From 1 June 2026, new applicants in the Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa Growth category can direct up to 20% of their total investment (up to NZD $1m of the NZD $5m minimum) to eligible philanthropy, with the remainder staying in higher-growth assets. Immigration NZ announced the change on 25 May 2026; the AIP scheme has drawn 573 applications and NZD $3.39 billion in potential investment in its first ~10 months since the April 2025 refresh. Recipient charities must be Tier 1-3, operating 5+ years, and gifts cannot personally benefit the applicant.
Home › Founders News › Visa & Immigration
NZ Active Investor Plus visa Growth category adds 20% philanthropy option from 1 June 2026
Why this matters for founders
NZ startups raising growth capital can position themselves as 'acceptable investments' to court the large migrant-investor pool flowing through the Growth category. Founders with an associated registered charity or conservation arm should check Tier 1-3 eligibility to become a qualifying philanthropic recipient.
Source: Immigration New Zealand
Related updates
More that helps you.
NZ eases Business Investor Work Visa: franchises and gifted capital now allowed
From 6 July 2026, Immigration New Zealand made three rule changes to the Business Investor Work Visa: applicants can now invest in qualifying franchise businesses, purchase a busin…
Greece adds startup investment route to Golden Visa from EUR 250,000
Greece has operationalized a new Golden Visa pathway granting five-year residency to non-EU investors who put at least EUR 250,000 into a startup registered on the Elevate Greece n…
International Entrepreneur Rule 2026: $311K investment bar, new parole fee
The International Entrepreneur Rule remains active for 2026, letting qualifying foreign founders with at least a 10% stake obtain up to 30 months of parole (extendable to five year…
NZ Active Investor Plus visa pipeline hits NZ$4.9b; Growth path stays NZ$5m
As of Immigration NZ's 4 September 2026 update, the revamped Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa has drawn 904 applications (467 approved) since the April 2025 changes, with about NZ$4…
Get briefs like this tuned to you.
In the app, Founder Briefs are personalized to your country, industry and stage, and you can save the ones that matter.
See plans →
Keep exploring
Related across the site
ToolClerkyClerky handles startup incorporation and legal paperwork specifically for founders raising venture capital, generating Delaware C-corp filings, founder stock, and fundraising documents. It focuses on getting the legal details right for future investment.TermLLC vs. C-CorpThe two most common US business structures: an LLC offers pass-through tax and flexibility; a C-corp is standard for raising venture capital.Case studyJack MaAlibabaCase studyReginald F. LewisTLC Beatrice InternationalChecklistFind real grants and free business helpGovernments offer loans, grants, and free advisors that most founders never claim. This checklist shows where the real support is and how to apply without wasting weeks.ChecklistRaise startup funding without the chaosDecide whether to raise at all, then run a focused process: sharp numbers, a ranked investor list, batched meetings, and terms you actually understand.