Are you planning to travel to New Zealand? Is there a special business gathering that you would love to attend? Or do you simply need some time off from work and want to explore one of the most beautiful countries in the world? Whatever your purpose of traveling, you may be interested in learning about the business visa for New Zealand.

You’ve got a business that you’d like to run in New Zealand. You know you need to set up a company, but you don’t have time to do so before flying back to New Zealand. A business visa can let you set up a business in a matter of days – it’s not common, but it is possible.

New Zealand Immigration changes from 1 December 2009. If you have set your business up, it is possible to apply for a Business Visa for New Zealand for key personnel. This article focuses on the immigration update for the Business Visa for New Zealand, which came into effect on 1 December 2009

Entrepreneur visas

If you’re an experienced businessperson interested in being self-employed in your own business, our entrepreneur visas could be for you.

Most people start out on an Entrepreneur Work Visa, which allows you to move to New Zealand and buy or establish a business. After either six months or two years you can then apply for residence under the Entrepreneur Residence Category.

An Entrepreneur Work Visa is for migrants wanting to buy or establish a business in New Zealand.

Entrepreneur Work Visa

This three year work visa is structured in two stages:

• Start-up stage: If your application is approved, you will initially be given a 12-month work visa, enabling you to buy or establish your business in New Zealand.
• Balance stage: Once you have proven that you have taken steps to establish your business, you are granted the remaining 24 months of your visa. 

Requirements for this visa include:

• minimum capital investment of NZ$100,000 (excluding working capital)
• 120 points or more, with points awarded for factors about the likely success of the business and its value to New Zealand
• clear business plan
• clean recent history of bankruptcy, business failure and fraud
• health, character and English language requirements.