US retirees are welcomed with an open arm around the globe to spend retirement years in another country. A renowned retirement expert quoted that; “Many countries allow you to spent retirement years without obtaining citizenship. Countries like Italy and Ireland provide ancestral visas converting to citizenship. Other countries like Portugal, Spain, Greece, Malta, and Cyprus allow you to avail a golden visa by doing some investment in the state. If you opt for an investment in the form a house worth €500,000 or more then you have qualified for a golden visa. Golden visa provides you the privilege to travel across the European Union and Schengen countries without asking for a visa.
But in the US, these opportunities are not provided to residents of other countries. Still, many people manage to spend their retirement days in the States.
Why opt for the United States?
Dias argues that there a number of opportunities. Many states (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming) do not hold state income tax. Further capital gains taxes are also kept at a minimum. Above all, the US is a progressive income tax country.
The US holds varied climate across its complete belt. It is easier to accommodate yourself no matters, from which temperature region you are coming from. U.S. is also culturally rich with people from all the nations residing in it.
Various Types of Visas
Family-Based Immigrant Visa
If you have got a member who has a citizenship of US then you can easily get the citizenship on behalf of them. If your family member is above the age of 21 and is willing to cater all your expenses after your migration then a family-based immigrant visa is there to serve you with maximum chances of success.
Before submitting a visa application, sponsoring relative has to file a petition on from I-130. Followed by its approval is the submission of fee and form DS-261. You can then submit a visa application.
On successful submission of application, an interview will be scheduled with the applicant by U.S Embassy or Consulate. They may take a longer time to get approved as they are not the most common type. But once you are accepted then Green Card will be issued to you which qualifies you as a permanent resident of the United States.
B-2 Visa
The B-2 visa is specially designed for the persons who do not intend to live in States permanently. This visa allows you to spend 90 days in the US for various reasons such as vacation or official tour.
The application process starts with an interview at U.S Embassy or Consulate Office. You must fill and submit the form DS-160 before the interview. It is advised to apply long before the intended trip due to the length of application time.
In interviews, you will have to justify that the trip is temporary and you have enough funds to support your living in the US. Further, you must have a permanent residence outside of States. There can be additional questions asked by the interviewer.
If you are going for business reasons then B-1 is similar to B-2 visa but you must declare that visit is for business reasons and the trip can extend up to 6 months.
E5 Visa
E-5 is here to serve you when you want to run a business in the US. You must ensure that you have at least $1 million to start a business and this business will create job opportunities for US citizens or immigrants that are not your immediate relatives. About 140,000 visas of this category are made available for applicants each year between October 1 and September 30 by United States Department.
Or invest $500,000 into a business considering an unemployed or rural area to generate maximum job opportunities which will strengthen your visa application.
The procedure starts with filing a petition using form I-526. After approval, you will have to pay the fee and fill the form DS-261 followed by submission of visa application.
An immigrant visa is available for your spouse and minor unmarried children below the age of 21. E2 visa might also apply to your situation.
Green Card is a golden opportunity
Becoming a Green card holder is the only way to be a permanent resident of the US as no retirees’ visas are offered by the US. If there is no family or business reason at your back end then things will be much more difficult. People also consider finding a lawyer to help with the process. They can help you to find other visa opportunities that apply to you. The process will be much longer and time-consuming so consider starting early.
Conclusion
It might be much costly and difficult to get a permanent visa without a close relative holding citizenship. You may also find after further research that the United States might not be the best considerable option. Housing and medical facilities are much cheaper outside the States. Much minor number of visas will allow you to work part-time. You can find better opportunities in other countries.