New Zealand will revise its “golden visa” programme by allowing applicants to meet part of the investment requirement through qualifying philanthropic donations. Multiple outlets report that the change applies to the programme’s most popular category, which grants residency in exchange for specified investment commitments. Bloomberg says the government is widening the scheme, which has drawn substantial pledged investment from wealthy applicants since the rules were updated in April 2025. The Japan Times similarly links the change to strong demand for the visa following that April 2025 overhaul. Business Standard adds that the framework permits investors to donate up to 20% of the required funds, so that a portion of the investment threshold can be satisfied through philanthropy rather than traditional investment vehicles. Across the coverage, the common points are that the government is easing the criteria, that donations can count toward the investment amount under the golden visa pathway, and that the policy is tied to maintaining or responding to high interest in the residency-for-investment programme after the recent regulatory revamp.