Immigrating to the United States is more than changing your address; it's opening the door to new opportunities and building a future full of possibilities in America. And nothing represents the American dream more than buying your own home in the United States. If you're Brazilian and want to immigrate to the United States, you've probably asked yourself this question:
Can I buy a property in the United States?
Yes, there is no obstacle to Brazilians and other foreigners buying real estate in the United States.
Data from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) - the largest association of realtors in the US - shows that in the period from April 2021 to March 2022 there was a volume of 59 billion dollars of home purchases from foreign buyers. And that volume corresponds to 2.6% of all existing home purchase volume in the United States.
Also according to the NAR, these foreigners represent a population of more than 98,000 people. Of these, 57% are recent immigrants (they have lived in the United States for up to two years) or holders of non-immigrant visas. The countries with citizens who have bought the most houses in the United States are: Canada (11% of buyers, 5.5 billion dollars), Mexico (8% of buyers, 2.9 billion dollars), China (6% of buyers, 6.1 billion dollars), India (5% of buyers, 3.6 billion dollars), Brazil (3% of buyers, 1.6 billion dollars) and Colombia (3% of buyers, 1 billion dollars).
The average value of homes bought by foreigners in the United States was 366 thousand dollars, a figure slightly higher than the average for all homes traded in the US(355 thousand dollars).
And the preferred states for these foreign home buyers in the USA are Florida (24%), California (11%), Texas (8%), Arizona (7%), New York (4%) and North Carolina (4%).
As for Brazilians who bought homes in the United States during this period, Florida was the destination chosen by 55% of them, followed by the states of New Jersey (10%), Wisconsin (8%), Louisiana (8%), Georgia (7%), North Carolina (4%), New York (4%), Illinois (3%) and Arizona (3%).
Can I buy a property in the United States without a green card?
There is no obstacle to foreigners buying property and investing in the United States. However, you will obviously need to have an American visa, even if it is a tourist visa, to be able to visit your property if you buy real estate on American territory.
Have a reliable real estate agent
Buying a house in the United States requires finding a reliable realtor and checking all the financial and legal information about the house.
In addition, you will need to prove that you have the money for the purchase abroad or in an American bank, and all commercial transactions you carry out will pay the same taxes as any US citizen, as they are carried out on American territory.
Does buying a house in the United States entitle me to a Green Card?
Incredibly, no! Buying a property on American territory is not one of the requirements demanded by US immigration for someone to obtain an American visa. To get a permanent residency visa, known as a Green Card, you can follow two paths often used by Brazilians in the United States: prove your professional skills to US immigration, or invest at least 800,000 dollars in an American company.
These two possibilities translate into visas for qualified professionals(EB-1 and EB-2) and visas for investors(E-5).
EB-2 NIW Visa and EB-5 Investor Visa
The two visas(EB-2 NIW) and EB-5(also called Employment Fifth Preference (E5)) will get you a green card. What's the difference between them?
In the EB-2 NIW visa category, the professional uses their specialist career as an entry passport to the United States, proving that their expertise and skills are exceptional and necessary for American development and progress. This is the famous visa that allows the "brain drain" phenomenon to take place, and this is how qualified professionals from all over the world and from different fields of expertise obtain permanent residence in the United States.
With the EB-5 or E-5 visa, you need to make an investment in the United States in order to get a green card. In other words, it doesn't matter what your country of origin or area of activity is, but rather your ability to invest in a company or strategic area in the United States.
Which visa is best for my family?
Want to know if you're eligible for a Green Card andwhich visa category is best for you and your family?
Fill in our form and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
You can also visit our special page for entrepreneurs.
