Americans seek UK citizenship in record numbers after Trump’s re-election

A record number of US citizens have applied for British citizenship in early 2025, with immigration lawyers citing growing concerns over political instability during Donald Trump's second term in office.

Official figures from the UK Home Office show that more than 1,930 Americans submitted citizenship applications in the first quarter of the year — the highest number since records began and a 12% increase on the previous quarter, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The surge in applications comes amid rising anxiety over the direction of US domestic policy, particularly following the re-election of Trump and his introduction of new trade tariffs. Lawyers report a notable uptick in interest from American professionals seeking greater political and economic stability in the UK.

“People are leaving because of fear, frustration and financial uncertainty. But there's also a deeper fear for personal safety,” said Ono Okeregha, director at the Immigration Advice Service.

This is the first set of data reflecting trends since Trump’s return to office. However, earlier statistics already showed a rise in interest following the US presidential election in November 2024.

Applications for UK study visas from the US also rose sharply, increasing by 9.6% year-on-year in the first three months of 2025. The Home Office attributed much of this growth to an uptick in undergraduate enrolment, amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and America’s higher education institutions. The President has publicly criticised elite universities, accusing them of promoting progressive ideologies.

Claire Nilson, an immigration lawyer at Faegre Drinker Biddle and Reath LLP, said the political climate in the US was encouraging more Americans, particularly marginalised communities, to look abroad for stability and opportunity.

She added that some of the recent citizenship applications were from Americans who initially moved to the UK during Trump’s first term and have now qualified for permanent residency.

According to Madeleine Sumption, director of Oxford University's Migration Observatory, there is a credible link between US politics and the rise in citizenship applications. She noted that recent legislative changes had also expanded eligibility to certain non-resident Americans with UK-born grandparents.

In total, UK citizenship applications reached a record 72,729 in the first quarter of 2025. The release of the figures follows the government’s announcement of stricter settlement rules, which could make the path to citizenship more challenging for applicants without family connections to the UK.

By Aghakazim Guliyev