Relocating to Charlotte

About the City

Known as the ‘Queen City’, Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina. It is also the second largest city in the whole of south-east America. Charlotte is a major industrial and financial hub, and it is the third fastest growing city in the country. Charlotte covers an expansive area of 771 square kilometers with around 800,000 residents, the vast majority are English speakers and followers of Christian denominations. About 13% of the population has several Latin American backgrounds and this number is on the rise. As a result, there are an increasing number of fluent Spanish speakers and a higher number of Catholic inhabitants than in previous years.

The Climate in Charlotte

The climate in Charlotte, North Carolina is typical of the warm Midwest. The Blue Ridge mountain range takes the place of a shield, keeping much of the Atlantic winds and cold temperatures from the city. For most of the year, Charlotte’s sub-tropical climate is humid and warm. Temperatures remain high, but tend to vary throughout the seasons. The temperatures in July reach highs of 90˚F (32°C) and in January, dip to around 50˚F (10°C). Occasionally Charlotte can be affected by a polar vortex which drastically brings down the temperature in the winter months. The city experiences 44 inches (112 cm) of rainfall per year.

Visas for United States

In order to be granted permanent residency in Charlotte or any other US city, foreigners must be in possession of a permanent visa, otherwise known as a green card. Apart from seeking asylum, there are four ways in which expats can gain access to a green card and relocate to Charlotte. One way to live in America is to have a spouse, parent or sibling who lives as a permanent US resident.

The country also holds a diversity lottery in which green card applicants from countries which have a low representation in the US are awarded citizenship with a lottery style of random selection.

In addition to these green card eligibilities, investors with the capital and evidence of a business proposal which will create a minimum of 10 jobs may be granted residency. Anyone coming from overseas who has been officially invited to work in Charlotte by a potential future employer should make arrangements to meet with the US embassy and provide evidence in the form of an official business letter or letter of invitation in order to granted a work permit.

For more detailed information on visa regulations and types, please refer to our in-depth articles on Visa & Administration in the USA.