Foreign nationals generally cannot buy luxury residential homes in New Zealand unless they are citizens, permanent residents, or resident visa holders who are “ordinarily resident”; the main pathway for investors is through the Active Investor Plus visa, which requires NZD 5–15 million invested in approved businesses or funds over four years, after which the visa holder gains residency and becomes eligible to purchase residential property; without residency, the only alternative is obtaining Overseas Investment Office (OIO) consent, which is rarely granted for personal home purchases.
