Trump's presidency has Americans rushing to gain UK citizenship

More Americans are applying for UK citizenship due to Donald Trump's second term in office, and changes to UK tax have contributed to this boost, according to Home Office data.

Last year, over 6,100 US citizens applied for UK citizenship, a record high and up by 26 percent compared to 2023.

This trend is also clear in recent data since in the last quarter of 2024, there has been a 40 per cent year-on-year increase.

Factors that contributed to this upward surge are Trump winning the 2024 US presidential election and securing a second term as US president, as well as rich Americans getting British passports before they leave due to the country's abolition of non-dom tax status, immigration lawyers say, as per Financial Times.

"There’s much more interest than under the previous Trump administration," Elena Hinchin, partner at the law firm Farrer & Co, explained to the publication, noting that the current political landscape across the pond was “a very serious driver” of American interest in UK residency.

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

In particular, Ono Okeregha, director at the law firm Immigration Advice Service, highlighted to the FT a "huge spike" in searches for British citizenship the day after the US election back in November last year.

This interest hasn't died down since Trump returned to office, with Okeregha describing it as the “aftermath of the first Donald Dash" referring to those who decided to emigrate to the UK during Trump's first term in office (2017-2020) who are now eligible for UK citizenship, while Home Office data shows American applicants have been gradually on the rise since 2022.

We've also seen celebrities in the US, such as America Ferrera and Ellen DeGeneres make the big move to the UK, reportedly in response to Trump's reelection.

Though moving countries solely for political reasons is often not the case.

“For people moving from safe countries, politics tends to be a third or fourth order factor, not a key reason for moving on its own," said Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University.

So, who is eligible for British citizenship?

Applicants who want British citizenship must have lived in the UK for five years or have parents with British citizenship. You can also apply if you're married to a Brit and have lived in the UK for three years.

Elsewhere, Oscars 2025: Did Robert De Niro really say ‘f*** Trump’? and Zelensky thanks world leaders after Trump and Vance's 'appalling' blowout.

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