The EB-5 visa program of Florida, which allows foreigners to obtain permanent residency in the Sunshine State if they invest in property, has received a lot of attention from foreign buyers; however, Florida is by no means alone in having had this idea, with countries such as Ireland, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and the Bahamas also having set up such a scheme. A lot of these countries have done so for much the same reason as Florida: trying a novel approach to bring cash into their economies as they struggle with fiscal problems including national debt.
People watching the economy in Florida, and in particular in Miami, are excited by the increasing popularity of EB-5 visas. While concern has been raised in some quarters about the number of other places now trying out the same idea, thus potentially increasing the competition, the fact remains that Florida should not be overly worried about buyers choosing to purchase land elsewhere. Some places are just more appreciated than others as far as the international investor community is concerned, and Florida is certainly one of the most appreciated.
While it remains unclear at this time in terms of cold hard numbers which of the schemes has been the most successful for which particular economies on a worldwide scale, Florida remains loved by a great many people and is likely to still be highly ranked in the global competition.
Within the United States Florida is certainly by far the most popular location for foreign investors. Six out of the top ten locations are located in Florida, including the entire top five. The most popular location in the whole of the US for foreign investment is Lakeland-Winter Haven in Florida.