Retiring to the USA is widely considered a desirable option in itself. Florida is a particularly popular destination courtesy of a comfortable living environment, excellent property value and the draw of year-round sunshine.

Moving so far afield is a huge undertaking: there are many factors to be thought about, options to weigh up and prospects to explore when thinking about buying a property in the USA, whether this is a part time holiday home for a few months a year between residing outside of the US, or intended for permanent residence.

Unfortunately, US immigration laws can be inflexible in this respect. For those who wish to split their time between the USA and abroad, they may fulfil the eligibility requirements for a visitor’s visa, which generally allows non-US citizens the option of staying in the US for up to three months at a time provided they are not working. If a foreign national wishes to retire and live permanently in the United States, they need to find an alternative framework to complement their US immigration requirements.

Many retirees find themselves restricted by this, and aren’t aware of any other routes available to them: the EB-5 investor program is a clear road to achieving a sought after green card, and an option which befits the situation of many retirees perfectly – especially those seeking to move to the US on a permanent basis.

Why EB-5?

By investing $800,000 US dollars into a government-approved business, an applicant and their spouse can move to the US and live there with a conditional green card. This can be replaced with permanent residency after two years, with the potential to receive fully naturalised US citizen status after five years of living in the US.

Although the success of the business is naturally in the investor’s interest – 10 job positions must be created for US citizens within the first two years of investing – one of the main draws of the EB-5 program for retirees is that you do not have to participate in the day-to-day running of the business.

An EB-5 applicant becomes a limited partner, leaving the active management to the general partner. This leaves you to enjoy your lifestyle in America, and take advantage of any number of other opportunities, business or otherwise.

EB-5 as a Solution

Although the EB-5 program is not officially considered to be a ‘retirement visa’ – as such a thing currently does not exist – it is increasingly becoming recognised as a suitable option for those who seek to move to the USA in retirement. This program is a real asset to the many who decide to sell a property in their country of residence with a view to moving abroad. This has been seen to create capital flexibility in making an investment, such as the US $800,000 required for the EB-5 visa.