New Zealand Investor & Business Visas from Australia
Most migration agencies in Australia can help you with one country. We help you with two. Suman Dua, principal of Nationwide Migration & Education, is one of very few advisers in the country who is both an Australian Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1800859) and a New Zealand IAA Licensed Immigration Adviser (Licence 202600739). That dual licence means you can plan a New Zealand investor or business visa from right here in Australia, with one adviser who is legally authorised to act on both sides of the Tasman.
Why work with a dual-licensed adviser
New Zealand law is strict about who can give immigration advice. Outside of a handful of exemptions, only a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer can lawfully advise on, or lodge, a New Zealand visa application — even from overseas. An Australian Registered Migration Agent on its own cannot legally advise on New Zealand visas, and a New Zealand adviser with no Australian registration cannot advise on Australian visas.
Suman holds both credentials. For you, that means:
One point of contact for both countries
No referring you out, no piecing together advice from two firms who never speak to each other.
Lawful, compliant NZ advice from Australia
Your application is handled by a properly licensed New Zealand adviser, not an unlicensed referrer.
Genuine trans-Tasman strategy
Decisions about your Australian status and your New Zealand plans are made together, by someone who understands how the two systems interact.
Choose your route to New Zealand residence
Active Investor Plus (AIP)
The Active Investor Plus visa is New Zealand's premier investor residence pathway. It suits high-net-worth individuals who want residence through capital, without running a business day to day.
- Growth category — NZD $5 million over 3 years. For higher-growth and direct investments. This is the more efficient route on both capital and time.
- Balanced category — NZD $10 million over 5 years. A broader range of acceptable investments over a longer hold.
- No English language requirement (removed in 2025).
- Minimal onshore time — as little as around 21 days over 3 years in the Growth category.
- From 1 June 2026: up to 20% of a Growth-category investment can go to philanthropy, and a home purchase of NZD $5 million or more can count toward the investment.
- Settings were substantially reduced from the old NZD $15 million thresholds on 1 April 2025, making the visa far more accessible than it once was.
Business Investor Visa (BIV)
Opened in November 2025, the Business Investor Visa is for people who want to actively buy and run an established New Zealand business as their pathway to residence. It is a work-to-residence route, not a passive one.
- Standard stream — NZD $1 million, with a pathway to residence over roughly 3 years.
- Fast-Track stream — NZD $2 million, with residence in around 12 months.
- This is the right fit if you want to be on the ground, employing staff and operating a real business, rather than simply parking capital.
- It typically requires less upfront investment than AIP and rewards genuine operators.
AIP vs BIV — which is right for you?
| Active Investor Plus (AIP) | Business Investor Visa (BIV) | |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Passive investment | Hands-on owner-operator |
| Capital | NZD $5M (Growth) / $10M (Balanced) | NZD $1M (Standard) / $2M (Fast-Track) |
| Time to residence | 3 years (Growth) / 5 years (Balanced) | ~3 years (Standard) / ~12 months (Fast-Track) |
| Day-to-day involvement | Minimal — you invest, not operate | High — you buy and run a business |
| Onshore presence | Very low (~21 days / 3 yrs, Growth) | Substantial — you live and work there |
| Best for | High-net-worth passive investors | Active business operators |
In short: choose AIP if you have substantial capital and want residence with minimal hands-on commitment; choose BIV if you want a lower capital threshold and are happy to live in New Zealand and run a business. We will assess your funds, your goals and your timeline before recommending one.
The Australia angle: why being here can work in your favour
Plenty of our clients are not New Zealanders or even Australian citizens — they are people currently in Australia who want a second, complementary option.
Temporary visa holders in Australia
If you are on a subclass 485 graduate visa, a 482 work visa, a student visa, or a bridging visa, your Australian pathway may be uncertain or capped. The New Zealand business and investor routes can give you a faster, capital-based path to residence — and once you hold New Zealand residence or citizenship, the trans-Tasman arrangement makes living in Australia far simpler.
Australians and Australia-based investors
New Zealand residence diversifies where you and your family can live, invest and educate your children, while keeping your Australian base intact.
Trans-Tasman mobility
New Zealand and Australia have long-standing arrangements that make moving between the two countries straightforward for the right visa holders. Planning both sides with one adviser lets you use that mobility deliberately rather than by accident.
The process
Consultation
We review your circumstances, funds, current Australian visa status and goals, and confirm whether AIP or BIV fits best.
Strategy and eligibility
We assess your source-of-funds position, investment structure and timeline against current New Zealand settings.
Documentation
We prepare and organise everything Immigration New Zealand requires, including evidence of funds and investment.
Lodgement
As your licensed New Zealand adviser, we lodge and manage your application directly.
Investment and settlement
We guide you through deploying funds (AIP) or acquiring and operating your business (BIV), and through to residence.
Why Nationwide Migration & Education
Dual licensing
Australian Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1800859) and New Zealand IAA Licensed Immigration Adviser (Licence 202600739).
322+ five-star Google reviews
From clients across Australia and beyond.
Brisbane-based, accessible team
Level 4, 320 Adelaide Street, Brisbane QLD — with online consultations for clients anywhere.
One firm, two countries
Genuine trans-Tasman advice without the handballing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a New Zealand investor or business visa while living in Australia?
I'm on a temporary visa in Australia (485, 482, student or bridging). Can I still use these pathways?
What's the difference between AIP and the Business Investor Visa?
Is there an English language requirement?
How much time do I need to spend in New Zealand?
Why use a dual-licensed adviser instead of two separate firms?
Do you charge for an initial consultation?
If you are considering New Zealand residence through investment or business — whether you are an investor, a business owner, or currently on a temporary Australian visa — talk to an adviser who is licensed on both sides of the Tasman.
New Zealand immigration assistance is provided by a New Zealand Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA Licence 202600739).
Talk to a Brisbane
Employer-Sponsored Visa Specialist
With policies and allocations changing across states, clear guidance is essential.
Whether you are sponsoring talent or seeking sponsorship, our Brisbane team manages the full process and plans your pathway to permanent residency.
Contact
Phone: +61 7 37265183
Email: [email protected]
Address: 320 Adelaide St Brisbane QLD 4000
Nationwide Migration and Education
(Appointment-only service in all our offices)
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