Summer services update
Finding a lawyer
We recommend that overseas investors obtain expert legal advice from a New Zealand lawyer who is experienced in providing advice on New Zealand’s overseas investment legislation.
A list of New Zealand qualified lawyers can be found on the New Zealand Law Society website.
See the New Zealand Law Society website
Each decision summary that we publish includes the name of the lawyer who assisted with the application, so decision summaries can be used to find lawyers who have experience in assisting with Overseas Investment Office applications.
Read our decision summaries and statistics
Ensuring your lawyer has experience with New Zealand’s overseas investment regime
If you are intending to buy one home to live in, most New Zealand lawyers or conveyancers will be able to assist you. However, if you are applying for any other investment, we recommend you use a specialist lawyer who has sufficient experience with New Zealand’s overseas investment legislation.
We suggest that you question your lawyer to ensure they have expert legal knowledge on New Zealand’s overseas investment legislation. The following questions may help you to determine this:
- Have you provided legal advice to overseas investors on New Zealand’s overseas investment legislation?
- If so, how often do you provide this sort of advice?
- If so, when was the most recent time you provided this advice?
- Have you assisted overseas investors to make applications to the Overseas Investment Office?
- If so, how many applications have you assisted with?
- If so, when did you make your most recent application?
Sensitive land certificate
We recommend that you use a land professional who is experienced with the New Zealand overseas investment legislation to provide a sensitive land certificate.
You should be aware that an incorrect land certificate may mean that your consent is invalid or may not cover all relevant land. We encourage you to ensure that your land certificate provider has sufficient expertise in this area.