Why does owning a home not lead to a visa?
Buyers from abroad ask me this almost every week. No agency publishes the sentence "property ownership does not give you a visa", so the answer is a conclusion drawn from the official rules. Three facts settle it.
- EB-5, the investor green card, requires capital in a new commercial enterprise, and USCIS excludes noncommercial activity such as owning and operating a personal residence (USCIS).
- E-2 treaty investor status is only open to nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty, listed by the State Department, and it requires a real operating business.
- No visa category is based on holding a deed, paying property tax or paying HOA dues. Owning a home does not change your immigration status.
Sources: USCIS, About the EB-5 Visa Classification · U.S. Department of State, Treaty Countries
How long can a B-2 visitor stay in a home they own?
Owners who come on a B-2 visa follow the same rules as every visitor. Under 8 CFR 214.2(b), a visitor may be admitted for not more than one year, and extensions run up to six months each. The same regulation sets a minimum admission period of six months for B-2 visitors.
The length of each stay is set by the CBP officer at the port of entry and recorded on your I-94. Owning a home in Florida neither lengthens that period nor guarantees admission. If you spend long seasons at the house, check your I-94 after every arrival.
What does EB-5 require, and what changes on January 1, 2027?
For petitions filed on or after March 15, 2022, the minimum EB-5 investment is $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area (TEA), which includes infrastructure projects. The enterprise must create full-time positions for at least 10 qualifying employees. Figures are from the USCIS EB-5 page as of November 14, 2026.
The amounts are indexed to CPI-U every five years, and the first adjustment applies to petitions filed on or after January 1, 2027, only weeks from now. As of November 14, 2026, USCIS had not yet published the adjusted figures.
| Case | Minimum | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $1,050,000 | Petitions filed since March 15, 2022 |
| Targeted employment area | $800,000 | Rural area, or unemployment of at least 150% of the national average |
| Petitions filed from January 1, 2027 | Not yet released | First CPI-U adjustment |
A vacation home does not fit EB-5 at any price. A personal residence sits outside the definition of a commercial enterprise, and one house on its own does not create 10 full-time jobs.
Can an E-2 treaty investor use a home purchase to qualify?
Not with a home for personal use. The USCIS E-2 page requires a real, active and operating commercial or entrepreneurial undertaking that is not marginal, meaning it must do more than provide a minimal living for the investor. Approved investors get an initial stay of up to two years, with extensions of up to two years each.
Eligibility starts with nationality. Check the State Department treaty table for your country. Brazil, the home country of many of my clients, is not on it: the table goes from Bolivia to Bosnia and Herzegovina and then Brunei. If you hold a second citizenship, ask an immigration attorney whether it changes your options, since that analysis is individual.
Sources: USCIS, E-2 Treaty Investors · U.S. Department of State, Treaty Countries
Why do people still link buying a house with getting a visa?
Because two separate decisions get mixed together. One is about assets: owning a dollar property, using it on vacation and renting it the rest of the year. The other is about immigration: the right to live or work in the United States. The second requires a specific visa category with its own tests, and a house meets none of them by itself.
If your real goal is to move to the U.S., start with an immigration attorney and pick the property afterward. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before acting on anything here: this page is general information, not immigration or legal advice. The official sources are USCIS and the State Department. For the purchase itself, which works the same with or without a visa, see my guide to buying a home in Orlando.
Aquamara
How Aquamara fits
Aquamara is a Pulte vacation home resort in Davenport, designed for owner stays and short-term rental. It is an asset purchase: you can buy while living abroad, as covered in buying an Orlando home from abroad, and use the house on your trips as a visitor.
Before you sign, review the legal pitfalls to avoid when buying in Orlando. Pricing and floor plans have not been released yet; to get them first, join the Aquamara VIP list.
Frequently asked questions
Does a $1 million home purchase qualify for a green card?
No. The price does not change the rule. EB-5 requires investment in a new commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs, and a personal residence is excluded from that definition.
Will owning property help me get a tourist visa?
None of the official rules cited here tie a visa or admission to owning property. At the airport, the CBP officer sets how long you may stay. For your own case, talk to an immigration attorney.
Can I live in my Florida home all year as a visitor?
Each stay lasts until the date on your I-94. The regulation caps a B-2 admission at one year, and owning the home does not extend that limit.
Should I file an EB-5 petition before 2027?
The first adjustment to the minimum investment applies to petitions filed on or after January 1, 2027. Whether and when to file is a decision for an immigration attorney, not a real estate agent.
Published . Updated . For information only; not legal, accounting or tax advice.