# Is it possible to retire to the USA?



## Trigger48

I am a British teacher of Physics and Maths at present working in the Arabian Gulf. I am contemplating retirement within the next 2 years and have been looking at France and Spain as possible locations as I do not intend to return to the UK. I have taught in the USA (NY and NJ) and would seriously consider living in the US but was not aware it was an option. Replies with advice or relating individuals experiences of doing it would be gratefully received and acknowledged.


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## synthia

I don't know of any sort of retirement visa option. I have met people from the UK who spend six months a year in the US, but I think you have to win a green card in the lottery to retire here full time.

Have you looked at the state department web site?


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## chris1

Snowing birding does give you the best of both worlds...you don't have to buy in the USA...but saying that a small condo would be cheaper to run than a home...and in some cases cheaper than renting...its finding someone to watch it while you are out the country...


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## ZARTAN

as far as i know, the usa does not check passports when youre leaving, so they would have difficulty knowing how long you stayed. when you enter, you can say that you are on holidays.


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## synthia

They don't check passports on leaving, and don't have direct way of knowing how long you have been in the country. However, anything that happens that means someone might check when you entered the country puts you at risk of deportation. In some states, none of the government agencies, including the police, will report you to immigration. In onther states they will.


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## Trigger48

Thanks for the reply. I have cousins in the USA. Do you have any info as to how I can use them fr sponsorship? Best wishes...Jim


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## Bevdeforges

Trigger48 said:


> Thanks for the reply. I have cousins in the USA. Do you have any info as to how I can use them fr sponsorship? Best wishes...Jim


Cousins probably won't do it as far as sponsorship goes. Normally, they want someone a bit closer - like parents, siblings or children. 

While it's true there is no "retirement visa" per se, there are over 20 different sorts of (non-immigrant) visas, so chances are you can probably qualify for one of them, especially if you have taught (i.e. worked) before in the US. Or, given that they are looking for science and maths teachers, you might be able to take a "last job before retirement" in the US and score an immigrant visa that would allow you to stay for retirement.

Take a look at the US embassy website in the country you're currently living in. They generally can link you to all the official websites on visas and often the local staff can be pretty helpful. Or if they aren't, check the website for the London US embassy.


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## JohnSoCal

There are millions of people from different countries that have retired in the US. My parents moved from Canada to retire full time in Arizona.


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## synthia

What kind of visa did they get?


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## JohnSoCal

A resident visa, aka "Green Card".


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## Bevdeforges

Re your parents: they had you as a "sponsor" living in the US.

Lots of folks I know who have retired to the US are married to US citizens or have other family there (parents, children, brothers and sisters), which gives them a certain priority.

The most interesting (and possibly frustrating) cases are career diplomats - assigned perhaps to the UN or other international body which allows them a visa with relatively no hassle. If THEY want to stay in the US for retirement, things can get very tricky as they may not qualify for any other sort of visa after their diplomatic employment ends!


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## JohnSoCal

Bevdeforges said:


> Re your parents: they had you as a "sponsor" living in the US.
> 
> Lots of folks I know who have retired to the US are married to US citizens or have other family there (parents, children, brothers and sisters), which gives them a certain priority.
> 
> The most interesting (and possibly frustrating) cases are career diplomats - assigned perhaps to the UN or other international body which allows them a visa with relatively no hassle. If THEY want to stay in the US for retirement, things can get very tricky as they may not qualify for any other sort of visa after their diplomatic employment ends!


That is not true. I was NOT a sponsor. I chose not to be a sponsor as it was not necessary nor of any benefit to them. Being a sponsor would have required me to divulge a lot of personal and financial information to the government which I was not about to do for something that had no value to begin with. They qualified on their own without me.


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## Bevdeforges

JohnSoCal said:


> They qualified on their own without me.


OK, but do you know what type of visa they managed to qualify for?


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## JohnSoCal

Bevdeforges said:


> OK, but do you know what type of visa they managed to qualify for?


As I said earlier, they received a resident visa ( aka "Green Card" ).


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## Bevdeforges

Sorry, John, I misunderstood. They were fortunate. I know lots of folks who apply for green cards (permanent resident visas) and have considerable trouble getting them. I suppose it depends on where you're coming from and what sort of situation you're in


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## synthia

Are there different rules for Canadians under NAFTA? And when did your parents get the green card? Before the lottery system was introduced?

I'm sort of surprised that a Canadian would retire permanently to the US, since national health benefits can be lost if a Canadian stays out of the country too long.


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## JohnSoCal

synthia said:


> Are there different rules for Canadians under NAFTA? And when did your parents get the green card? Before the lottery system was introduced?
> 
> I'm sort of surprised that a Canadian would retire permanently to the US, since national health benefits can be lost if a Canadian stays out of the country too long.


They moved here prior to NAFTA and yes, the lottery system was in place. They did have to wait a couple of years for the process to complete.

They acquired their own medical insurance in the US which was better than what they had in Canada. The cost of the insurance was more than offset by the lower income taxes in the US.

Because they were retiring to the US, they did not have to deal with the labor requirements which made the process of acquiring their Green Cards much easiier than somebody that is going to work here.


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## synthia

JohnSoCal said:


> They did have to wait a couple of years for the process to complete.


So it's a really long process, I gather? Are there different kinds of green cards? Are they allowed to work, or were they old enough that there was an assumption that they wouldn't?


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## JohnSoCal

synthia said:


> So it's a really long process, I gather? Are there different kinds of green cards? Are they allowed to work, or were they old enough that there was an assumption that they wouldn't?


A "Green Card" is the same for everybody. They could work or do pretty well anything that a US citizen could do except vote. The main thing economically was that they had to demonstrate that they had sufficient income from pensions etc. to support themselves. They have both passed away.


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## synthia

Interesting.


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## rlbismarch

*how did they get a visa/green card?*



JohnSoCal said:


> There are millions of people from different countries that have retired in the US. My parents moved from Canada to retire full time in Arizona.


It has always been my understanding that one needs to get a green card to LEGALLY remain in the USA longer than the 6-month-less-a-day which is usual for visitors like "snowbirds". My spouse and I would dearly like to know how to legally remain in the USA for extended periods of time without running afoul of both the USA laws. ( as well as Canadian provincial health plans, if at all possible.) Do I, or we, need to get a job in an industry where there is a need in order to get a green card? For how long as a minimum if so? Would it help if we own a property in the USA? By the way, Arizona is where we would like to be also!
I would very much appreciate any help and enlightenment from anyone.We are one year away from our 65th and would really prefer to retire in a warmer climate than manitoba!!!RLBISMARCH.


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## Bevdeforges

The trick is that, should you get a green card, I think that more or less automatically cuts off your Canadian health care coverage - as you are no longer resident in Canada.

To qualify for a green card, you normally need someone to petition for you - either an employer (who can get authorization to hire someone from outside the US) or a family member (parent, adult child or sibling). 

Just getting a job in the US won't work unless you can qualify for the sort of visa that leads to a green card. And BTW, it's possible to stay in the US for longer than six months on certain types of visas - it's just that repeated trips back and forth may be held against you.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep

Have your read through the various visa options on USISC.gov?

Unless you have skill sets which will blow an employer out of the water your age and the need for a visa will realistically make a move through employement highly impossible.

Family reunion if applicable will take years.

You always have the option of investor which depends on your financial situation and your willingness to take risks,

You can apply for a B1 which allows up to 180 days of consecutive stay and apply for an extension during your stay. Both require proof of binding ties to your home country.

Property ownership has no influence on immigration. Please use the search function this is a regular question.

Medicare.gov will answer all questions regarding medical insurance. Unless you are a legal resident you are not qualified.


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## synthia

Canadians have different rules, so you would have more options. 

The medical care issue is important. As I understand it, you must spend six months and a day in Canada to retain medical coverage. I think it covers you outside the country as long as you spend more than half the year in the US.

If you are going to be in the US full time, then you are stuck with getting private medical insurance, which will be expensive or, if you have any pre-existing conditions (diabetes, COPD, heart problems, etc.) impossible to get. And they will look hard for reasons to reject you.

There was a thread on here started by someone who was in the US and wanted to move her parents down from Canada to be near her. She looked into Medicare eligibility, and was told that there could be a sort of credit transfer once her parents were naturalized. She was quite happy until she realized that 'naturalized' referred to citizenship, which can only be obtained after five years residence. 

Look at it all very carefully.


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## hughie

*Retirees who wish to remain in the us*

We're Canadians, 67 and 68, and we have no wish to seek work in the US.We own 'snowbird' a home in Myrtle Beach and would just like to relocate permanently from Quebec to here. We know about health care issues.
Can we just stay in MB and wait for the US govt to class us as mostly resident in the US?
What should we do and waht are the problems?


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## Fatbrit

hughie said:


> We're Canadians, 67 and 68, and we have no wish to seek work in the US.We own 'snowbird' a home in Myrtle Beach and would just like to relocate permanently from Quebec to here. We know about health care issues.
> Can we just stay in MB and wait for the US govt to class us as mostly resident in the US?
> What should we do and waht are the problems?


If you enter as a visitor, the tax man will classify you as resident after 180 days. The immigration folks will classify you as out of status after the same period if you haven't left.

Long term solutions usually involve money: an E2 or EB5, for example. Or even a job if you qualify for TN status and want to go back to work.


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## JohnSoCal

rlbismarch said:


> It has always been my understanding that one needs to get a green card to LEGALLY remain in the USA longer than the 6-month-less-a-day which is usual for visitors like "snowbirds". My spouse and I would dearly like to know how to legally remain in the USA for extended periods of time without running afoul of both the USA laws. ( as well as Canadian provincial health plans, if at all possible.) Do I, or we, need to get a job in an industry where there is a need in order to get a green card? For how long as a minimum if so? Would it help if we own a property in the USA? By the way, Arizona is where we would like to be also!
> I would very much appreciate any help and enlightenment from anyone.We are one year away from our 65th and would really prefer to retire in a warmer climate than manitoba!!!RLBISMARCH.


They applied for their resident cards ( aka Green Cards ) on their own at the US consulate in Vancouver, BC Canada. They were 62 and 61 when they received their Green Cards. I was not involved in their acquiring the resident visas. While they were waiting for their visas, they did stay several months (<6) each year in the US. They were able to work or do whatever just like any other Green Card holder. They were able to get Medicare when they reached 65 by paying for both parts A and B. They then got a Medicare Advantage plan. With Medicare or any of the Medicare Advantage plans any pre-existing conditions etc. are not an issue. I have a Medicare Advantage plan that is excellent.

By the way, my parents retired to Arizona.


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## Fatbrit

JohnSoCal said:


> They applied for their resident cards ( aka Green Cards ) on their own at the US consulate in Vancouver, BC Canada. They were 62 and 61 when they received their Green Cards. I was not involved in their acquiring the resident visas. While they were waiting for their visas, they did stay several months (<6) each year in the US.


Unless I've missed it somewhere, you don't state on what basis they were eligible for their green cards.


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## Fatbrit

rlbismarch said:


> It has always been my understanding that one needs to get a green card to LEGALLY remain in the USA longer than the 6-month-less-a-day which is usual for visitors like "snowbirds".


A green card is certainly the firmest base to live for extended periods in the US -- but it is not the only method. Many live here for long periods on other visas either because they do not qualify for a green card or for other reasons such as taxation issues.


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## JohnSoCal

Fatbrit said:


> Unless I've missed it somewhere, you don't state on what basis they were eligible for their green cards.


To be honest, I don't know all the details as I wasn't involved in the process. I was living in San Diego, California at the time. I do know that they had to prove they had sufficient income. They were definitely not wealthy.


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## Fatbrit

JohnSoCal said:


> To be honest, I don't know all the details as I wasn't involved in the process. I was living in San Diego, California at the time. I do know that they had to prove they had sufficient income. They were definitely not wealthy.


You need some basis to apply for your green card -- you were drawn in the diversity visa, your current US employer is sponsoring you in category EB3, you're a nanotechnologist with a Nobel prize and are self-sponsoring with a national interest waiver, you're the daughter of a US citizen, etc.

Without that basis, there's no green card.


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## JohnSoCal

Fatbrit said:


> You need some basis to apply for your green card -- you were drawn in the diversity visa, your current US employer is sponsoring you in category EB3, you're a nanotechnologist with a Nobel prize and are self-sponsoring with a national interest waiver, you're the daughter of a US citizen, etc.
> 
> Without that basis, there's no green card.


None of those things applied. Maybe the rules have changed since then. I do know that it was much easier for Canadians to obtain a Green Card than others. I also know that a lot is up to the discretion of the immigration officer handling the case. That was certainly true when my wife and I received our Green cards though that was many years ago. My wife is a Mexican citizen. Actually she is now a dual US/Mexican citizen. We also went through the same consulate in Vancouver. When we crossed the border at Blaine, WA, the immigration asked me a question regarding our package of documents from the consulate. Apparently something was out of order. When I couldn't answer his question, he just shrugged his shoulders and said I guess Stevens ( immigration officer at the US consulate in Vancouver ) knows what he is doing. They stamped our passports and we were on our way to San Diego. A few months later we received the actual Green cards in the mail in an Diego.


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## Fatbrit

JohnSoCal said:


> None of those things applied. Maybe the rules have changed since then. I do know that it was much easier for Canadians to obtain a Green Card than others. I also know that a lot is up to the discretion of the immigration officer handling the case. That was certainly true when my wife and I received our Green cards though that was many years ago. My wife is a Mexican citizen. Actually she is now a dual US/Mexican citizen. We also went through the same consulate in Vancouver. When we crossed the border at Blaine, WA, the immigration asked me a question regarding our package of documents from the consulate. Apparently something was out of order. When I couldn't answer his question, he just shrugged his shoulders and said I guess Stevens ( immigration officer at the US consulate in Vancouver ) knows what he is doing. They stamped our passports and we were on our way to San Diego. A few months later we received the actual Green cards in the mail in an Diego.


So you were the basis for your wife's green card -- family sponsorship. Still no idea what your parent's basis was.


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## Fatbrit

JohnSoCal said:


> I do know that it was much easier for Canadians to obtain a Green Card than others. I also know that a lot is up to the discretion of the immigration officer handling the case.


Canadians don't generally need a visa as visitors, and have access to TN status under NAFTA for employment. However, TN status covers only a narrow range of specified jobs and the path to green card is a little tricky though not impossible. As an obscure oddity, there are also arrangements for green cards certain members of native American tribes with Canadian citizenship who live in the border area. Beyond that, I can't think of anything extra that Canadian citizenship provides extra in terms of US immigration.

The "immigration officer" does not have the discretion to give you a green card without a basis for so doing.


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## JohnSoCal

Fatbrit said:


> So you were the basis for your wife's green card -- family sponsorship. Still no idea what your parent's basis was.


There was no family sponsorship. My wife doesn't have any family in the US. We were married in Mexico and lived there for 4 years. We went from Mexico to Canada where we lived for 16 months while waiting to get our Green cards to come to the US. We both applied for Green cards in Vancouver. We went to Canada as it was much much easier to get the Green cards there than in Mexico. Prior to getting married in Mexico and living there, I lived in Phoenix, AZ on a Green card. However, I had to give it up when I moved to Mexico as I had no address in the US and you had to report your address every year. Therefore, I had to start all over again to get a new Green card to return back to the US. After 5 years back in the US, I got my US citizenship. The law changed between getting my first Green card and getting my second one. The first one was very easy and took about 2 months and was pretty well automatic unless you were a criminal. The second one was a lot more difficult. Had I known that at the time I would have waited a few months until I got my US citizenship the first time before we were married. That would have made the process a lot easier. In any event it all worked out fine.

As I said, I do not know what the basis was for my parents getting their Green cards. They have both passed away so I can't ask them. All I know is they got them without any trouble other than waiting. That is all I can tell you.


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## Fatbrit

JohnSoCal said:


> There was no family sponsorship. My wife doesn't have any family in the US. We were married in Mexico and lived there for 4 years. We went from Mexico to Canada where we lived for 16 months while waiting to get our Green cards to come to the US. We both applied for Green cards in Vancouver. We went to Canada as it was much much easier to get the Green cards there than in Mexico. Prior to getting married in Mexico and living there, I lived in Phoenix, AZ on a Green card. However, I had to give it up when I moved to Mexico as I had no address in the US and you had to report your address every year. Therefore, I had to start all over again to get a new Green card to return back to the US. After 5 years back in the US, I got my US citizenship. The law changed between getting my first Green card and getting my second one. The first one was very easy and took about 2 months and was pretty well automatic unless you were a criminal. The second one was a lot more difficult. Had I known that at the time I would have waited a few months until I got my US citizenship the first time before we were married. That would have made the process a lot easier. In any event it all worked out fine.
> 
> As I said, I do not know what the basis was for my parents getting their Green cards. They have both passed away so I can't ask them. All I know is they got them without any trouble other than waiting. That is all I can tell you.


Aha! I shouldn't jump to conclusions!

On the green card front, the backlogs have changed the game. It wouldn't have been unusual several decades ago for someone, for example, to sponsor their housekeeper directly under an employer-sponsored immigrant category -- and they'd have waited a year or so for the paperwork to catch up before they were issued green cards. Now, the wait on this category would make that highly unlikely.


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## JohnSoCal

Fatbrit said:


> Aha! I shouldn't jump to conclusions!
> 
> On the green card front, the backlogs have changed the game. It wouldn't have been unusual several decades ago for someone, for example, to sponsor their housekeeper directly under an employer-sponsored immigrant category -- and they'd have waited a year or so for the paperwork to catch up before they were issued green cards. Now, the wait on this category would make that highly unlikely.


When I got my first Green card, there were no quotas, etc. for Canadians. As I said, it was automatic as long as you weren't a criminal. communist, destitute, or had some horrid disease. The process took approximately 2-3 months. Did not need any sponsor nor a job for that matter as long as you weren't destitute.


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## Fatbrit

JohnSoCal said:


> When I got my first Green card, there were no quotas, etc. for Canadians. As I said, it was automatic as long as you weren't a criminal. communist, destitute, or had some horrid disease. The process took approximately 2-3 months. Did not need any sponsor nor a job for that matter as long as you weren't destitute.


I'm guessing it was a long time ago.


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## JohnSoCal

Fatbrit said:


> I'm guessing it was a long time ago.


It was January, 1961. There was a big change in 1965 that made it take a lot longer when I got my second Green card and my wife got hers in January, 1970.


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## Davis1

..................................


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## hughie

*no real answer*



Fatbrit said:


> If you enter as a visitor, the tax man will classify you as resident after 180 days. The immigration folks will classify you as out of status after the same period if you haven't left.
> 
> Long term solutions usually involve money: an E2 or EB5, for example. Or even a job if you qualify for TN status and want to go back to work.


From Hughie
I know al that stuff about who is supposed to do what. What I want to know is what actually may happen. Iknow I may los emy Canadian benefits, bu ttaxes are minimal down here. I can't get health insurance.
But , if we stay here will the Quebce and CAN . GOVTS still tax us?
And will the US actually tell us just to get out
Or what?


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## Fatbrit

hughie said:


> From Hughie
> I know al that stuff about who is supposed to do what. What I want to know is what actually may happen. Iknow I may los emy Canadian benefits, bu ttaxes are minimal down here. I can't get health insurance.
> But , if we stay here will the Quebce and CAN . GOVTS still tax us?
> And will the US actually tell us just to get out
> Or what?


I haven't got a crystal ball! Generally if you overstay they don't come looking for you unless they you come to their attention, e.g. by filing for an immigration benefit. And generally, non-federal authorities do not pass you on to the feds if they should come across you in, for example, a traffic stop. But there are plenty of exceptions to this rule and it depends on the local politics.

What has become much more difficult is dealing with the non-federal authorities when out of status, e.g. maintaining a US driver license and therefore car registration and valid insurance. This is being tightened up all the time. Also as a Canadian, you do not have access to the self-help support structures that are available for, say, undocumented Mexicans in LA or the undocumented Irish community in New York.

If you live here for an extended period out of status, the game's generally up. You won't be returning to the US anytime soon unless you jump the border. 

No idea whether Canadians are taxable if not home resident. I can tell you that US citizens are and UK citizens aren't!


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## JohnSoCal

hughie said:


> But , if we stay here will the Quebce and CAN . GOVTS still tax us? And will the US actually tell us just to get out Or what?


I can't say what the Quebec government will do though I suspect it will do the same as the Canadian federal government. My mother, who passed away in December 2001, was a Canadian citizen living permanently in the US on a US resident visa ( aka Green Card ). She was required to file a Canadian income tax return and pay Canadian taxes on her worldwide income. She received pension income from Canada that had 25% withheld by the Canadian government. She was not double taxed as she got credit for any tax paid in the US. However, the net result was she had to pay the higher Canadian income tax. I don't remember when that went into effect as it was several years ago. That wasn't the case when my parents retired and first moved to the US.

I believe that you should contact both the Canadian government and US consulate to get the correct info about taxes and visas. I know many people from both Canada and Mexico that live in the US permanently without immigrant visas. They came here as tourists and didn't leave. They go back and forth whenever they want. They get away with it because the US does not track if they leave or not. This is pretty easy for a retiree because you don't need any documentation that is required if you work here. Of course this path is not without some risk but the risk is not very great. I am not suggesting that you do this or break the law. I am only pointing out that many people do it.


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## Gourockian

synthia said:


> They don't check passports on leaving, and don't have direct way of knowing how long you have been in the country. However, anything that happens that means someone might check when you entered the country puts you at risk of deportation. In some states, none of the government agencies, including the police, will report you to immigration. In onther states they will.


Don't be fooled into thinking that just because Immigration officers don't physically check your passport on leaving the US, they don't know how long you have stayed.

They know before an intercontinental flight arrives who is on each plane and they scan your passport on arrival. They also look at the date of your return flight and if it exceeds 90 days they will make you change your return date. I have friends from the UK who un-intentially had a 91-day visit planned. When they arrived, Immigration officers escorted them to the booking desk and made them re-schedule for a 90-day stay before allowing them to leave the airport..

Also, when you check in for your return flight, your passport is scanned by the airline agent and your info is automatically passed to the TSA computers so that Immigration knows how long you have been in the country.


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