New Zealand Permanent Residency Entrepreneur Resident Visa

To be eligible for the Entrepreneur Resident Visa, you must consider following criteria:

• You must be able to provide an English Test result with your application. English language test results must be no more than 2 years old;
• Your partner and dependent children must meet all the visa requirements for this visa;
• You must have a valid Entrepreneur Work Visa if you have been self-employed for less than two years;
• you meet all the requirements for an Entrepreneur Work Visa;
• You must provide evidence that shows how long you’ve been running your business in New Zealand, which may include: a certificate of incorporation, audited financial statements, GST records, and etc;
• You must have invested at least as much capital as outlined in your business plan;
• create 5 or more jobs for New Zealanders; and
• Make sale/turnover NZ $500,000 in annual exports.

Step 1 – You apply for residence

Once you have been working in your own business in New Zealand for 6 months, you can apply for residence.

If you have made an investment of less than NZ$500,000 or created less than 3 new jobs, you will need to wait 2 years before you can proceed to visa apply.

You will need to complete the ‘Entrepreneur Residence Visa Application’ and send it to NZ immigration with your application fee, immigration levy and the supporting documents listed in the application’s checklist.

You may read the following guide to understand the process and requirements.

• Entrepreneur Residence Guide (INZ 1057)
• Entrepreneur Residence Application (INZ 1056)

Step 2 – Assessment of your application

If NZ officer needs any more information to assess your application, they will contact you.

Step 3 – You send the information asked for

When NZ immigration processing team contacts you to explain what information you need to provide, they give you a date they need that information by. You must provide your information and supporting documents by the due date.

Step 4 – Wait for a decision

If you’ve been self-employed for less than 2 years, there will be conditions that You must meet, like continuing to work for yourself in your own business activity, sustaining your capital investment and a minimum number of new employment opportunities your business has created.

• A completed and signed the application form;
• Current passport(s) or certificate(s) of identity (the original documents or certified copies) for every person included in this application;
• Two passport-sized photographs of every person included in this application;
• Full birth certificate(s) for every person included in this application;
• Application fee and immigration levy fee;
• Evidence that you (main applicant) meet the minimum standard of English;
• Evidence that any partner and/or dependent children included in the application meets the minimum standard of English;
• Evidence of your relationship with your partner and dependent children (if applicable);
• Evidence that your partner (if applicable) and you meet Partnership Instructions requirements.
• Evidence of good medical report; and
• Police certificate(s) (less than six months old) for every person included in this application who are 17 years and above.

Application cost: $ 4,140

This is the charge for New Zealand Immigration to process your application. Immigration department does not refund application costs if they decide to refuse your application.