In an period of political volatility and rising international uncertainty, a rising variety of Individuals are searching for second passports as a security web in opposition to future instability.
In keeping with citizenship and residency advisory companies equivalent to Latitude Group and Arton Capital, demand from United States residents for second passports or long-term residency in different international locations – usually by way of funding schemes supplied by these international locations – has surged dramatically lately. 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 have been at their peak.
There are not any official information of the variety of Americans searching for second passports.
Nevertheless business estimates shared with Al Jazeera counsel that of roughly 10,000 international purposes for second passports previously 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 because the pandemic.
What was as soon as thought-about 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 worry, they discover it more durable to dwell within the US.
“It’s higher to have it and never want it than want it and never have it,” stated Christopher Willis, managing accomplice on the Latitude Group, which helps purchasers safe second citizenship and residency by way of funding schemes.
What are passport-for-investment schemes?
These programmes, usually 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 – often through actual property funding, a donation to a nationwide improvement fund or the acquisition of presidency bonds.
Funding necessities range by programme and site, starting from as little as 10,000 euros ($10,700) to a couple of million euros ($1.2m).
Not all programmes essentially result in full citizenship or a passport, however do provide the suitable to residency.
Residency-by-investment schemes, equivalent to Portugal’s Golden Visa or Greece’s equal scheme, provide long-term residence and the suitable to freedom of journey inside 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.
In keeping with Latitude, 50 % of its US purchasers now select Portugal’s Golden Visa as their high choose, adopted by Malta (25 %) and Caribbean nations (15 %). About 80 % of these purchasers say they haven’t any fast 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 much 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 embrace LGBTQ people, main political donors and folks involved by what they understand as authoritarian traits in US governance.
“I’ve by no means been busier,” he instructed Al Jazeera, including that individuals who have by no means thought of leaving the US earlier than are abruptly considering “very significantly” about it.
Professor Kristin Surak, a political sociologist on the London Faculty 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 course is so unsure {that a} second citizenship is a rational safeguard.
Willis stated Individuals now rank amongst Latitude’s high three shopper 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 in regards to the present political local weather.
What are the primary causes that folks need second passports?
The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency in 2025, together with a wave of government orders focusing on civil liberties, immigration protections and minority rights have sparked concern amongst many teams.
“I received 9 candidates in seven days after a kind of orders,” Lesperance stated, citing a wave of worry amongst LGBTQ purchasers particularly 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 equivalent to Kash Patel, Trump’s choose to steer the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Others, equivalent to supporters of final 12 months’s student-led pro-Palestine protests, say they really feel more and more susceptible amid the Trump administration’s try and crack down on pro-Palestine actions on US campuses and deport a number of college students concerned.
Lesperance additionally factors to the rise within the frequency of pure disasters such because the current California wildfires, mass shootings and deepening ideological divides as further drivers of tension.
“The US is changing into a wildfire zone,” he stated. “Mass shootings, a dramatic improve in … racism. And for those who’re politically lively, 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.
One among Latitude’s purchasers opted to speculate $300,000 in property in Antigua and Barbuda as a substitute of buying a trip house in Florida, gaining a second passport within the course of.
World mobility is one other enchantment. Armand Arton, CEO of Arton Capital, stated his purchasers usually mix “bundle” residencies. As an example, 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 speculate about $545,000, both by buying actual property or making a deposit in an authorised monetary establishment.
One other key issue for some high-net-worth people is taxation.
The US is among the solely international locations on this planet that taxes its residents and everlasting residents – also referred to as inexperienced card holders – on their worldwide earnings, no matter the place they’re residing. This technique, often known as citizenship-based taxation, signifies that even Individuals residing overseas should file US tax returns and should owe taxes on their international earnings.
This technique 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 imagine 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 have been actively exploring choices overseas.
Are extra Individuals additionally making use of for citizenship by descent?
Sure. US purposes for citizenship by descent – usually a extra reasonably priced path – have additionally surged by 500 % since 2023, with 80 % focusing on Italian ancestry, based on companies facilitating the method.
This path is pretty new within the business 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 example, permits folks to use if they will show descent from an Italian citizen, usually going again a number of generations, offered the ancestor didn’t resign their very own Italian citizenship earlier than their youngster’s delivery.
Eire, Poland and Germany have comparable 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.
Not like some investment-based programmes, these citizenships can usually be taken up by descendants pretty simply, making them a pretty choice for households who can show descent. Candidates should usually present delivery certificates, marriage certificates in addition to different paperwork together with a household tree.
Will the demand for second passports proceed to rise?
Most specialists imagine the development is much from peaking.
“Individuals are future-proofing their lives,” stated Willis. Shoppers are promoting belongings, restructuring funds, and making “daring life-style selections” all to safe a second citizenship.
Basil Mohr-Elzeki, managing accomplice at Henley and Companions, a residence and citizenship-by-investment specialist, stated US nationals are additionally considering generationally. “When a citizenship is obtained, it usually passes down by descent,” he stated. “That creates a Plan B not only for the shopper, however for his or her youngsters and grandchildren.”