Business Investor Resident Visa in New Zealand
The Business Investor Resident Visa is the second stage of the Business Investor pathway.
Only people who already hold a Business Investor Work Visa and have operated their New Zealand business for the required period may be eligible. INZ assesses your actual business performance, amount of investment you maintained, jobs created or preserved, how long you lived in New Zealand and whether the business has delivered real economic value.
Who this residence visa suits
You may be suitable if
• You currently hold a Business Investor Work Visa
• You have maintained the required investment level throughout the qualifying period
• Your business is trading in a real and sustainable way
• The business has created or retained New Zealand jobs
• You and your family have spent meaningful time living in New Zealand
• You continue to meet health, character and bona fide requirements
Residence is based on what your business actually achieved, not just your original plan.
What Immigration New Zealand reviews
Investment maintained
INZ checks that your capital remained invested in the business during the qualifying period.
This includes:
• Minimum investment amount
• Acceptable investment type
• Ongoing business engagement
• Evidence of how the investment was used
Jobs created or retained
INZ assesses how many full-time jobs your investment created or preserved for New Zealand citizens or residents.
Records may include:
• Payroll and PAYE
• Employment agreements
• Time records
• HR structure
Business performance and compliance
The business must be operating in line with your stated plan. INZ looks at:
• Revenue and trading activity
• GST and tax compliance
• Profitability or sustainability
• Evidence of ongoing demand
• Whether the business contributes economically
Time you lived in New Zealand
INZ checks whether you and your family spent sufficient time physically living in New Zealand during the qualifying period.
The residence pathway is for people who genuinely settle, not for remote or absentee owners.
Your ongoing involvement
INZ checks that you continued to play an active management or governance role in the business—not passive oversight.
Common risks we see for Business Investor residence
These can often be fixed if addressed early—before the residence stage.
• Jobs created only briefly, not sustained long enough
• Business revenue far below projections, without explanation
• Unable to prove investment remained in the business
• Gaps in PAYE, GST or tax filing
• Applicant spent too much time outside New Zealand
• Business shifts into passive activity or property holding
• Business plan and actual results do not match
How we support Business Investor Resident Visa applicants
Step 1: Review the qualifying period
• Jobs created only briefly, not sustained long enough
• Business revenue far below projections, without explanation
• Unable to prove investment remained in the business
• Gaps in PAYE, GST or tax filing
• Applicant spent too much time outside New Zealand
• Business shifts into passive activity or property holding
• Business plan and actual results do not match
Step 2: Compile evidence for residence
We help gather and organise:
• Investment maintenance records
• Bank statements and transfers
• Payroll and job creation evidence
• Trading and tax documents
• Governance and management evidence
• Time-in-New Zealand records
Step 3: Prepare a decision-ready application
We present your business performance in a clear and structured way that aligns with INZ policy expectations.
If INZ asks questions, we prepare focused, precise responses.