Charlie Qiao

Charlie is an experienced and respected lawyer, a member of the Auckland District Law Society with a strong commercial foundation and deep experience advising on immigration matters. He holds bachelor’s degrees in commerce and law, as well as postgraduate finance/business qualifications, and began his career in accounting and finance roles within large New Zealand organisations before moving into legal and consulting in 2012.

Charlie brings more than a decade of immigration advisory experience and is widely regarded for his ability to navigate complex, high-stakes matters. His practice focuses on business and investor immigration, including the Long-Term Business Visa, Entrepreneur pathways, Investor 1 & 2 categories, and the recently implemented Active Investor Plus and Business Investor categories. Few practitioners in New Zealand have had the opportunity to support such a volume of business and investor applications, with experience across close to 400 matters in this field.

Charlie also represents clients in appeals and special-case matters, including s61 requests, character and health waivers, and proceedings before the Immigration and Protection Tribunal where careful strategy, evidence planning, and credibility-focused submissions are critical.

He is known for providing bespoke, practical advice that reflects each client’s objectives, risk profile, and personal circumstances, while remaining attentive to cultural context and communication needs.