The war in the Middle East has boosted golden visas, and foreign wealthy people have teamed up to come to New Zealand to buy luxury homes!

Comprehensive report from New Zealand Chinese Herald Starting from March 6, 2026, New Zealand has officially relaxed property purchase restrictions for “Active Investor + Visa (AIP)” holders, allowing these immigrants, commonly known as “golden visas”, to enter the residential market above a certain threshold. This policy change coincided with the global turmoil triggered by the Iran war. New Zealand has once again become the ultimate choice for wealthy people to stay away from the threat of nuclear weapons and seek a “safe haven” in the southern hemisphere.

According to the latest official data, since the implementation of the new AIP visa regulations in April 2025, 589 people have submitted applications, of which 448 have been approved in principle. The composition of this group of investors is very concentrated, with more than one-third coming from the United States (219 people), followed by 98 applicants from China.

Japanese entrepreneur Misa Matsuzaki is a typical example of this trend. She and her husband invested New Zealand $10 million through the “balanced investment category” in exchange for a five-year residency. For entrepreneurs like her, who are worth a fortune, New Zealand is no longer just an agricultural country “full of cattle and sheep”, but an educational highland and start-up incubator that can accommodate individuality.

There are currently 556 properties in New Zealand with a listing price of more than NZ$5 million. Auckland dominates with 379 properties, followed by Central Otago and Bay of Plenty. Although real estate agents reported a recent surge in inquiries, 450 international searches recorded between March 2 and March 9 show that this is not a “big release” without thresholds – rural land exceeding 5 hectares is still a no-go zone, and “sensitive land” near beaches and lakes also has extremely strict ownership ratio restrictions.

Behind the rosy picture, the debate on “whether the right of residence can be sold” has never stopped. Economist Shamubeel Eaqub bluntly stated that although the ban on foreign buyers has not successfully curbed New Zealand’s housing bubble, there is still a lack of substantial evidence on whether allowing the top wealthy people to buy houses can truly benefit the local people.

Critics even cited the examples of King Dotcom and Peter Thiel, believing that these so-called “economic saviors” often leave after receiving their status. In his view, compared to the sale and purchase of a few luxury homes, the deep-seated control of New Zealand’s manufacturing and infrastructure by foreign capital is the deep-water area that truly requires vigilance.

Regardless of the social controversy, for those families with a budget of 15 million to 20 million New Zealand dollars and who are planning to fly to New Zealand from the United States or Europe to “sweep goods”, they are ready to put down roots for the long term. Intermediaries have observed that in the past two weeks, the number of inquiries about seeking refuge due to fear of war has increased significantly, and home purchase intentions are shifting from pure investment to finding a “nuclear-proof safe haven.”

This acceleration of capital flows may provide a valuable exit channel for New Zealand’s “baby boomer” homeowners who have high net worth assets and are eager to cash out, thus driving a wider flow of wealth.