Rich Americans flock to apply for New Zealand's 'golden visas' after rules relaxed

Wealthy Americans are leading the charge in applications for New Zealand's "golden visas" after rules on applying were relaxed. New Zealand's coalition government in February loosened the requirements for its Active Investor Plus visa - commonly known as the golden visa - offering residency to wealthy foreigners in a bid to boost the flagging economy. The new rules, which came into effect in April, lowered investment thresholds, removed English-language requirements and cut the amount of time applicants must spend in the country to establish residency from three years to three weeks. Immigration New Zealand says the scheme has attracted 189…