In an period of political volatility and rising world uncertainty, a rising variety of Individuals are searching for second passports as a security web in opposition to future instability.
Based on citizenship and residency advisory companies reminiscent of Latitude Group and Arton Capital, demand from United States residents for second passports or long-term residency in different international locations – typically by means of funding schemes supplied by these international locations – has surged dramatically in recent times. The election of Donald Trump as US president seems to have turbocharged that development.
Arton has reported a 400 % improve within the variety of its US purchasers within the first three months of 2025 in contrast with the identical interval in 2024, whereas Latitude stated US purposes for second citizenship or residency have risen by 1,000 % since 2020, proper after the COVID pandemic hit and journey restrictions had been at their peak.
There aren’t any official information of the variety of Americans searching for second passports.
Nonetheless trade estimates shared with Al Jazeera counsel that of roughly 10,000 world purposes for second passports prior to now few years, about 4,000 have come from Individuals searching for second citizenship. Whereas the general variety of purposes has remained constant for a few years, the proportion of them coming from US candidates has elevated considerably for the reason that pandemic.
What was as soon as thought of the area of billionaires and enterprise homeowners is now more and more attracting professionals and politically involved residents searching for a “Plan B” – an exit route if, as they concern, they discover it more durable to reside within the US.
“It’s higher to have it and never want it than want it and never have it,” stated Christopher Willis, managing companion on the Latitude Group, which helps purchasers safe second citizenship and residency by means of funding schemes.
What are passport-for-investment schemes?
These programmes, typically referred to as “golden visas” or “citizenship-by-investment” schemes, permit people to acquire long-term residency and even citizenship in trade for a monetary contribution – normally by way of actual property funding, a donation to a nationwide improvement fund or the acquisition of presidency bonds.
Funding necessities range by programme and placement, starting from as little as 10,000 euros ($10,700) to multiple million euros ($1.2m).
Not all programmes essentially result in full citizenship or a passport, however do provide the fitting to residency.
Residency-by-investment schemes, reminiscent of Portugal’s Golden Visa or Greece’s equal scheme, provide long-term residence and the fitting to freedom of journey throughout the EU’s Schengen Zone however don’t grant citizenship instantly. In Portugal, nevertheless, the programme does present a five-year pathway to citizenship with minimal residency necessities – a median of 14 days each two years.
Citizenship-by-investment schemes, supplied by Malta and several other Caribbean international locations, can result in full passports in as little as 16 months.
Based on Latitude, 50 % of its US purchasers now select Portugal’s Golden Visa as their high decide, adopted by Malta (25 %) and Caribbean nations (15 %). About 80 % of these purchasers say they don’t have any quick plans to relocate; they merely need the consolation of understanding they’ve the choice to.
Most international locations that present citizenship even have choices to switch this to subsequent generations of kids, in addition to grandchildren.
Who’s making use of for second passports?
Second passports are actually being sought from a wider vary of society than simply billionaires and high-net-worth enterprise homeowners.
David Lesperance, a Poland-based worldwide tax and immigration adviser, stated his American purchasers embody LGBTQ people, main political donors and other people involved by what they understand as authoritarian tendencies in US governance.
“I’ve by no means been busier,” he instructed Al Jazeera, including that individuals who have by no means considered leaving the US earlier than are out of the blue pondering “very severely” about it.
Professor Kristin Surak, a political sociologist on the London College of Economics and creator of The Golden Passport, stated she has seen an increase within the variety of what she calls “Armageddon Individuals” – those that really feel that the nation’s path is so unsure {that a} second citizenship is a rational safeguard.
Willis stated Individuals now rank amongst Latitude’s high three consumer teams, after China and India. Arton Capital additionally confirmed a pointy uptick from US nationals – together with each high-net-worth people and professionals who’re anxious concerning the current political climate.
What are the primary causes that individuals need second passports?
The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency in 2025, together with a wave of government orders concentrating on civil liberties, immigration protections and minority rights have sparked concern amongst many teams.
“I obtained 9 candidates in seven days after a kind of orders,” Lesperance stated, citing a wave of concern amongst LGBTQ purchasers specifically following an government order associated to “gender ideology”, recognising female and male as the one two sexes, and reversing a number of protections for transgender folks.
Some folks, says Lesperance, fear about being added to political watchlists compiled by allies of the president reminiscent of Kash Patel, Trump’s decide to steer the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Others, reminiscent of supporters of final 12 months’s student-led pro-Palestine protests, say they really feel more and more weak amid the Trump administration’s try and crack down on pro-Palestine actions on US campuses and deport several students involved.
Lesperance additionally factors to the rise within the frequency of pure disasters such because the latest California wildfires, mass shootings and deepening ideological divides as extra drivers of tension.
“The US is changing into a wildfire zone,” he stated. “Mass shootings, a dramatic improve in … racism. And if you happen to’re politically energetic, it means half the nation doesn’t such as you,” Lesperance added.
For some households, second citizenship is a monetary resolution. Some select actual property investments in Caribbean nations together with Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda that include passports in as little as six months.
Considered one of Latitude’s purchasers opted to take a position $300,000 in property in Antigua and Barbuda as a substitute of buying a trip residence in Florida, gaining a second passport within the course of.
International mobility is one other attraction. Armand Arton, CEO of Arton Capital, stated his purchasers typically mix “bundle” residencies. As an illustration, pairing a UAE Golden Visa with a European one to make sure broader journey entry.
To acquire a Golden Visa within the UAE, people usually want to take a position about $545,000, both by buying actual property or making a deposit in an permitted monetary establishment.
One other key issue for some high-net-worth people is taxation.
The US is among the solely international locations on the earth that taxes its residents and everlasting residents – also called inexperienced card holders – on their worldwide earnings, no matter the place they’re dwelling. This method, referred to as citizenship-based taxation, signifies that even Individuals dwelling overseas should file US tax returns and should owe taxes on their world revenue.
This method has led some high-net-worth Individuals to think about renouncing their US citizenship altogether, and inexperienced card holders to relinquish their residency standing.
Whereas it stays uncommon for folks to take that step, it’s changing into a critical consideration for some purchasers.
“I’ve had a number of hundred purchasers over the last decade do that,” Lesperance stated. “We nonetheless consider there will likely be a pointy improve within the numbers of renouncing residents,” he stated, citing financial, political and social uncertainty.
Arton, whose purchasers are primarily high-net-worth people, famous that even earlier than the 2024 US election, 53 % of American millionaires had been actively exploring choices overseas.
Are extra Individuals additionally making use of for citizenship by descent?
Sure. US purposes for citizenship by descent – typically a extra inexpensive path – have additionally surged by 500 % since 2023, with 80 % concentrating on Italian ancestry, in accordance with companies facilitating the method.
This path is pretty new within the trade however is “rising so quick”, Willis stated, particularly as a result of it doesn’t require any investments to be made.
These purposes permit people to reclaim citizenship in international locations the place they’ve ancestral ties. Italy, as an illustration, permits folks to use if they’ll show descent from an Italian citizen, typically going again a number of generations, supplied the ancestor didn’t surrender their very own Italian citizenship earlier than their youngster’s start.
Eire, Poland and Germany have related legal guidelines.
Every nation has its personal guidelines – Italy locations no restrict on how far again you possibly can hint your ancestry to assert citizenship, whereas Eire usually permits candidates to return as much as three generations.
In contrast to some investment-based programmes, these citizenships can typically be taken up by descendants pretty simply, making them a horny choice for households who can show descent. Candidates should usually present start certificates, marriage certificates in addition to different paperwork together with a household tree.
Will the demand for second passports proceed to rise?
Most specialists consider the development is way from peaking.
“Individuals are future-proofing their lives,” stated Willis. Shoppers are promoting property, restructuring funds, and making “daring life-style choices” all to safe a second citizenship.
Basil Mohr-Elzeki, managing companion at Henley and Companions, a residence and citizenship-by-investment specialist, stated US nationals are additionally pondering generationally. “When a citizenship is obtained, it typically passes down by descent,” he stated. “That creates a Plan B not only for the consumer, however for his or her youngsters and grandchildren.”
