BD9.85 Ownership

1. For the purposes of determining whether a business is "owned" by an applicant or a family member, ownership includes any legal or beneficial interest in the business, regardless of the level or degree of control attached to that interest.
2. Ownership includes interests held:
   1. directly by the applicant or a family member; or
   2. indirectly through a New Zealand resident entity (as defined in BD9.80); or
   3. through any other arrangement or structure including but not limited to trusts, partnerships, or nominee arrangements.
3. For the avoidance of doubt, ownership via a trust includes circumstances where the applicant or a family member is:
   1. a settlor; or
   2. a trustee (including a corporate trustee); or
   3. a beneficiary; or
   4. otherwise able to derive benefit from, or exercise influence over, the trust’s interest in the business.
4. Any ownership or interest, whether direct or indirect, and held in any capacity is sufficient to meet the definition of ownership for the purposes of BD2.5(a)(viii).

Effective 06/07/2026