Noorah101

How old do you figure you'll be when you are ready to spend half the year in Arizona? I ask because its not easy to get the B-2 visa unless you are at an obvious retirement age (such as 60+) and you'll need solid proof that you won't need to work to support yourselves in the USA.

You said "quite young" which makes me think 40's, which will probably prove more difficult to get the B-2.

Rene

Nutmegger

On the visitor's visa, all you can do is live in the US, you can't do any kind of work.Have fun gardening if you want, but do not try to do anything commercial. Also be aware that on any given occasion when you show up at the border and ask to be admitted to the US, you could be turned away. That's why it is counseled never to purchase property in a country where you have no legal right to reside.

Also, Arizona is very arid, forum member Noorah101 lives there, and can probably tell you about ranching there -- but it seems it would be cattle, rather than growing things.

scrubbedexpat099

Land may be cheap but you need a lot of it to operate a successful ranch, especially one that would support an investment visa.

Do not know the deal in Arizona but here they have clamped down on people living in RV's.

Noorah101

Arizona actually does have a wide range of agricultural farming around the state. The OP didn't say which part of Arizona he's interested in, and the state has all types of climate within it.

There is also cattle ranching and dairy farms.

But unless the OP has megabucks, that won't lead to a work visa. So hopefully they just want a ranch style house on some property to grow their own veggies and have some chickens, not a working type of farm or ranch.

Rene

spouse of scouse

I'm not positive but I think the OP would have to pay property tax on the land from the time of purchase?

Arizona_bound

Noorah101, you hit the nail on the head. That's exactly what we're looking at. I only mentioned the ranch as an income in order to get a visa as an idea. It wasn't what I had planned on doing or even considered. The idea is to retire and enjoy life, not continue working!
We are looking to go somewhere up in the mountains where the weather is a bit more temperate and they, supposedly, have good soil for fruit trees, veggies and all that kind of stuff. Drilling depths for water seem to be economical in the areas I'm looking and any power would likely be solar.
Retirement age for me, as it stands, is 52. So I consider that quite young to be retiring at. I'll get a good lump sum and a decent monthly amount so showing I won't need to work shouldn't be too difficult, fingers crossed!
But all that is a long way off yet. First things first is getting to Arizona and having a look round to see what's on offer. Then probably finding a local solicitor who can help with what I need to get myself started. From what I can see, I'm not likely to ever get a permanent resident visa but the B2 visa could be the one for us.

civilservant

Attorney

Time to start learning the vernacular!

Arizona_bound

Attorney! I'll definitely need that one!

There are property taxes to pay, which is one of the reasons I've been trying to figure out how to get an ITIN and I think I need one for a bank account as well? The taxes don't seem to be too excessive from what I've seen. Certainly less than council tax here! But I guess that depends on where I'm looking!

Guindalf

Have you actually BEEN to Arizona?

What is it that makes you think it's a good place to spend your retirement?

You did read the part that says you can't work in the US, didn't you? At least not without a huge investment. That includes selling produce from a farm.

scot47

Why buy land in a jurisdiction that may not give you a visa ?

Arizona_bound

I've pretty much given up on a visa giving us residence in the US. Never really expected to get one to be honest. The B2 visa letting us stay for 6 months will do us.

I've never been but we are going soon. I know I've said Arizona is for me but I'm not dead set on it. I just like that area of the country. There's a nice mixture of hot desert in the lowlands and then the cooler areas higher up. It's a good place to travel from. Las vegas isn't far. California. Mexico. Just a good mix of things to do in the area. I'm sure the same can be said for almost everywhere in America, of course!

Noorah101

So maybe Flagstaff? Peyson? Prescott? White Mountains area?

Rene

Arizona_bound

The hotel when we visit is going to be in Flagstaff. I've been looking at land in the area of St John's. Which is a few hours east of there. Average height is about 6000 feet. They've got 40 odd acre plots for less than $30,000 dollars. All with proper access and correctly surveyed boundary markers etc. Well depths start at around 100 ish feet.
That's the idea anyway. By the time I get the money and everything in place most of that will be gone but at least visiting those places will confirm if that's where we want to buy.

Nutmegger

ddsrph