Applications to New Zealand’s restructured investor-immigration program have surged past 700 in the past 14 months, more than six times the 115 applications received over the prior three years, according to a Financial Times report from August 6, 2026, relayed by The Asia Business Daily (아시아경제). Americans account for the largest share of applicants — 277 individuals — with a disproportionate share coming from California.
New Zealand’s program offers two routes to residency: an “active” investment of at least NZ$5 million into local funds, companies, or charities over three years, or a “passive” investment of NZ$10 million into instruments such as bonds over five years. Since New Zealand eased its investment-immigration rules in April 2025, applicants across North America, Europe, and Asia have pledged a combined NZ$4.8 billion.
The report names Peter Thiel among the wealthy Americans reportedly seeking New Zealand citizenship, framing the move as opposition to California’s proposed wealth tax — part of a broader pattern the report describes of high-net-worth individuals moving assets and residency out of the United States amid domestic political and tax uncertainty.
The report frames New Zealand’s advantage against Portugal, historically the more popular option for wealthy Americans: Portugal requires a minimum of five years for permanent residency and more than ten years for citizenship, plus language exams and residency obligations, while New Zealand’s active-investment route can lead to permanent residency in as little as three years.
This account rests on a single relayed report — The Asia Business Daily’s coverage attributes its core figures to the Financial Times, which was not independently accessed for this brief.
