Overview of this pathway
The $5 million plus house pathway allows qualifying investor visa holders, or entities closely associated with them, to buy:
- Residential land that is or includes a residential dwelling, for a purchase price of more than $5 million; or
- Residential land worth less than $5 million for the purpose of building a residential dwelling, provided the sum of the purchase price of the land and construction price of the dwelling is more than $5 million.
Qualifying investor visas
A qualifying investor visa means:
- Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa;
- Investor 1 visa; or
- Investor 2 visa.
Other types of visa not listed above do not qualify for the $5 million plus house pathway.
Residential land only
The land must be residential land which means it has a property category of ‘residential’ or ‘lifestyle’ on the District Valuation Roll. You can check a property’s category on the Quotable Value website. Look for an R or L as the first letter of the category code. You could also ask the local council.
Identifying sensitive land
Residential land can also be sensitive for other reasons. For example, residential land may also be sensitive because it is on an island, next to a beach, river, or lake, or next to a reserve or conservation area.
If the residential land is sensitive for other reasons, it cannot be bought through the $5 million plus house pathway.
National interest test
The $5 million plus house pathway is assessed under the national interest test. Section 19E of the Act sets out the criteria for when a qualifying investor visa holder can apply. Provided the criteria are met, the only test is whether the transaction may be contrary to New Zealand’s national interest.
The national interest test is assessed in stages depending on the risk of the investment. Investments in residential land are generally low risk and are likely to be consented at stage one.
In the unlikely event that your investment requires a stage two national interest assessment, we will contact you during the assessment process.
Find out more about the national interest test
How and when to apply
You can apply for consent after you have found a property you want to buy. You will need to give us the address of the property and details about your investor visa.
You can sign a sale and purchase agreement to buy the property before you apply for consent, but this must be conditional on obtaining overseas investment consent. You may face significant penalties and have to sell the property if the agreement does not include this condition.
Use our online application form to apply for consent to buy a $5 million plus house.
Fees
The application fee depends on the purchase price and whether a new dwelling will be built on the land.
- If the land includes an existing dwelling, and the purchase price is more than $5 million, the application fee is NZ $2,040.
- In all other cases, the application fee is NZ $3,500.
Detailed guidance for investors
Find out more about the $5 million plus house pathway, including rules for trusts and companies associated with the investor visa holder.