Definition
What is AIP Growth Category?
The lower-threshold tier of the Active Investor Plus visa requiring NZ$5M in acceptable growth investments held for four years with at least 21 days physical presence in NZ over the period.
The Growth Category is one of two AIP visa investment tiers. Per Immigration New Zealand operational instructions (BJ4):
Minimum investment: NZ$5,000,000. Holding period: four years (48 months) from the date capital is invested. Days in NZ during the four years: at least 21 days physically present.
Acceptable Growth investments (per NZTE Acceptable Investments policy): - Direct investment in NZ-based growth-stage businesses. - NZ private equity funds focused on growth-stage NZ companies. - NZ venture capital funds investing in early-stage and growth-stage NZ technology companies. - NZTE-approved managed funds on the Acceptable Managed Funds list. - NZX-listed equities (Growth-eligible subset only).
Growth vs Balanced: The Growth Category sits at half the capital of Balanced (NZ$10M) but offers far less residency obligation (21 days vs 105 over the four years). Growth is the default choice for AIP applicants who can deploy NZ$5M, want the visa, but do not intend to relocate full-time to New Zealand during the holding period.
Compliance obligations: - Annual NZTE confirmation that the investment is still held and within an acceptable vehicle. - KYC/AML re-certification with the underlying fund managers annually. - Continuous maintenance of the investment at or above NZ$5M — dropping below threshold even briefly resets the residence clock.
Coordination with FIF + HR 8 tax regimes: the four-year AIP clock and the 48-month transitional resident exemption (Income Tax Act 2007 s HR 8) are calibrated for the same window but start from different events. See our [FIF + HR 8 cited guide](/blog/fif-transitional-resident-cited-2026) for the misalignment risks.
Coordination with OIA 2005: most acceptable Growth investments (NZ private equity / venture capital / managed funds below NZ$100M target asset value) do not trigger Overseas Investment Office consent. New-build property investments and farm land do trigger consent and require separate OIO approval. See our [OIA cited guide](/blog/overseas-investment-act-aip-cited-2026).
Related Terms
AIP Visa (Active Investor Plus)
New Zealand investor visa requiring $5-10M in qualifying investments for 4+ years.
AIP Balanced Category
The higher-threshold tier of the Active Investor Plus visa requiring NZ$10M in acceptable mixed-asset investments held for four years with at least 105 days physical presence in NZ.
NZTE Acceptable Managed Funds
The curated list of NZ wholesale managed funds that NZTE has accepted as qualifying investments for Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa applicants.
Transitional Resident
A first-time NZ tax-resident who qualifies for the 48-month exemption from NZ tax on most foreign-sourced income under section HR 8 of the Income Tax Act 2007.
Learn More
Official Resources
Educational Content Disclaimer
This glossary provides general educational information only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Definitions and explanations are simplified for educational purposes and may not cover all aspects or nuances of each term.
Before making any investment decision, you should seek independent advice from appropriately qualified professionals. Wholesale Investor does not recommend or endorse any particular investment, strategy, or fund manager.