Peter Thiel, who was granted New Zealand citizenship after spending just 12 days in the country, is slowly withdrawing his business interests in the country and giving up on plans to build a home there.
The Silicon Valley billionaire, who is a major backer of U.S. President Donald Trump and spent US$15 million on J.D. Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign, was given citizenship in 2011 by then Internal Affairs Minister Nathan Guy, under an “exceptional circumstances” clause in the law.
Thiel’s time in New Zealand amounted to less than one percent of the typical 1,350-day residency requirement. Citizenship usually also requires a strong connection to the country and a demonstration of good character….