Trident Visa Global — New Zealand · Active Investor Plus

Active Investor Plus Visa · Immigration New Zealand · World's #2 Passport

🇳🇿 New Zealand

New Zealand holds the world's #2 passport — and uniquely, NZ citizenship grants the right to live and work in Australia freely under the Closer Economic Relations Agreement. For investor families seeking a dual AU/NZ strategy, New Zealand is the most powerful and efficient entry point available. A pristine environment, world-leading political stability and a dynamic investment market make it a compelling destination in its own right.

NZD 5M+Min. Investment

~7 YrsTo Citizenship

#2Global Passport Rank

192Visa-Free Countries

The AIP Visa

Our Process

Path to Citizenship

Post-Settlement

Why Trident

Why New Zealand

5 Reasons to Call New Zealand Home

New Zealand offers something genuinely unique — the world's #2 passport, combined with the right to live in Australia. For investor families who want a world-class lifestyle, political security and maximum geographic optionality, NZ delivers everything.

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World's #2 Passport

Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 countries — more than almost any other nation on earth. The NZ passport consistently outranks Australia, Canada, the UK and all but a handful of European nations in global mobility benchmarks.

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CER — Live & Work in Australia

Under the Closer Economic Relations Agreement, NZ citizens have the unconditional right to live, work, study and access social services in Australia — indefinitely. This effectively delivers two of the world's most coveted residencies with a single citizenship decision.

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World's Safest, Most Stable Nation

New Zealand consistently ranks #1 or #2 globally in political stability, government effectiveness and rule of law indices. The country has no history of military conflict on home soil, no significant organised crime, and one of the world's lowest corruption ratings. For HNW families, this matters deeply.

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Best Country to Do Business

The World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index has consistently ranked New Zealand among the world's top 2 countries. Low corporate tax, transparent regulation, an independent judiciary and a strong property rights framework provide exceptional certainty for investor families.

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High-Growth Investment Market

NZ is experiencing rapid growth in technology, agribusiness, renewable energy, tourism and property — supported by strong fundamentals, an export-oriented economy and a government committed to attracting foreign direct investment. The NZX provides institutional-grade listed market access.

Key Cities

Where Trident NZ Clients Settle

Auckland

New Zealand · Trident NZ Office

New Zealand's largest city and commercial capital — home to the NZX, major banking headquarters and the country's most diverse, cosmopolitan population. Strong Chinese, Indian and Korean communities, excellent private schooling and proximity to both beach and bush make Auckland the natural first choice for investor families.

Median house price: ~NZD $950K

Elite schools: King's College, Diocesan, St. Kentigern

Airport: Auckland International (AKL)

Population: 1.7M · 40% born overseas

Wellington

Capital City · Government Hub

New Zealand's capital and the centre of government, culture and creative industries. Compact and extraordinarily liveable, Wellington offers direct access to government ministers, regulators and policy makers — invaluable for investors seeking to engage with the AIP programme and government-supported investment projects.

Median house price: ~NZD $750K

Top schools: Wellington College, Onslow College

Airport: Wellington International (WLG)

Population: 430K · Government & tech hub

Queenstown

South Island · Luxury Lifestyle

The world's adventure capital and New Zealand's most glamorous lifestyle destination — set against the dramatic Southern Alps on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Queenstown attracts ultra-HNW investors seeking a premium lifestyle environment. The property market here is among the most sought-after in the Southern Hemisphere.

Median house price: ~NZD $1.5M+

International resort & ski community

Airport: Queenstown International (ZQN)

Strong AU, UK and Asian investor community

Active Investor Plus Visa

AIP Eligibility & Requirements

The Active Investor Plus Visa is New Zealand's premium investor immigration pathway — designed for engaged, high-calibre investors who bring genuine economic value to the New Zealand economy.

Minimum NZD $5 Million Investment

A minimum of NZD $5,000,000 in acceptable investment funds. The full NZD $5M must be placed into approved categories within the investment period. Higher investment thresholds apply if the investor does not meet English language requirements — an additional NZD $2M is required as an offset, bringing the total to NZD $7M.

Approved Investment Categories

Category A (Direct investment): Direct investment into eligible NZ businesses — minimum 21 days in NZ per year. Category B (Managed funds): Investment into INZ-approved NZ managed funds — minimum 21 days in NZ per year. Category C (Listed equities): Investment into NZX-listed companies — minimum 105 days in NZ per year. Investors may mix categories proportionately.

Active Investor Engagement

The AIP requires demonstrable active engagement with investments — board directorships, management involvement, investor meetings and documented oversight of investment activity. This distinguishes the AIP from passive investor visa categories. Trident monitors and documents all engagement obligations throughout the investment period.

Minimum Presence in New Zealand

21 days per year for Category A (direct) and Category B (managed funds) investments. 105 days per year for Category C (NZX listed equities). Presence must be documented — Trident manages all presence tracking and INZ reporting throughout the investment period.

English Language Proficiency

IELTS minimum 5.0 in each band (or equivalent PTE, TOEFL, Cambridge testing). Applicants who do not meet the English requirement may instead invest an additional NZD $2M (total NZD $7M), offset against the English language requirement.

Health, Character & Investment Funds Verification

Standard health examinations for all applicants and included family members. Police clearances from all countries of residence. INZ requires the applicant to demonstrate that invested funds are available, accessible and from a lawful source — verified via a New Zealand-compliant Funds Verification Report.

The AIP Advantage

The NZ AIP is the fastest-rising investor visa in the Asia-Pacific — and for excellent reason. The #2 global passport, the right to live in Australia, and a streamlined PR pathway make it uniquely compelling.

For investors seeking a dual AU/NZ strategy, the AIP is the optimal entry point. NZ citizenship grants CER rights to Australia — delivering two of the world's most coveted residencies for one investment decision.

Trident has established direct relationships with INZ, approved NZ managed fund operators and NZX-listed investment vehicles — ensuring clients invest into compliant, commercially sound assets from Day 1.

Investment Category Comparison

CategoryMin. Days/yrMin. Amount

A · Direct21 daysNZD $5M

B · Managed21 daysNZD $5M

C · NZX Listed105 daysNZD $5M

How We Work

Our 5-Step AIP Process

The AIP process requires precise investment structuring, rigorous INZ documentation and active compliance management over a 3-year investment period. Trident manages every step — from first consultation to permanent residency.

Month 1–2

Investment Structuring

We assess capital, investment preferences, presence obligations and return requirements. Optimal investment category — direct, managed fund or NZX listed — identified. Compliant NZ investment opportunity sourced through our direct fund manager and operator relationships.

Month 2–5

Application Preparation

Full AIP application prepared for Immigration New Zealand — investment business plan, funds verification report, English language evidence, health and character requirements. We manage every documentation requirement.

Month 6–12

Resident Visa Granted

INZ approval. Resident visa issued for investor and immediate family. Investment deployed. Active engagement and presence obligations commence. Trident's compliance monitoring programme activated.

Years 1–3

Active Investment Period

Trident actively monitors investment compliance, tracks presence obligations, prepares INZ progress reports and manages all investor engagement documentation throughout the 3-year active investment period. No compliance gaps — ever.

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Year 3–4

Permanent Residency

Investment obligations verified by INZ. Permanent resident visa confirmed for investor and family. CER rights to Australia active immediately. Citizenship countdown — 5 years presence required.

Step 01

Trident + Fund Managers

Category assessment
Return profile modelling
Fund manager introductions
Investment selection

Step 02

Trident Leads

Funds verification report
Business plan preparation
INZ application lodgement
English/health docs

Step 03

INZ + Trident

INZ decision management
Visa issuance coordination
Investment deployment
Compliance activation

Step 04

Trident Monitors

Presence tracking
INZ progress reports
Engagement documentation
Investment performance reviews

Step 05

Trident + INZ

Obligations verification
PR application
CER activation
Citizenship planning

NZ Citizenship

AIP → NZ Passport + AU Rights

NZ citizenship is the most strategically powerful outcome in investor immigration — delivering a #2 ranked passport and unconditional right to live and work in Australia. For investors managing pan-Pacific interests, it is genuinely unmatched.

Month 1–5

Application Filed

Investment structured, funds verified, AIP application lodged with INZ.

Month 6–12

🟢 Resident Visa

INZ approval. Resident visa issued. Investment deployed. 3-year active investment period begins.

Years 1–3

Active Investment

NZD $5M+ maintained. Minimum presence met. Trident manages all compliance obligations.

Year 3–4

🟢 Permanent Resident

Obligations verified. PR visa confirmed. CER rights to Australia active immediately from this point.

Year 5–6

Citizenship Eligible

1,350 days presence in NZ over 5 years satisfied. Application lodged with Dept. of Internal Affairs.

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~Year 7

NZ Citizen + AU Rights

NZ passport issued. #2 globally. Unconditional right to live in Australia permanently.

Total Timeline

~7 Years

From first consultation

Presence Required

1,350 Days

Over 5 years in NZ

Dual Citizenship

Permitted

No renunciation required

Passport Rank

#2 Global

192 visa-free countries

CER Bonus

🇦🇺 AU Rights

Live & work in Australia

After Your Resident Visa

Building Your New Zealand Future

New Zealand's tax and investment environment rewards those who plan carefully. Trident's post-settlement platform connects NZ AIP clients with specialist advisers across investment, accounting and tax — from the very first day of residency.

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NZ Investment Advisory

We connect clients with high-quality NZ investment opportunities — both for AIP compliance and for ongoing wealth generation in New Zealand and Australia.

AIP-compliant direct investment opportunities in NZ technology, agribusiness and property
INZ-approved managed fund introductions and performance monitoring
NZX listed equity selection and portfolio construction advice
Cross-Tasman investment opportunities leveraging CER market access

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NZ Accounting & Entity Setup

NZ company establishment, IRD registration and accounting structures are different from Australia and Asia — our specialist NZ accounting partners ensure full compliance from Day 1.

NZ company and trading trust establishment (Companies Office registration)
IRD number and GST registration
Specialist international-migrant accountant introductions in Auckland and Wellington
AIP investment compliance accounting and INZ progress reporting support

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NZ & Cross-Tasman Tax Advisory

NZ's tax system is distinct — and for investors with AU, Chinese, Indian or Middle Eastern assets, the interaction between NZ and other tax systems requires expert management from Day 1 of residency.

NZ tax residency establishment and IRD compliance
Foreign Investment Fund (FIF) regime analysis for overseas investments
Bright-line test and NZ property CGT planning
Trans-Tasman double tax treaty analysis (AU-NZ)
NZ-China, NZ-India and NZ-UAE tax treaty planning

The Trident AU + NZ Dual Strategy

Two Countries. One Decision.

No other advisory firm can offer what Trident offers — seamless NZ AIP and Australian NIV expertise under one roof. For clients who begin with the NZ AIP, we simultaneously assess Australian NIV eligibility — so that if you wish to progress to Australian permanent residency at any point, the pathway is already clear, the endorsement strategy is already designed, and the transition is managed without interruption.

Why Choose Trident for New Zealand

Two Countries.
One Decision. One Firm.

The Only Firm With
AU + NZ Under One Roof.

Trident Visa Global is the only investor immigration firm offering both Australian NIV and New Zealand AIP expertise — and the only firm positioned to execute a seamless dual-country strategy. Our relationships with INZ, approved NZ fund managers and NZX-listed investment vehicles ensure clients invest into compliant, performing assets from Day 1. Our Australian expertise means clients who want Australian PR can progress to it without changing advisers, losing momentum, or starting the process again.

Begin Your NZ Application

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AU + NZ Dual Strategy — Only Trident

NIV and AIP expertise under one roof. The only firm able to execute a seamless dual-country investment migration strategy.

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INZ-Approved Investment Access

Direct relationships with INZ, approved NZ managed fund operators and NZX-listed investment vehicles. Compliant assets from Day 1.

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Full 3-Year Compliance Monitoring

Trident actively monitors presence, investment engagement and INZ reporting across the entire 3-year investment period. No compliance gaps.

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Asian Market Specialist

Shirley Lo Presti's 20+ years with Chinese and Taiwanese HNW families. The preferred partner for Asian investors choosing New Zealand.