# United States — Residency & Citizenship Conditions

> Source: https://residencyradar.org/conditions/united-states.html | Last checked: 2026-10-12 | Last updated: 2026-09-14

## Overview
The United States has one of the world's strongest passports and the largest economy. Its immigration system is employment-driven with no pure points-based skilled migration route. The H-1B is the primary skilled work visa, and the EB-5 investor program offers a direct path to a green card. There is no digital nomad visa. Dual citizenship is permitted (though not formally endorsed). ^[https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-cap-season]

## Residency Programs

| Type | Official Program | Key Conditions | Duration | Detail |
|------|-----------------|----------------|----------|--------|
| investment_residency | EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program | $1,050,000 (or $800,000 TEA); 10 full-time US jobs created | Conditional 2 yr → permanent GC | [[#investment-residency]] |
| passive_income_residency | Not available | No passive income residence route | — | [[#passive-income-residency]] |
| digital_nomad_visa | Not available | No DN visa; B-1/B-2 prohibits remote work | — | [[#digital-nomad-visa]] |
| highly_skilled_employment | H-1B → EB-2/EB-3 Green Card | Bachelor's degree + specialty occupation; cap 65,000 + 20,000 master's | 3 yr (+3) → GC | [[#highly-skilled-employment]] |
| startup_entrepreneur | Not available (International Entrepreneur Rule limited) | No dedicated startup visa; O-1 or E-2 (treaty nationals) used | — | [[#startup-entrepreneur]] |
| employment_residency | L-1 Intracompany Transferee / TN (NAFTA) / EB-3 | Job offer + employer sponsorship; TN for Canadian/Mexican nationals | 1–7 yr → GC possible | [[#employment-residency]] |
| student_residency | F-1 → OPT → H-1B → Green Card | SEVIS enrollment; OPT 1 year (STEM 3 years) | Course + OPT | [[#student-residency]] |
| family_reunification | Family-Based Green Card (IR/CR/F categories) | US citizen/LPR sponsor; no annual cap for immediate relatives | Green card on approval | [[#family-reunification]] |
| retired_residency | Not available | No retirement visa | — | [[#retired-residency]] |
| citizenship_by_investment | Not available | EB-5 grants residence, not direct citizenship | — | — |

## Per-Program Detail

### investment_residency
- **Official name**: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (Employment-Based Fifth Preference)
- **Conditions**: Minimum investment $1,050,000 in a new commercial enterprise, or $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA — rural or high-unemployment). Must create at least 10 full-time US jobs within 2 years. Capital must remain "at risk." DHS proposed raising TEA threshold to $1,400,000 for High Employment Areas (July 2026). ~9,940 EB-5 visas available per fiscal year. Grandfathering deadline: Sept 30, 2026. ^[https://www.eb5investors.com/eb5-basics/eb-5-visa-requirements] ^[https://cis.org/Jacobs/DHS-Proposes-New-Regulation-Revise-EB5-Investor-Visa-Program]
- **Duration / renewal**: Conditional Green Card for 2 years → I-829 petition to remove conditions → permanent 10-year Green Card.
- **Path to citizenship**: 5 years from conditional residence start (including the 2 conditional years); 30 months physical presence; English + civics test; dual citizenship allowed.
- **Official source**: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers/eb-5-immigrant-investor-program
- **Community verdict**: Works well (established program; I-526E processing ~9.5 months for rural projects; I-829 backlog is the main bottleneck).

### passive_income_residency
- **Official name**: Not available.
- **Conditions**: No passive income/independent means visa. E-2 Treaty Investor visa (for nationals of treaty countries) requires active investment and is NOT passive.
- **Community verdict**: Problematic (no route for passive income retirees).

### digital_nomad_visa
- **Official name**: Not available.
- **Conditions**: No DN visa. B-1/B-2 visitor status prohibits remote work for foreign employers while in the US. Working on a tourist visa/ESTA is technically prohibited.
- **Community verdict**: Problematic (formally no option; widespread informal use that carries immigration risk).

### highly_skilled_employment
- **Official name**: H-1B Specialty Occupation → EB-2/EB-3 Green Card
- **Conditions**: H-1B: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a specialty occupation. Annual cap: 65,000 regular + 20,000 US advanced degree exemption. FY2027 cap reached. Starting FY2027: weighted lottery favoring higher-skilled/higher-paid. H-1B is employer-sponsored; 3-year initial, extendable to 6 years. Green card sponsorship typically via PERM labor certification → EB-2 (advanced degree) or EB-3 (bachelor's). Backlog for Indian/Chinese nationals: years to decades. ^[https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-cap-season]
- **Duration / renewal**: H-1B 3 years + 3-year extension (max 6). Green card after PERM/I-140 approval (timeline varies vastly by country of birth).
- **Path to citizenship**: 5 years after green card (3 years if married to US citizen); 30 months physical presence; English + civics test.
- **Official source**: https://www.uscis.gov
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (H-1B lottery is random and cap-subject; green card backlog for Indian-born is ~decades; rest-of-world backlog is shorter).

### startup_entrepreneur
- **Official name**: International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) — parole, not visa
- **Conditions**: No dedicated startup visa exists. IER grants discretionary parole (up to 5 years) for entrepreneurs with significant US investment ($250,000+) and 10%+ ownership. O-1 (Extraordinary Ability) and E-2 (Treaty Investor) are used as alternatives. No direct path to green card from IER.
- **Duration / renewal**: IER: initial 2.5 years + 2.5-year extension. Not a visa status.
- **Path to citizenship**: No direct path from IER; requires transition to another visa/green card route.
- **Official source**: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarian-parole/international-entrepreneur-parole
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (no statutory startup visa; IER is discretionary and limited).

### employment_residency
- **Official name**: L-1 Intracompany Transferee / TN (USMCA) / E-3 (Australia) / H-1B1 (Chile, Singapore)
- **Conditions**: L-1: 1 year employment with foreign affiliate; manager/executive (L-1A, 7 years) or specialized knowledge (L-1B, 5 years). TN: Canadian/Mexican nationals in ~60 designated professions; 3-year renewable, no dual intent. H-1B1: Chile/Singapore nationals under FTA quotas.
- **Duration / renewal**: L-1A up to 7 years, L-1B up to 5 years; TN 3 years renewable.
- **Path to citizenship**: L-1A → EB-1C green card (faster); L-1B → EB-2/EB-3; TN has no direct green card path (non-dual-intent).
- **Official source**: https://www.uscis.gov
- **Community verdict**: Works well for multinational transferees; TN is limited to specific nationalities.

### student_residency
- **Official name**: F-1 Student Visa → OPT → H-1B
- **Conditions**: SEVP-certified school enrollment; full-time study. Optional Practical Training (OPT): 12 months (STEM extension: 24 additional months, total 3 years). F-1 students may work on-campus and via CPT/OPT.
- **Duration / renewal**: F-1 for program duration + 60-day grace period.
- **Path to citizenship**: OPT → H-1B (lottery) → employer-sponsored green card → 5 years after green card.
- **Official source**: https://www.ice.gov/sevis
- **Community verdict**: Works well for STEM (3 years OPT); H-1B lottery risk is the bottleneck.

### family_reunification
- **Official name**: Family-Based Immigrant Visas (Immediate Relative + Family Preference)
- **Conditions**: US citizen sponsors: spouse, children, parents (no annual cap). LPR sponsors: spouse, unmarried children (F2A, subject to caps). Family Preference categories (F1–F4) have annual numerical limits; backlog especially for Mexico and Philippines.
- **Duration / renewal**: Green card on approval; processing varies by category and country of birth.
- **Path to citizenship**: 5 years after green card (3 if married to US citizen).
- **Official source**: https://www.uscis.gov/family/family-of-us-citizens
- **Community verdict**: Works well for immediate relatives of citizens; family preference backlog is lengthy for some nationalities.

### retired_residency
- **Official name**: Not available.
- **Conditions**: No retirement visa. E-2 treaty investor or EB-5 are the closest alternatives, both requiring active investment.
- **Community verdict**: Problematic (no retirement pathway).

## Citizenship
- **Years of residence**: 5 years as Lawful Permanent Resident (3 years if married to US citizen). ^[https://reyesblum.com/us-citizenship-naturalization-timeline]
- **Physical presence**: 30 months (2.5 years) out of the 5-year period.
- **Language**: Basic English reading, writing, and speaking.
- **Exam**: Civics test (100 questions, must answer 6/10 correctly).
- **Timeline**: 8–14 months from N-400 filing to oath ceremony (2026).
- **Dual citizenship**: Permitted in practice; US does not require renunciation. ^[https://cohentuckerlaw.com/eb5-lifecycle-conditional-residency-to-us-citizenship-2026]
- **Fee**: N-400 filing fee ~$725 (including biometrics, 2026).

## Tax
- **Citizenship-based taxation**: US citizens and green card holders taxed on worldwide income regardless of residence. Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE): ~$130,000 (2026). Foreign Tax Credit available.
- **Federal income tax**: Progressive rates 10%–37% (top rate above ~$626,350 single). State tax: 0%–13.3% (varies).
- **Capital gains**: 0%–20% + 3.8% NIIT. No wealth tax. Estate tax: 40% above ~$13,990,000 exemption (2026).
- **Corporate tax**: 21% federal + state.

## IT / Digital Nomad
No [[digital-nomad-visa|digital nomad visa]] visa. Working remotely for a foreign employer while physically in the US is a legal grey area on a visitor visa. The O-1 visa serves extraordinary achievers in tech; H-1B is the standard tech immigration channel. Major tech hubs: Silicon Valley, Seattle, NYC, Austin.

## Yacht / Maritime
US is a major yachting jurisdiction with extensive marinas (Florida, California, New England). Foreign-flagged yachts may cruise with a Cruising License. No special yacht investor visa. US Coast Guard licensing available for eligible residents.

## Notes for RU citizens
US sanctions and deteriorating bilateral relations make visa processing for RU nationals very difficult. The US Consulate in Moscow has suspended most visa services; applicants must travel to third countries. H-1B and EB-5 remain legally open but face enhanced scrutiny. Russian-source funds for EB-5 face enhanced source-of-funds documentation requirements. Existing RU diaspora communities in NYC, Florida, and California, but new arrivals face significant obstacles.

## Status
- **Last monitored**: 2026-10-12
- **Recent changes**: H-1B FY2027 weighted lottery favoring higher-skilled/higher-paid implemented. DHS proposed EB-5 increase (TEA $800,000 → $1,400,000 in High Employment Areas). Sept 30, 2026 EB-5 grandfathering deadline.
- **Watch items**: EB-5 RIA regulatory implementation. H-1B cap season outcomes. Potential IER changes.

## Country Snapshot

| Field | Value | Source / Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Population | ~341,785,000 (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/country/united-states) — hard/official |
| Main religion | Christianity (~63%: Protestant ~40%, Catholic ~21%) | [CIA Factbook](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-states/) — hard/official |
| Main language | English (de facto; no federal official language) | [CIA Factbook](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-states/) — hard/official |
| Main city (capital or largest) | Washington, D.C. (capital); New York City (largest) | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) — hard/official |
| On the coast? | Yes (Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico — ~19,924 km coastline) | Geographical fact [soft/estimate] |
| Tourism impact in season | High — NYC, Orlando, Las Vegas, national parks; peak Jun–Aug and Dec holidays | [soft/estimate] |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | ~$80,579 (2025) | [World Economics](https://www.worldeconomics.com/GDP-Per-Capita/United-States.aspx) — hard/official |
| Median net monthly salary | ~$4,800 | [Numbeo](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=United+States) [soft/estimate] |
| Cost of living index | 69.7 (NYC=100, Numbeo 2026 Mid-Year) | [Numbeo](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp?title=2026) [soft/estimate] |
| Monthly rent, 1-bedroom apartment | ~$1,900 (city centre) | [Numbeo](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=United+States) [soft/estimate] |
| Effective personal tax rate for remote workers | ~25–35% (federal 10–37% + state 0–13.3% + self-employment 15.3% FICA; varies by state) | [IRS](https://www.irs.gov/) [soft/estimate] |
| Remote-work / self-employment residence available? | No dedicated DN visa; B-1/B-2 prohibits remote work; H-1B or O-1 for employed; E-2 for treaty investors | See [[#digital-nomad-visa]] |
| Years to citizenship | 5 years as LPR (3 years if married to US citizen) | See [[#citizenship]] |
| Maximum permitted absence during residence | Green card: trips >6 months presumed to break continuous residence; >1 year breaks it entirely | See [[#citizenship]] |
| Passport strength after citizenship | 179 visa-free destinations (Henley 2026, rank 10) | [Henley & Partners](https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index) — hard/official |
| Rule of Law Index | 0.70 (rank 26/142, WJP 2024) | [WJP](https://worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/global/2024) — hard/official |
| Freedom House score | 83/100 (Free, declined) | [Freedom House](https://freedomhouse.org/country/united-states/freedom-world/2025) — hard/official |
| Average annual sunshine hours | ~2,500–2,800 h (varies widely; Phoenix 3,872h, Seattle 2,170h) | [Current Results](https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/US/average-annual-sunshine-by-city.php) — hard/official |
| Average annual temperature | ~12°C continental US avg; varies from ~−5°C (Alaska) to ~25°C (Florida) | [NOAA](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/) — hard/official |

## Country Card

### General description
The United States is the world's largest economy and a federal republic of 50 states spanning North America between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It has the most dynamic tech and startup ecosystem globally (Silicon Valley, NYC, Austin), the deepest capital markets, and the highest salaries for skilled professionals. Immigration is employer-driven: the H-1B lottery and employer-sponsored green card (PERM → EB-2/EB-3) are the dominant skilled pathways, and the EB-5 investor program ($800,000–$1,050,000) offers a direct route to a green card. The US taxes citizens and green card holders on worldwide income regardless of residence.

### Well-known strong points
- Highest professional salaries globally, especially in tech, finance, medicine
- Deepest and most liquid startup funding and venture capital ecosystem
- EB-5 program provides direct green card for investors ($800,000 TEA)
- Large, established immigrant communities from every country
- Vast geographic and climate diversity — from tropical to arctic
- Top-tier universities and research institutions

### Well-known problems
- No points-based skilled migration — H-1B is a random lottery with ~25% selection rate
- Green card backlog for Indian/Chinese nationals measured in decades
- Citizenship-based worldwide taxation (unique among major economies)
- No digital nomad visa, no passive income visa, no retirement visa
- High cost of healthcare and education relative to other developed nations
- Political polarization and declining Freedom House score (from 94 in 2015 to 83 in 2025)

## Official and primary sources
- https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-cap-season
- https://www.eb5investors.com/eb5-basics/eb-5-visa-requirements
- https://cis.org/Jacobs/DHS-Proposes-New-Regulation-Revise-EB5-Investor-Visa-Program