored investment products and lifestyle transition support, ensuring a smooth relocation process for high-net-worth investors. Its government-approved Diversified Fund meets AIP visa criteria, while its tailored lifestyle services ensure a smooth transition, from real estate and education to local expertise. Led by Managing Director Dominic Jones and Board Chairman Simon Botherway, Greener Pastures helps global investors build secure, sustainable futures in one of the world's most desirable destinations. Learn more at
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Greener Pastures Applauds Milestone as Active Investor Plus Program Surpasses 100 Applicants and $600 Million in Capital Commitments
80% of investors choose growth category, channeling capital into New Zealand's innovation economy AUCKLAND, New Zealand, May 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Greener Pastures New Zealand, a premier investment and lifestyle advisory firm specializing in facilitating high-net-worth investor residency through New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa program, today celebrated a major milestone in the country's revamped Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa program. The program has now received over 100 formal applications, representing an estimated NZD $600 million in committed capital to be deployed across New Zealand's private sector. In a promising signal for New Zealand's innovation-driven economy, 80% of these applicants selected the growth investment category, which prioritizes direct investment into New Zealand-managed funds and operating businesses. "As one of the pioneering firms supporting clients through the AIP process, we have witnessed this first hand with our various meetings with clients around the world," said Dominic Jones, Managing Director of Greener Pastures New Zealand. "It reflects not only strong international interest in New Zealand as a destination for strategic investment and lifestyle, but also the government's success in aligning immigration policy with long-term economic development." Greener Pastures operates the Greener Pastures Diversified Fund, an approved investment vehicle under the AIP program. The firm provides end-to-end advisory for global investors pursuing residency in New Zealand, including investment management, relocation support, and strategic introductions across New Zealand's business and lifestyle ecosystems. The program's success to date is the result of coordinated efforts by Invest New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand, and private sector partners working across borders to attract high-quality investors and activate capital that will fuel job creation, innovation, and sustainable growth across the country. Invest New Zealand General Manager, Benny Goodman says the recent changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa have made it even easier to invest in New Zealand. "New Zealand has a vibrant eco-system of investment opportunities – from growth companies through to more established entities, projects and funds. The Active Investor Plus Visa pathway makes it easy for investors to connect with these opportunities and gain permanent residence in New Zealand." For more information on Greener Pastures New Zealand, please visit About Greener Pastures New Zealand Greener Pastures New Zealand is a premier investment and lifestyle advisory firm specializing in facilitating high-net-worth investor residency through New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa program. As a subsidiary of Origin Capital Partners, the firm provides tailored investment products and lifestyle transition support, ensuring a smooth relocation process for high-net-worth investors. Its government-approved Diversified Fund meets AIP visa criteria, while its tailored lifestyle services ensure a smooth transition, from real estate and education to local expertise. Led by Managing Director Dominic Jones and Board Chairman Simon Botherway, Greener Pastures helps global investors build secure, sustainable futures in one of the world's most desirable destinations. Learn more at View source version on Contacts Stephen FrancyRubenstein PR212-805-3017sfrancy@ Sign in to access your portfolio
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Business Standard
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
New Zealand's new golden visa draws rush from US, China after rule change
New Zealand has seen a sharp rise in demand for its investor visas in the six weeks since it relaxed the rules, with most new applications coming from the United States. The updated visa scheme, which came into effect in April 2025, allows wealthy individuals to invest as little as NZ$5 million (approximately $3 million) to secure residency. They only need to spend 21 days in New Zealand across the visa term, down from a previous requirement of three years. Immigration New Zealand said the average processing time has dropped to just 11 days. "New Zealand's immigration department confirmed that 65 new applications have been received since April, in addition to 39 carried over from the earlier scheme. Of these, 42 have been approved, representing a minimum capital inflow of NZ$620 million," Financial Times reported. Where are applicants coming from? The United States accounted for 55 of the new applications—by far the largest number—followed by Hong Kong (15) and China (12), according to official figures. Commenting on the development, Stuart Nash, a former Labour immigration minister who now runs Nash Kelly Global, shared on LinkedIn that politics in the US had played a role in driving demand. 'It's the main driver,' he said. 'Many of the people applying are of a different political persuasion to President Trump.' Nash said the uncertainty around Donald Trump's foreign policy and security commitments was pushing wealthy Americans to look elsewhere. 'Putin is on the doorstep and no one is 100 per cent sure what Trump will do on Nato,' he added. 'That kind of uncertainty means people are looking to New Zealand.' He also pointed out that New Zealand was attracting more interest partly because other countries, such as Portugal and Ireland, have tightened or shut down their own golden visa schemes. In April, the European Court of Justice ruled that Malta's citizenship-by-investment programme was in breach of EU law. What's changed in the visa rules? Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the second investment category, called 'balanced', was created to draw applicants interested in lower-risk options such as bonds and real estate. 'Capital is highly mobile and in an increasingly complex world, people are looking for a safe and stable country to do business,' she said. 'We are now making our investor visa simpler and more flexible to incentivise investors to choose New Zealand as a destination.' Stanford also told parliament last week that the uptick in applications showed New Zealand was 'open for business'. Two visa options now available New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa now includes two routes: Growth: Requires NZ$5 million over three years in businesses or managed funds. Applicants must spend 21 days in the country over the visa period. Balanced: Requires NZ$10 million over five years in bonds, equities, residential developments or commercial property. The minimum stay is 105 days, which may be reduced for higher investments. Investors can include a partner and children under 25 in their application. Permanent residency is possible after maintaining investments for four years. Other updates since April 1, 2025 English-language requirement has been removed Investment transfer deadline reduced to six months from approval One-time extension of six months available if needed Lower stay requirement for higher or more active investments Visa cost starts at NZ$27,470 (around ₹13 lakh) 80% of applications are processed within seven months Reactions divided Stuart Nash, who originally set up the earlier version of the visa during his time in government, said Labour's approach had 'missed a couple of the nuances'. 'Right now, a significant number of very wealthy people are looking for a home for their money and their families in a way that is quite unique,' he said. But Labour's immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford criticised the changes, calling them 'peak short-sightedness'. 'Allowing people to buy residence by parking their money in a passive investment like property that won't generate jobs or sustainable economic development for New Zealand doesn't sit well,' said Twyford. He also criticised the removal of English-language requirements. 'Taking it off for the rich but not everyday migrants is not the Kiwi way,' he said. 'The focus on wealthy visitors to New Zealand in the very same week the government has figures showing Kiwi unemployment is at record highs is absolutely tone deaf.' Global trend moving the other way The surge in interest for New Zealand's investor visa comes as several countries roll back similar schemes. Spain officially ends its golden visa programme today. Ireland, the Netherlands, Greece and Malta have either shut their schemes or raised the bar for eligibility. In Australia, the Significant Investor visa—which required an A$5 million investment—has been effectively discontinued, with officials saying it failed to benefit the wider economy. David Cooper, chief executive of immigration advisory firm Malcolm Pacific, said New Zealand's revamped policy could change the game. 'Investor migrants bring far more than the required capital – they inject roughly two to three times more in additional spending across businesses, property, and high-value services,' said Cooper. 'These policy changes recognise the immense value these individuals bring, and puts New Zealand back on the global investment map.' He added that with Australia, the UK and Canada tightening rules, New Zealand now had a rare opportunity. 'This is New Zealand's chance to position itself as a premium destination for investor migrants.'
RNZ News
05-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
‘Golden visa' shutting out Chinese investors, legal experts say
Photo: RNZ Legal experts have been left perplexed by Immigration New Zealand's interpretation of regulations related to the investment visa pathway for Chinese nationals. The government upgraded the Active Investor Plus visa on 1 April to help encourage growth and make investing in New Zealand more attractive for overseas individuals. The updated information on Immigration New Zealand's website in April noted that two Chinese investment programmes - Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) and Qualified Domestic Limited Partner (QDLP) - were "not considered acceptable methods of transfer to meet immigration requirements" under the visa. The Active Investor Plus visa was first introduced in 2022 by the Labour government, replacing the previous Investor 1 and 2 categories. Due to the visa's high investment threshold and English-language requirement, it did not attract a lot of interest, immigration advisors and lawyers said, adding that questions over the exclusion of the Chinese investment programmes had yet to materialise. After the April upgrade, the category attracted high interest from applicants around the world . Peter Luo Photo: Supplied However, licensed immigration advisor Peter Luo said interest from China quickly dried up after the government explicitly excluded the QDII programme from the upgraded "golden visa". "I have quite a number of clients who wanted to apply, but they can't anymore," Luo said. "Some have signed a contract with us, but we had to pause the process." QDII was introduced by the Chinese regulators in 2006 to allow individuals in China to invest in financial product markets overseas through approved domestic institutions such as commercial banks, security firms and trust companies. It aims to increase the proportion of mainland China's privately held assets abroad in a managed way, according to the government's foreign exchange agency. The QDLP programme is a separate investment scheme launched by Chinese authorities that has never been adopted by New Zealand. Luo said QDII was virtually the only pathway for individuals from China to transfer capital overseas. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment told RNZ that QDII and QDLP had been excluded from the investor visa when it was introduced in 2022. Stacey O'Dowd, border and funding immigration policy manager at MBIE, said the core objective of the Active Investor Plus policy settings was to seek active and ongoing investment to help grow the New Zealand economy. "Funds passively invested in New Zealand which are subject to obligations or restrictions would not align with this objective, as there is no certain potential of the funds remaining productively invested beyond an investor's investment period," O'Dowd said. However, Luo said he only became aware of the QDII programme's exclusion recently. Luo claimed the QDII programme complied with the new investor visa conditions, and its exclusion was "baseless". "If the government is genuinely interested in attracting Chinese money and talent, INZ should withdraw its improper interpretation and engage with financial institutions to develop a workable solution," Luo said. Arran Hunt Photo: Supplied Immigration lawyer Arran Hunt said the exclusion of the QDII pathway meant the Active Investor Plus visa was "shut off from almost all Chinese investors". Some countries restricted the amount of funds that someone could move out of the country, and the QDII programme provided an option that appeared to work with the former investment visa categories, he said. Hunt said Immigration New Zealand had not explained why funds transferred via the QDII programme were not acceptable. "We expect it is because the QDII/QDLP funds need to be returned to China at some point, which would make any investment in New Zealand temporary," he said. However, there was no guarantee that an investment under the new investor visa would remain in New Zealand after the investment term, he said. Repatriation of funds was more likely to happen if the funds had been sent via the QDII programme, he said. "This change would have an impact on applicants from China, as it removes the most common way to take money out of China lawfully," he said. "This removal will leave the only possible way out being through a place like Hong Kong but, even then, it won't be simple." Hunt said China did not allow unrestricted movement of funds out of the country, with such transfer constraints being outside of New Zealand's control. Harris Gu Photo: Screenshot / Queen City Law Harris Gu, an immigration lawyer who is also policy chair of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment, said the exclusion of QDII from the investor visa settings was unreasonable because immigration laws did not explicitly forbid it. "I believe there has perhaps been a misconception on the government's part in terms of exactly what QDII is and how it operates," Gu said. "Nevertheless, their statements are not above the actual law." Gu said the exclusion would negatively affect investment from Chinese institutions that might have ordinarily come through the QDII programme under the old Investor 1 and 2 visa categories. O'Dowd said New Zealand investment settings were, and would remain, "country neutral". "We welcome high quality and productive foreign investment from all investors, provided it meets our regulatory requirements," O'Dowd said. "Active Investor Plus settings have been designed to incentivise active investment so New Zealand benefits from investor capital, skills, experience and networks over the longer term." Immigration New Zealand received 45 applications for the Active Investor Plus visa under the new settings between 1 and 14 April. Of those applications, eight were from Hong Kong and five were from Chinese nationals, according to MBIE statistics. RNZ approached Immigration Minister Erica Stanford for comment but was told Immigration New Zealand, which falls under MBIE, oversaw such operational questions.
Bloomberg
31-03-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Golden Visa Revamp Tempts Wealthy to Eye New Zealand as Haven
New Zealand is seeing 'red hot' interest in its revamped golden visa program from the US and Europe as rising geopolitical tensions prompt wealthy people to consider options abroad, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said. Applications for the Active Investor Plus visa open Tuesday in Wellington following an overhaul designed to make the program more appealing to affluent migrants. Changes include scrapping the English-language requirement, reducing the time investors must spend in the country, lowering minimum investment thresholds and simplifying investment categories.
