Announcement
Planning summer travel? Submit your investment documents early
Published
15 October 2026
If you have received approval in principle for an Active Investor Plus or Parent Retirement Resident Visa and plan to travel to New Zealand over the Christmas or summer holiday period, we encourage you to submit your transfer and investment documents as early as possible.
The holiday period is one of Immigration New Zealand's (INZ) busiest times of the year. We typically see an increase in requests from applicants hoping to have their resident visa granted before travelling to New Zealand for the summer holiday period.
Submitting your transfer and investment documents as early as possible gives us the best opportunity to assess your application and resolve any issues before your planned travel dates.
Why submit early?
To be granted a resident visa, applicants must provide evidence that they have met the transfer and investment requirements for their visa category.
These requirements can involve complex financial documentation and it can take time to assess whether all visa requirements have been met. Providing complete information as early as possible helps us assess applications more efficiently and reduces the likelihood of delays caused by requests for additional information.
While we always try to be as facilitative as possible, we cannot guarantee that a resident visa will be granted before a planned travel date, particularly where documents are submitted close to departure or further information is required.
If your resident visa is unlikely to be granted before you travel, you may wish to consider other visa options that may be available to you.
Help us assess your application faster
One of the most common causes of delays is missing or incomplete information.
When submitting transfer and investment documents, ensure you include all relevant evidence, including:
- a cover letter explaining the transfer of funds
- evidence showing where funds were held before transfer and how they were retained
- evidence of any temporary investments, where applicable
- evidence of currency conversion to New Zealand dollars
- transfer documentation, including SWIFT and/or telegraphic transfer records
- evidence showing where funds have been retained in New Zealand if they have not yet been placed into an acceptable investment
- evidence that investments meet visa requirements.
Clearly labelled and indexed documents can also help immigration officers quickly locate and assess the information they need.
Submitting complete documentation early gives you the best chance of having your application assessed and your resident visa granted before your planned summer travel.
Check visa processing times
You can find the latest processing times by checking the Active Investor Plus or Parent Retirement Resident Visa page. Investor visas have 2 processing times, how long it takes to get approval in principal (stage 1), and how long it takes to get your visa after submitting your documents (stage 2). To see both processing times go to the 'How to pay and submit' section on the visa page.