New Zealand also offers retirement visa options for people who want to spend more time here, join family, or explore whether New Zealand is the right long-term home. These visa options have distinct eligibility criteria, investment requirements and timeframes, so it is important to plan carefully before transferring funds to New Zealand.
The New Zealand Parent Retirement Resident Visa may suit parents who have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident living in New Zealand. It provides a pathway to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, with the ability to include a partner in the application.
Applicants must have an adult child living in New Zealand who is a New Zealand citizen or resident, have no dependent children, meet health and character requirements, and show that investment funds and settlement funds were lawfully earned or acquired.
The visa currently requires at least NZD 1 million to be invested in acceptable investments in New Zealand for four years, plus at least NZD 500,000 in settlement funds and annual income of at least NZD 60,000.
If Immigration New Zealand approves the residence application in principle, applicants generally have 12 months to transfer and invest funds in New Zealand. The investment must then be maintained for the required four-year period.
This pathway can provide long-term certainty for parents who want to be closer to family in New Zealand, with the ability to apply for permanent residence after meeting the investment conditions.
The New Zealand Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa may suit retirees aged 66 or older who want to spend an extended period in New Zealand without applying for residence. It allows eligible applicants to stay in New Zealand for up to two years, travel in and out of New Zealand, and include a partner in the application.
Applicants must be aged 66 or older, meet health and character requirements, have comprehensive travel or health insurance for the stay, and demonstrate genuine intent to meet the visa conditions.
The visa currently requires at least NZD 750,000 to invest in acceptable investments in New Zealand for the two-year visa period, plus at least NZD 500,000 available for living costs and annual income of at least NZD 60,000.
Applicants need to identify suitable acceptable investments, transfer funds through lawful and transparent channels, and maintain the investment for the duration of the visa.
This option gives retirees time to experience life in New Zealand, spend time with family, and enjoy the lifestyle without committing immediately to a resident visa pathway.
Cambridge Partners can help you understand the investment requirements, assess acceptable investment options, transfer and invest funds efficiently, and maintain clear reporting throughout the visa period. We also coordinate with your licensed immigration adviser, accountant and legal team so your investment plan supports the wider application process.
Whether you are considering an investor visa NZ pathway, a parent retirement resident visa or a temporary retirement visa, our role is to provide independent investment advice and a clear process, helping you move forward with confidence.
Principal & Financial Adviser
Johnny Sharland
Principal & Financial Adviser
Ashley Salt
CEO, Principal & Financial Adviser
James Howard
Qualifying investment types include bonds, equities, and property (commercial or residential, excluding your own home). Investments cannot be for personal use, such as your home, boat, or car.
Yes, you may switch between acceptable investments during the investment period, provided the funds remain continuously held in qualifying investments. It is important to thoroughly document all transitions, as you will need to provide evidence confirming the funds were held in acceptable investments for the entire period.
You must demonstrate an annual income of at least NZD $60,000, separate from your investment and settlement/maintenance funds. Acceptable sources may include pensions, superannuation, rental income, dividends, interest, employment or self-employment income, trust distributions, and annuities, supported by documentation such as bank statements, tax returns, or pension statements.
The Parent Retirement Resident Visa entitles you to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely, with no restrictions on the type of work you can undertake.
Under the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa, you are not permitted to work in New Zealand. Your income must come from sources outside of New Zealand employment.
For the Parent Retirement Resident Visa, there is no requirement to live in New Zealand continuously during the four-year investment period, though your resident visa will include travel conditions governing when you can leave and re-enter. If you later apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, you will need to demonstrate commitment to New Zealand, most commonly by having spent at least 184 days in the country in each of the two years immediately before your application.
For the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa, you are expected to be residing in New Zealand during the two-year period. Travel conditions will be specified on your visa, and you may leave and return within those conditions. The visa can be renewed for further two-year periods, provided you continue to meet all requirements including maintaining your investment.
Yes, you may include your spouse or de facto partner. For the Parent Retirement Resident Visa, you must demonstrate a genuine and stable partnership of at least 12 months. For the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa, both the principal applicant and any partner must meet health and character requirements and hold acceptable travel and/or health insurance.
No. A key eligibility requirement for the Parent Retirement Resident Visa is that the principal applicant must have no dependent children (those aged 24 or younger who are single and reliant on you). If your children are adults and no longer dependent, this requirement does not apply. For the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa, dependent children are not specifically included under the Temporary Retirement Category instructions. They would need to apply for their own visa separately if they wish to be in New Zealand.
For the Parent Retirement Resident Visa, you submit your application online, providing evidence of funds, income, your relationship to your adult child in New Zealand, and health and character documentation. If approved in principle, you have 12 months to transfer and invest your funds, after which your resident visa is granted subject to conditions for the four-year investment period. Once conditions are met, you may apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.
For the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa, you submit your application with evidence of investment funds, maintenance funds, annual income, age, health and character documentation, and proof of travel/health insurance. Once approved, you have three months to transfer your nominated funds and invest them, after which your visitor visa is granted for a two-year period and can be renewed.
