Individuals from Cuba, Venezuela, China, Russia, Syria, North Korea, and Iran who own properties in the region are required to register them with the Department of Agriculture. The SB264 law, in effect since July, stipulates that those who fail to comply with this requirement will face daily fines of $1,000. For immigrants without permanent immigration status who own properties, registration is done through the Department of Economic Opportunities.

This mandate, under the aforementioned law, has a compliance deadline that expires in two weeks. Real estate agent Sarah Jones, with over 20 years of experience in property sales to immigrants in Florida, stated that initially, the law caused confusion. According to immigration attorney Michael Collins, the legislation authorizes the Florida government to take legal action to seize property from foreign owners if they are deemed to pose a risk.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the mentioned nationalities are not affected by this measure. Properties acquired before July 1, 2023, must be registered before December 31 of this year; for acquired land, the deadline is until January 1, 2024. Extension deadlines for both cases end on January 31, 2024, after which daily penalties of $1,000 will be applied.

Published by The Tampa Herald, news and information agency.