Question 1

Does buying a home in the U.S. give me a visa or residency?

Accepted Answer

No. Owning property in the U.S. does not give you a visa, a green card or the right to live or work here. Your immigration status is a separate matter, decided by U.S. immigration authorities. You can own a home here and still visit only as your visa or travel authorization allows.

Question 2

What are the main visa and immigration routes?

Accepted Answer

The names you'll hear most: visitor visas (B-1/B-2) and the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) for shorter stays; the E-2 treaty investor visa ; the EB-5 immigrant investor program ; the L-1 visa for company transfers; and family-based and employment-based green cards . Which one fits, if any, depends on your country, your family, your work and your money. That is a question for a U.S. immigration attorney, not a real estate agent.

Question 3

Where do I get reliable immigration help?

Accepted Answer

Start with the official sites: USCIS and the State Department's travel.state.gov . For advice on your own case, use a licensed U.S. immigration attorney or an accredited representative. USCIS explains how to find legal help and avoid immigration scams .

Question 4

Can I buy a home in Florida if I'm not a U.S. citizen?

Accepted Answer

Generally, yes. Most foreign buyers can buy, and many pay cash. Florida's SB 264 does limit some buyers from a few countries, explained further down this page. A title company handles the closing, and you can usually sign from abroad through a notary, a U.S. consulate or a mail-away closing.

Question 5

Can I get a mortgage as a foreign national?

Accepted Answer

Some lenders offer foreign-national mortgages. They usually ask for a larger down payment and more paperwork than a loan for a U.S. resident, and terms vary a lot from lender to lender. Talk to two or three lenders before you make an offer, and get their terms in writing. Many international buyers simply pay cash.

Question 6

What is an ITIN, and do I need one?

Accepted Answer

An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is a tax number the IRS gives to people who need one for U.S. taxes but can't get a Social Security number. You apply with Form W-7 . Foreign owners often need one to file a U.S. tax return, for example on rental income or after selling. A tax professional can tell you when you need it.

Question 7

How do I open a U.S. bank account?

Accepted Answer

Each bank sets its own rules. Expect to show your passport and usually a second ID and proof of your address, and many banks ask for a U.S. tax number (a Social Security number or an ITIN). Some banks require you to open the account in person. Call the bank first and ask exactly what it needs from a non-resident. The FDIC's Get Banked page explains the basics.

Question 8

How do I protect my money from wire fraud?

Accepted Answer

Criminals send fake emails that look like they come from the title company, asking you to wire your money to a new account. Never wire money based only on an email or text. Before you send anything, call the title company at a phone number you found yourself (not one in the email) and confirm the instructions. If something goes wrong, call your bank right away and report it to the FBI at ic3.gov . The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how to protect your closing funds .

Question 9

What is FIRPTA?

Accepted Answer

When a foreign person sells U.S. real estate, the buyer generally must withhold 15% of the sale price and send it to the IRS. This is FIRPTA (Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act) . The rate can be 10% or 0% when the buyer will live in the home and the price is $1,000,000 or less, or $300,000 or less. The title company handles it at closing. Your U.S. tax return after the sale works out the actual tax, and any excess can be refunded.

Question 10

Do I pay U.S. tax on rental income?

Accepted Answer

Generally, yes. Rent from a U.S. property is U.S. income, and non-residents have their own rules for reporting it. The IRS explains the taxation of nonresident aliens . Talk to a cross-border tax professional (a CPA who works with your country) before your first rental.

Question 11

What about U.S. estate tax?

Accepted Answer

U.S. property can be subject to U.S. estate tax when the owner dies, even if the owner never lived here. The IRS says the estate of a nonresident must file a U.S. estate tax return when U.S. assets are worth more than $60,000 ( IRS: nonresidents with U.S. assets ). How you hold title can matter, so plan it with a cross-border CPA and an attorney before you buy.

Question 12

What is OFAC screening?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Treasury's OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) keeps the sanctions list. Title companies screen every buyer and seller against it, whatever their nationality, and a deal can't close with a sanctioned person. Anyone can look up the list with OFAC's Sanctions List Search .

Question 13

What is Florida's SB 264?

Accepted Answer

Florida's 2023 law ( Florida Statutes, Chapter 692, Part III ) limits land purchases by certain people and companies tied to seven "foreign countries of concern": China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria. It mainly covers farmland and land near military bases and critical infrastructure, and it is stricter for people domiciled in China, with narrow exceptions. Every buyer signs a short affidavit at closing. It does not depend on nationality alone; where someone lives and their legal status matter. If it might apply to you, talk to a Florida real estate attorney before you make an offer.

Question 14

How long can Canadians stay, and what is Form 8840?

Accepted Answer

For tax, the IRS substantial presence test adds all your U.S. days this year, one-third of last year's and one-sixth of the year before's. At 183 or more, you may be treated as a U.S. resident for tax. Many snowbirds who stay under that file Form 8840 (Closer Connection Exception Statement) each year. Canadians who enter by land without an I-94 record and stay 30 days or more must also register with USCIS . Read more on our page for Canadians , and check your own numbers with a cross-border tax professional.

Moving to the U.S. as a foreign buyer.

Visas and residency