On 1 September 2025 the Government announced it was making changes to the Overseas Investment Act 2005 (Act) to allow holders of an AIP visa to buy a house in New Zealand. These changes will allow holders of an "Active Investor Plus" residency visa (AIP ...

On 23 February 2025, Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced further details of the Government's proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act regime. These changes were first announced by the Minister in October 2024 The Government has a clear agenda for growth and believes that ...

The OIO recently provided guidance on solar and wind farms under the Overseas Investment Act. A copy of the guidance can be found here. The new guidance consolidates the OIO's position (see here for our key takeaways on the OIO's quarterly update last year) and ...

On 23 February 2025, Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced further details of the Government's proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act regime. These changes were first announced by the Minister in October 2024 (see our previous update here) The Government has a clear agenda ...

Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has announced that cabinet has agreed to undertake extensive reform to the Overseas Investment Act 2005 (Act) which will loosen the restrictions on overseas investment in New Zealand. Minister Seymour issued a new ministerial directive letter in June 2024 (refer ...

The Overseas Investment Act 2005 (Act) requires overseas investors to apply to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) for consent to buy certain types of assets in New Zealand – such as "significant business assets" and "sensitive land" (which can include farm land) The Minister of ...

The Overseas Investment Act 2005 requires overseas investors to apply to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) for consent to buy certain types of assets in New Zealand – such as "sensitive land" (including farm land) and "significant business assets". The Act requires relevant Ministers to ...

In August 2023, the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) released decisions on the first three farm-forest conversion applications. Only one consent was granted and two were declined. The Overseas Investment Act 2005 was amended in 2022 so that farm-to-forest conversions were required to be considered under ...

In 2019, the Government signalled changes to the overseas investment regime to be introduced in 2020.  However in response to the economic circumstances created by COVID-19, the Government split the changes to the Overseas Investment Act 2005 (Act) into two separate Bills.  The Overseas Investment ...

The Overseas Investment (Urgent Measures) Amendment Act 2020 (Urgent Measures Act) has received Royal Assent and the majority of the changes will come into force on 16 June 2020. As covered in our 19 May article, the Urgent Measures Act implements a number of changes ...

In response to COVID-19, the Government has announced urgent changes to the Overseas Investment Act (Act). As part of its 'phase 2' reforms, the Government had been progressing a range of changes to the Act under the Overseas Investment Bill (No. 2) 2020 (No. 2 ...

Following on from the Government's first round of reforms (primarily relating to investments in residential properties and forestry), the Treasury has launched public consultation on 'Phase 2' of potential reforms to the Overseas Investment Act 2005. Anderson Lloyd is generally supportive of the stated objectives ...

On 22 August 2018, as part of its overhaul of overseas investment in New Zealand, the new Government enacted the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill. This amended the Overseas Investment Act 2005 ("Act"). On 17 April 2019 the Treasury released its consultation paper on stage 2 ...

It is not only overseas persons but also their New Zealand associates who need to have consent to buy sensitive land in New Zealand.  An attempt by an overseas person to avoid applying for consent by arranging for a New Zealander to buy the land ...

An overseas person needs to have consent from the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) before acquiring an interest in sensitive land in New Zealand. But who is an overseas person? A New Zealand citizen is not an overseas person, even if they are currently living overseas. ...