Overview

• Officials are considering an exemption limited to Active Investor Plus visa holders for properties priced at NZ$5 million or more, according to people familiar with the proposal.
• The coalition is expected to discuss the plan at a Sept. 1 Cabinet meeting, and any approval could be announced soon after, the reports say.
• Even if agreed, the exemption would not take effect until the end of the year when Overseas Investment Act amendments are due to pass.
• Immigration New Zealand data show 267 golden‑visa applications covering 862 people as of Aug. 8, representing at least NZ$1.63 billion in potential investment with about 40% of applicants from the United States.
• New Zealand has barred most foreign residential purchases since 2018, a policy retained after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon dropped a broader rollback in 2023 following talks with New Zealand First, whose leader has signaled openness to expensive purchases tied to investment.