Typically You Do Not need a Visa to purchase/own a home in Florida.
Warning:
This web site does NOT provide legal advice. The following is for information only. You
should consult a qualified legal advisor on any immigration issue.
An
Overview of U.S. Non-Immigrant Business Visas
With the
exception of the "million dollar investor" category, most individuals seeking to
live permanently in the United States must first enter through a temporary visa. The
United States Government refers to such visas as "nonimmigrant visas," and these
range from the routine B-1/B-2 Tourists/Business Visa to highly specialized categories for
entertainers, artists and multi-national employees.
What
follows below is a very brief summary of each of the visa categories. The purpose of these
summaries are to assist you in evaluating whether you may be eligible for any particular
working visa in the United States. Please bear in mind that the immigration laws
are under constant change and that some of the information contained herein may or may not
apply to the specific facts of your particular case. Our suggestion: after you
have reviewed the categories, email us with
any questions you might have and we will put you in touch with an Immigration Attorney for
further clarification.
B-1
The "Business Visitor" visa is the most commonly utilized
category for persons initiating business activity in the United States. (B-1 visa
applications rarely require the assistance of an attorney.) The visa is issued upon
the merits of the individual applying; ordinarily, it is not necessary to retain counsel
in applying for a B-1 visa. The B-1 allows an individual to incorporate in the U.S.,
acquire property, sign contracts, etc.; it precludes the individual from directly managing
any U.S. business or in any way receiving wages from a U.S. source, even if self-owned.
L-1
The "Intracompany Transferee" category
is available to individuals who either own or are employees of a foreign corporation in
which they have worked for at least one of the prior three years, in an executive,
managerial, or specialized-knowledge capacity. The employer must be a U.S. corporation
related directly, in any one of a variety of ways, to the foreign company. The L-1 visa
carries a maximum approval of seven years, but is perhaps the most direct conduit to
permanent residency in the United States.
E-1
The "Treaty Trader" category is available to individuals from
nations which have signed a treaty of trade and commerce with the United States. The
Treaty Trader visa is available for an unlimited number of years and allows the spouse and
minor dependents of the recipient to live and attend school in the United States. While
many large corporations involved in import/export utilize the category, it is most
frequently used by small to mid-size companies seeking a permanent trading presence in the
United States.
E-2
Like the E-1, the E-2 "Treaty Investor" allows a foreign
individual or corporation to invest actively in a U.S. business and remain in the U.S.
while operating and managing it. Like the E-1, it has no limit on the number of years and
does not require an unabandoned foreign residence. The Treaty Investor visa is not limited
to any particular type of business and it can include restaurants, manufacturing, and
virtually any other type of activity permissible by law.
O Visa
The O visa is set aside for aliens of " extraordinary" ability in the sciences,
arts, education, business or athletics, certain aliens accompanying or assisting those
aliens, and their family members. The fundamental requirement for an O visa is to have
reached the top of the profession or endeavor for which the alien seeks admittance into
the United States. The beneficiary of an O visa may remain in the States until the event,
project or activity for which the alien is admitted is completed. The initial period of
stay can be sought for three years and thereafter one year increments may be sought to
complete the activity, event or project. An employer must petition for the O alien; the
petition must be submitted only after the employer consults with a peer group, labor
organization, or management organization regarding the work to be performed and the
alien's qualifications. In most cases the consultation takes the form of a written
advisory opinion from a peer group.
P Visa
The P visa category covers those entertainers and athletes who cannot qualify under the
extraordinary ability standard of the O category. The category covers alien athletes who
compete individually or as part of a team at an internationally recognized level and
aliens who perform with or, are an integral and essential part of the performance of, an
entertainment group that has received international recognition as
"outstanding" for a "sustained and substantial period of time."
