Getting an investor visa is not as easy as some may think, there are tight regulations governing investors in any country. For example in USA, the visa applies for those who are willing to invest either, $1million in a new enterprise that will employ more than ten U.S workers excluding immigrants; investment of $500,000 within an area with a high percentage of unemployment or in rural area. The investor visa for people investing with $500,000 is limited to a maximum of $3,000 every year. Investor Visa holders receive permanent resident status.

In the UK, the investor visa is under the Tier 1 and is categorized in two parts. The first one is that the investor is referred to a bank where he or she is given a loan of £1 million, of which the investor will be charged £170,000 without monthly interest and the second category is where by the investor has £1million from his or her own account, which will be used in the UK.

The UK investor visa is normally granted for three years and is eligible for an extension for two more years. At the end of this five-year period in the UK, the investor visa holder may apply for indefinite leave with his or her dependents and later British citizenship if desired.

The requirements of the Investor Visa or the Treaty Visa include the point that the investor is a corporate or real person and that the investor is of the nationality of the treaty country. The investment to be made in the United States should be substantial in magnitude. Within the same bracket, the portion of the investment being made for a low-cast stature of business enterprise should be more than the portion of investment being made for a high-cost business.

The Investor Visa applicant must show proof that the investment is a real and operating enterprise that is not idle or speculative.  Uncommitted money and funds held in an account in the bank or like securities are not deemed as investments. Further, the investment must not generate marginal profits but should reap significantly more profit than merely to provide the investor and his/her family a living. It, therefore, must provide a notable positive economic impact for the US.

If you want your investment visa application to be approved it is necessary to meet each and every requirement.  This will ensure that your application to set up a business in New Zealand will not have unnecessary delays.  When you apply be sure that any person aged seventeen and above has had a police check.  Each person must also have a medical certificate.  If you want to live and/or run a business in New Zealand you must have good English skills, along with the right financial support.  In New Zealand business is conducted in English, and so an investor will need to have very good English to make a success of his or her venture.  New Zealand is a sought after country for investors.  The infrastructure is excellent, the population is well educated and the prospects are high.

Most of the rural areas in the United States are greatly benefitting from the foreign investments brought about by the investor immigration scheme of the country. An article in a Sioux Falls online publication talks about a dairy farm in South Dakota as a great example. The finances of that dairy farm come from four foreign investors, specifically South Korean businessmen. All four have invested about $500,000 each and have been given permanent residency based on the US EB-5 immigration program. Since the year 2005, the EB-5 program has contributed $30 million to the South Dakota dairy industry. That is already one third of the $90 million expansion that the state has planned for that industry.

South Dakota is not the only state enjoying the benefits of the investor immigration program. In the following months and years, more states are expected to take advantage of this great program. It is not just the US that continues to attract investors through immigration. There are similar programs from other countries such as in the United Kingdom and Australia.

On the other hand, the EB-5 visa may not be too clear or may have high requirements for other foreign investors since it has not attracted much interest since its implementation. In 2005, there were only 6,000 visas issued under the scheme. This may be a result of the $500,000 requirement as well as the many other bureaucratic requirements.