As a preventative measure against upcoming instability, more and more Americans are seeking second passports in a time of political uncertainty and growing global uncertainty.
According to citizenship and residency advisory firms such as Latitude Group and Arton Capital, demand from United States citizens for second passports or long-term residency in other countries – often through investment schemes offered by those countries – has surged dramatically in recent years. Donald Trump’s election as president of the United States appears to have rekindled that trend.
In contrast to the same time last year, Latitude said that US applications for second citizenship or residency have increased by 1, 000% since 2020, right after the COVID pandemic hit and travel restrictions were at their height. Arton reported a 400 percent increase in US clients in the first three months of 2025.
There are no official records of the number of American citizens seeking second passports.
However, according to industry estimates shared with Al Jazeera, about 4, 000 of the roughly 10, 000 global applications for second passports have been submitted by Americans seeking second citizenship in recent years. Although the overall number of applications has remained constant for many years, there have also been significant increases in the proportion of applications from US applicants since the pandemic.
What was once considered the domain of billionaires and business owners is now increasingly attracting professionals and politically concerned citizens seeking a “Plan B” – an exit route if, as they fear, they find it harder to live in the US.
The Latitude Group, which assists clients in obtaining second citizenship and residency through investment schemes, said Christopher Willis, managing partner at the company, “It’s better to have it than to not need it.”
What exactly are investment-based passports?
These programmes, often called “golden visas” or “citizenship-by-investment” schemes, allow individuals to obtain long-term residency or even citizenship in exchange for a financial contribution – usually via real estate investment, a donation to a national development fund or the purchase of government bonds.
Investment requirements range from as little as 10,000 euros ($10,000) to more than one million euros ($1.2 million) depending on the program and location.
Although some programs offer the right to permanent residency, not all of them will automatically lead to full citizenship or a passport.
Residency-by-investment schemes, such as Portugal’s Golden Visa or Greece’s equivalent scheme, offer long-term residence and the right to freedom of travel within the EU’s Schengen Zone but do not grant citizenship immediately. The program does, however, offer a five-year path to citizenship in Portugal with no minimum residency requirements, with an average of 14 days each two years.
In as little as 16 months, citizenship-by-investment schemes, offered by Malta and a number of Caribbean nations, can result in full passports.
According to Latitude, 50 percent of its US clients now choose Portugal’s Golden Visa as their top pick, followed by Malta (25 percent) and Caribbean nations (15 percent). About 80% of those clients claim to have no immediate plans for relocation and simply want to feel secure knowing they can relocate.
Most nations that grant citizenship have the option to give it to the next and the grandchildren.
Who is applying for second passports?
Beyond just billionaires and wealthy business owners, second passports are now sought from a much wider range of society.
People who are concerned about what they perceive as authoritarian trends in US governance are among David Lesperance’s international tax and immigration clients, who are located in Poland.
“I’ve never been busier”, he told Al Jazeera, adding that people who have never thought about leaving the US before are suddenly thinking “very seriously” about it.
The number of what she calls “Armageddon Americans,” or “Armageddon Americans,” has increased, according to Professor Kristin Surak, a political sociologist at the London School of Economics and author of The Golden Passport.
Americans, in addition to China and India, are now Latitude’s top three clientele, according to Willis. Arton Capital also confirmed a sharp uptick from US nationals – including both high-net-worth individuals and professionals who are anxious about the current political climate.
What are the main arguments for second passports?
Numerous organizations are concerned about Donald Trump’s re-election to the US presidency in 2025, along with a number of executive orders aimed at civil liberties, immigration protections, and minority rights.
“I got nine applicants in seven days after one of those orders”, Lesperance said, citing a wave of fear among LGBTQ clients in particular following an executive order related to “gender ideology”, recognising male and female as the only two sexes, and reversing several protections for transgender people.
Some people worry about being included on political watchlists created by Trump’s nominee for FBI chief, Kash Patel, Lesperance says.
Others say they are becoming more vulnerable as a result of the Trump administration’s plan to deport several students who are involved in pro-Palestine activities on US campuses and infiltrate their communities, such as those who supported the student-led pro-Palestine protests from last year.
Lesperance also points to the rise in the frequency of natural disasters such as the recent California wildfires, mass shootings and deepening ideological divides as additional drivers of anxiety.
He claimed that “the US is turning into a wildfire zone.” “An increase in racism, in addition to mass shootings. And if you’re politically active, it means half the country doesn’t like you”, Lesperance added.
Second citizenship is a financial choice for some families. Some people opt for passport-free real estate investments in Caribbean countries like Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, which can be completed in as little as six months.
One of Latitude’s clients opted to invest $300, 000 in property in Antigua and Barbuda instead of purchasing a vacation home in Florida, gaining a second passport in the process.
Another benefit is the appeal of global mobility. CEO of Arton Capital Armand Arton claimed that his clients frequently combine “bundle” residencies. For instance, pairing a UAE Golden Visa with a European one to ensure broader travel access.
People typically need to invest about $545,000 in the UAE by depositing money into an approved financial institution or purchasing real estate.
Taxation is another important factor for some wealthy people.
The US is one of the only countries in the world that taxes its citizens and permanent residents – also known as green card holders – on their worldwide earnings, regardless of where they are living. Due to this system, known as citizenship-based taxation, Americans who live abroad are required to file US tax returns and may be subject to taxes on their global income.
Some wealthy Americans have begun to reconsider their citizenship and those with green cards have to give up their residence status as a result of this system.
While it remains rare for people to take that step, it’s becoming a serious consideration for some clients.
Lesperance noted that “I have had a number of clients do this over the past ten.” He cited economic, political, and social uncertainty as the reason for “we still think there will be a significant increase in the number of citizens who are refusing to live.”
Arton, whose clients are mainly high-net-worth individuals, noted that even before the 2024 US election, 53 percent of American millionaires were actively exploring options abroad.
Are more Americans pursuing citizenship through descent?
Yes . US applications for citizenship by descent – often a more affordable path – have also surged by 500 percent since 2023, with 80 percent targeting Italian ancestry, according to firms facilitating the process.
Although this route is relatively new in the sector, Willis praised how “growing so quickly” it is, especially since it doesn’t require any upfront money.
In nations where they have ancestry, individuals can reclaim citizenship through these applications. Italy, for instance, allows people to apply if they can prove descent from an Italian citizen, often going back several generations, provided the ancestor did not renounce their own Italian citizenship before their child’s birth.
Similar laws apply to Germany, Poland, and Ireland.
Each nation has its own regulations; for example, Ireland typically allows applicants to go back up three generations while Italy doesn’t have a cap on the amount of time you can reapply for citizenship.
Unlike some investment-based programmes, these citizenships can often be taken up by descendants fairly easily, making them an attractive option for families who can prove descent. Typically, applicants must submit birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other evidence, such as a family tree.
Will there be an increase in second passport demand?
Most experts believe the trend is far from peaking.
According to Willis, “Americans are future-proofing their lives.” In order to obtain a second citizenship, clients are selling assets, restructuring their finances, and making “bold lifestyle choices.”
