VisaNew Zealand tells investor visa holders its new research survey is voluntary
The 5 November announcement separates NZIER research from the compulsory post-investment questionnaire. Investors should keep their existing reporting deadlines on track.
Official source date: 2026-11-05
Last verified against linked sources:
Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
Identify the invitation before deciding whether a response is required
Active Investor Plus visa holders receiving a new research invitation should distinguish it from their immigration compliance obligations. Immigration New Zealand announced on 5 November that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has commissioned NZIER to study investor experiences. Invitations may come through immigration representatives. Participation is voluntary, and declining will not affect current or future applications or immigration status.
The announcement says responses are confidential and anonymous unless participants choose to provide contact details. Individual answers will not be passed to immigration decision-makers; findings will be combined for reporting. This research is expressly separate from the mandatory Post Investment Questionnaire, so do not assume that replying to one completes the other.
Keep the compulsory questionnaire and investment checkpoints in the calendar
The Active Investor Plus visa page says the compulsory questionnaire is completed at 24 months and again at the end of the investment period: 36 months for Growth investors or 60 months for Balanced investors. Each has a three-month completion window, with instructions in the approval letter. These dates depend on the individual investment period, rather than the date of the new research announcement.
The same visa page requires evidence that funds remained invested at the relevant checkpoints. Growth normally involves NZD 5 million over 36 months; Balanced involves NZD 10 million over 60 months. Investors should compare their eVisa conditions, approval letter and investment dates before calculating deadlines. Meeting a questionnaire deadline is distinct from demonstrating that funds stayed invested. For illustration, an investor preparing an investment-evidence submission should also check whether a separate questionnaire is due, rather than assuming that a portfolio statement supplies both.
Prepare the information the mandatory questionnaire actually requests
Operational instruction BN10.17 identifies the principal applicant as the person responsible for completing the compulsory questionnaires. It requires personal and application details, investor confidence information and an account of additional New Zealand investments beyond those required for the residence visa. Where further investments were made, prepare their categories and approximate New Zealand-dollar amounts. Depending on the investment, information about the business sector may also be required.
The instruction asks about additional support provided to businesses through relevant managed-fund or direct investments and, if there was no further investment, the reason. These are substantive questions, rather than simply a request to upload the original visa approval. It also describes completed submission and subsequent confirmation on the immigration file as evidence of compliance. Use the questionnaire link identified in the instruction and the directions in the approval letter; an answer to an unrelated market-research invitation does not establish this recorded immigration step.
Retain evidence appropriate to the type of investment
Immigration New Zealand’s Managing Your Investments guidance gives different evidence examples. Direct investors should provide a company-register extract, while managed-fund investors should obtain a fund-manager letter confirming capital remains invested. For listed equities and bonds, the guidance identifies trade, transaction, holding and cash-account reports. Philanthropic investment is evidenced by the charity’s confirmation, while property projects require evidence of continuing commitment, development and use of funds.
The same resource addresses changes during the investment period. Reinvestment generally must occur within 90 days for approved direct investments or managed funds, and within 30 days for listed equities, philanthropy, property development or bonds. The clock starts on the first working day after funds return. Use that page before changing holdings; preparing a research-survey response does not pause the reinvestment period. The official evidence destination is [email protected]. VisaWand has not sent an enquiry or obtained a case-specific response.
Separate immigration acceptability from an investment guarantee
The acceptable-investments guidance requires investment in New Zealand dollars, in New Zealand, and in a permitted category rather than for personal use. It says the investment must continue to qualify throughout the relevant period. A product unsuitable for Growth is not automatically suitable for Balanced: some products qualify for neither. This matters when an investor is asked about barriers or opportunities but is also considering a real portfolio change.
Immigration New Zealand and Invest New Zealand assess acceptability for immigration purposes; they do not endorse an investment’s success or guarantee returns. Keep evidence of the product, ownership and applicable category alongside the compliance records. Continue using the official compliance resources while deciding separately whether to participate in NZIER’s study.
