Record Number of Americans Seeking British Citizenship

Numerous speculations that Americans might start mass emigrating to Europe after the re-election of Donald Trump, which have circulated in the media space in recent months, have begun to materialize. This is clearly demonstrated by the latest data released by the UK Home Office – the number of Americans who applied for citizenship in the UK last year rose to the highest level in history.

Over 6,100 US citizens applied last year, the highest since records began two decades ago and 26 percent more than in 2023. Overall, applications for UK citizenship increased by 6 percent (251,000), which is also a record number, reports the Financial Times.

The Largest Increase During Elections

Interestingly, the requests from American citizens particularly surged in the last quarter of 2024, increasing by 40 percent compared to the same period a year earlier, during the time of the American presidential elections. Trump’s victory in the elections significantly contributed to this increase, confirmed immigration lawyers to FT, but tax changes in the UK also influenced Americans to secure British passports.

Elena Hinchin, a partner at the law firm Farrer & Co, states that they have definitely noticed ‘greater interest from American citizens in British citizenship since the start of the election campaign’. – This interest is now significantly higher than during the previous Trump administration – noted Hinchin.

Some wealthy Americans living in the UK have also been prompted to seek British citizenship by the abolition of the British tax status for residents with foreign income.

– Many wealthier individuals are considering leaving the United Kingdom due to upcoming tax changes. They now want to apply for British citizenship to retain that right. This keeps their options open and ensures greater flexibility for their children – explained Hinchin.

Consequences of the First Term

To be eligible to apply for UK citizenship, a person must have lived in the UK for five years or have parents with British citizenship. Individuals who are married to a British citizen and have lived in the United Kingdom for three years can also apply. However, although the data shows that Americans became seriously interested in British citizenship last year, Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, emphasizes that people most often seek citizenship in other countries for various personal reasons.

– For people migrating from safe countries, politics is a secondary factor, not the main reason for relocation – believes Sumption.

Interest in British citizenship among Americans has not waned even now, at the very beginning of Trump’s second term. However, data from the UK Home Office shows that this number has been steadily increasing since the end of 2022. This is also confirmed by Ali Ono Okeregha, director of the Immigration Advice Service. He refers to this trend as ‘the consequences of the first Donald Dash‘, as those who emigrated to Britain during Trump’s first presidential term from 2016 to 2020 have now begun to meet the requirements for UK citizenship.

Part of a Broader Trend

It is worth noting that the UK Immigration Advisory Service recently reported a 500 percent increase in traffic from the US on its website, and some British real estate agencies have also recorded an increase in searches from the US, especially in the days around the elections. The decline in the value of the pound, which is at its lowest level against the dollar since 2023, works in favor of Americans as they can get more for their money in the UK.

On the other hand, the number of Americans seeking citizenship in Ireland has also increased by 46 percent, primarily those of Irish descent. This is part of a broader desire for migration worldwide, which is also at historically high levels. Today, more people want to leave their country than a decade ago, even in the US and Canada, which have predominantly been countries to which people migrate, according to a Gallup survey from October 2024.