FT: Record number of Americans apply for British citizenship as Trump returns to power

The number of Americans applying for British citizenship increased in 2024, thanks to Donald Trumpʼs return to the White House and changes to British tax law.

The Financial Times writes about this.

Last year, 6 100 US citizens applied for British citizenship, the highest number of applications from the States in 20 years. It is also 26% more than in 2023.

Applications were submitted especially actively in the last quarter of 2024. The frequency of applications increased by 40% compared to the same period in 2023.

Immigration lawyers believe that among the main reasons are the desire of Americans to obtain an alternative passport amid political instability in the US, as well as changes in British tax law — the abolition of non-dom status.

"Weʼve certainly seen more interest in citizenship from the US since the election campaign began. The interest is much higher than under the previous Trump administration," said Elena Hinchin, a partner at law firm Farrer&C.

Data from the UK Home Office shows that the number of citizenship applications from Americans has been rising steadily since the end of 2022. As the FT notes, Americans have many individual reasons for wanting to obtain a British passport. However, the political situation in the US and tax changes played the biggest role among them.

The number of Americans seeking Irish citizenship has also increased, with applications up 46% last year, with the majority coming from North Americans of Irish descent.

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