New Zealand is set to relax the investment criteria for its "Golden Visa" programme, known formally as the Active Investor Plus visa, to allow philanthropic activity to count toward the required investment, Bloomberg reports.

The planned change would broaden the range of assets and contributions that applicants can use to satisfy the visa's investment conditions. Under the current settings, applicants must meet strict weightings across acceptable investments. The proposed easing would add philanthropy to the list of qualifying categories, giving prospective investors a new route to satisfy the programme's requirements.

The move signals a shift in how New Zealand positions its investor visa. Rather than confining applicants to direct investment, managed funds and listed equities, the government is preparing to recognise charitable giving as a contribution of economic and social value to the country.

For prospective applicants, the change matters because it expands eligibility. Individuals whose wealth is oriented toward charitable foundations, donations or non-profit ventures — rather than traditional investment vehicles — would gain a pathway that previously did not exist under the Active Investor Plus framework.

The government has not yet published the final details of the easing, including the exact proportion of the required investment that philanthropic contributions could cover, or the date on which the new criteria will take effect. Applicants and advisers should monitor announcements from Immigration New Zealand and the responsible ministers, which will set out the definitive terms once the policy change is confirmed.

Until the amended criteria are formally gazetted, the existing Active Investor Plus rules continue to apply. Applicants preparing files under the current settings should proceed on that basis and verify any updates directly against official Immigration New Zealand guidance before submitting.

Passport File will track the announcement and report the confirmed thresholds, weightings and effective dates as soon as the government releases them.