'Had Enough of Everything': Thousands of Fed-Up Americans Seek UK Passports Under Trump 2.0

An unprecedented number of Americans are making the leap across the Atlantic, driven by a mix of politics, policy, and a yearning for stability. Fresh data from the UK Home Office reveals a surge in US citizens applying for and securing British citizenship — coinciding with the early months of Donald Trump's second presidential term.

Record Numbers Say Goodbye to the Stars and Stripes

According to the figures released on 29 May 2025, 1,931 Americans were granted British citizenship between January and March — a 12% rise from the previous quarter and the highest since records began in 2004. It's clear this isn't just a trickle of discontent but a full-blown wave.

And it's not just about living in Britain. More than 5,500 Americans were granted 'settled status' in 2024, which gives the right to live, work, and study in the UK indefinitely and is a crucial step toward full citizenship.

'These are mainly people who already left the US and just decided they've had enough of everything,' said Alistair Bambridge, a partner at Bambridge Accountants.

British Borders Tighten — But Americans Still Flood In

This spike in citizenship comes at a curious time. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been calling for tighter immigration control, arguing Britain must not become 'an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together,' as reported by The Guardian.

Still, Americans are pressing on. Many of them have family or spousal ties that make the route to residency smoother — at least for now.

Is Trump the Trigger?

The last major uptick in US-to-UK applications occurred in 2020, during Trump's first term and the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Back then, Americans cited political instability, poor pandemic response, and increasing tax burdens as reasons for their exit.

Now, Trump's return to the White House is once again coinciding with an exodus. Zeena Luchowa, a partner at Laura Devine Immigration, says the political climate is undeniably driving people out.

'The queries we're seeing are not necessarily about British citizenship – it's more about seeking to relocate,' she said.

The Rules Are Changing

Not all experts agree that politics alone is fuelling the spike. Many applications stem from eligibility through marriage or ancestry. Still, with the UK now extending the settlement qualification period from five to ten years, the window may be narrowing for many hopefuls.

Wilsons Solicitors' immigration lawyer Muhunthan Paramesvaran says he expects even more applications in the short term as Americans try to beat the new rules. Meanwhile, some Labour politicians believe savvy applicants may still find ways around the changes.

One thing is certain: whether driven by politics, personal ties, or sheer frustration, more Americans are choosing to trade the American Dream for British citizenship — and they're doing so in record numbers.