New Delhi, May 22 -- Under new looser rules, the demand for New Zealand's "golden visas" has risen significantly in the past six weeks, with majority of the applications coming from the US, Financial Times reported. In a bid to strengthen the country's flagging economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's government relaxed the rules of its golden visa programme in February, which could lure foreign investment.

Since the revamped program was launched, it has received 65 new applications within six weeks, along with 39 carried-over applications, of which 42 have been approved, according to data from New Zealand's immigration department. This amounts to a minimum investment of NZ$620 million.

The majority of the new applications, 55 in tot...