Update - February 2026
The Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Act was introduced into Parliament on 18 June and was passed by Parliament on Friday 12 December.
The reforms will come into effect on Friday 6 March 2026.
The current rules continue to apply until this time.
Information on the new provisions is available at
Overseas investment factsheets
About the Amendment Act
The Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Act amends the Overseas Investment Act to better reflect the benefits international investment can bring to New Zealand’s economy, while providing the appropriate regulatory tools to proportionately manage risks to New Zealand’s national interest.
The scope of what is screened is not proposed to change, but how certain less sensitive assets are screened will. The reforms aim to target screening towards more sensitive transactions, which will make it simpler and faster to invest in New Zealand.
Key changes include:
- allowing overseas based investors with an ‘Active Investor Plus’, Investor 1, or Investor 2 residency visa to buy or build a house valued at $5 million or more
- consolidating the national interest, benefit to New Zealand, and investor tests into a single test for all assets other than farmland, fishing quota, and residential land (for which the existing consent pathways remain)
- revising the Act’s purpose statement to explicitly acknowledge the role of overseas investment in increasing economic opportunity, while continuing to acknowledge that it is a privilege for overseas persons to own or control sensitive New Zealand assets.
While the statutory timeframe for the new pathways will be 15 working days, LINZ will aim to assess most applications under the new pathways within five working days.
You can find the Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Act on the New Zealand legislation website:
Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Act
Overseas investment policy is led by The Treasury, with LINZ providing operational support and advice as the reforms progress.
Sign up to our Overseas Investment Pānui for news and updates as the reforms progress, as well as alerts for monthly overseas investment decision summaries:
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Implementing the Amendment Act
Information to assist investors and legal advisers to prepare for the changes to the Overseas Investment Act is set out below.
Further information will be published as it is developed.
New consent pathways
LINZ is implementing three new consent pathways under the national interest test. These are a primary consent pathway for significant business assets and sensitive land, a production forestry pathway for sensitive land used for forestry, and a $5million plus house pathway for qualifying investor visa holders.
Primary consent and forestry pathways
Links to a new application form, primary consent standard conditions, production forestry standard and special conditions, and production forestry investment plan are below.
These new forms and conditions will apply from 6 March 2026.
Applications made before 6 March 2026 should be made using the existing forms.
The application form was updated in December to prepare for the changes so there are minimal changes to the new form.
The conditions of consent are different to previous standard conditions and should be read carefully.
Qualifying investor visa holders
Applications for qualifying investor visa holders to buy or build a house worth more than $5million can be accepted from 6 March 2026 under the $5million plus house pathway.
A new webform will be available on 6 March 2026 along with supporting guidance for applicants and their advisers.
The form will request details of the investor visa holder including their passport and visa, the address of the property being acquired, as well as ownership and control information if the investor is buying the land through a trust or company.
Find out more about $5million plus house applications:
Invoicing and fees
Updated fees for applications under the new rules will also come into effect on 6 March 2026.
The fee for applications for primary consent or production forestry consent is one fee of $22,800 (inc. GST).
The fee for qualifying investor visa holder applications for $5million plus house consent will be between $2,040 and $3,500.
Our webform to request an invoice will be updated on 2 March 2026 to allow applicants to request the new fees for the new pathways.
The current relevant fees apply to any applications relating to significant business assets, special forestry, or sensitive land being made before 6 March.
If a lodgement invoice has already been requested for an application you intend to file after 6 March 2026, please contact us.