In an period of political volatility and rising international uncertainty, a rising variety of Individuals are in search of second passports as a security internet in opposition to future instability.
In line with citizenship and residency advisory companies corresponding to Latitude Group and Arton Capital, demand from United States residents for second passports or long-term residency in different international locations – typically via 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 % enhance within the variety of its US shoppers within the first three months of 2025 in contrast with the identical interval in 2024, whereas Latitude stated US functions 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 are not any official data of the variety of Americans in search of second passports.
Nevertheless trade estimates shared with Al Jazeera recommend that of roughly 10,000 international functions for second passports up to now few years, about 4,000 have come from Individuals in search of second citizenship. Whereas the general variety of functions 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-about the area of billionaires and enterprise homeowners is now more and more attracting professionals and politically involved residents in search of a “Plan B” – an exit route if, as they concern, they discover it tougher to stay within the US.
“It’s higher to have it and never want it than want it and never have it,” stated Christopher Willis, managing associate on the Latitude Group, which helps shoppers safe second citizenship and residency via 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 change 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 differ 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 supply the correct to residency.
Residency-by-investment schemes, corresponding to Portugal’s Golden Visa or Greece’s equal scheme, supply long-term residence and the correct 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.
In line with Latitude, 50 % of its US shoppers now select Portugal’s Golden Visa as their prime choose, adopted by Malta (25 %) and Caribbean nations (15 %). About 80 % of these shoppers say they haven’t any instant plans to relocate; they merely need the consolation of figuring out they’ve the choice to.
Most international locations that present citizenship even have choices to switch this to subsequent generations of youngsters, 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 shoppers embrace LGBTQ people, main political donors and folks involved by what they understand as authoritarian developments in US governance.
“I’ve by no means been busier,” he advised Al Jazeera, including that individuals who have by no means considered 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 writer 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 prime 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 principle causes that folks 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 shoppers 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 corresponding to Kash Patel, Trump’s choose to guide the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Others, corresponding to supporters of final yr’s student-led pro-Palestine protests, say they really feel more and more weak amid the Trump administration’s try to 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 hysteria.
“The US is turning into a wildfire zone,” he stated. “Mass shootings, a dramatic enhance 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 determination. 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 shoppers opted to take a position $300,000 in property in Antigua and Barbuda as an alternative of buying a trip dwelling in Florida, gaining a second passport within the course of.
World mobility is one other attraction. Armand Arton, CEO of Arton Capital, stated his shoppers typically 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 take a position 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 likely one of the solely international locations on the earth 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 method, often known as citizenship-based taxation, implies that even Individuals residing overseas should file US tax returns and will owe taxes on their international earnings.
This method has led some high-net-worth Individuals to contemplate 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 turning into a critical consideration for some shoppers.
“I’ve had a number of hundred shoppers over the last decade do that,” Lesperance stated. “We nonetheless consider there will probably be a pointy enhance within the numbers of renouncing residents,” he stated, citing financial, political and social uncertainty.
Arton, whose shoppers 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 functions for citizenship by descent – typically a extra reasonably priced path – have additionally surged by 500 % since 2023, with 80 % concentrating on Italian ancestry, in line 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 functions permit people to reclaim citizenship in international locations the place they’ve ancestral ties. Italy, for example, permits folks to use if they’ll show descent from an Italian citizen, typically 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 related legal guidelines.
Every nation has its personal guidelines – Italy locations no restrict on how far again you may hint your ancestry to say citizenship, whereas Eire usually permits candidates to return as much as three generations.
Not like some investment-based programmes, these citizenships can typically be taken up by descendants pretty simply, making them a lovely 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 consider the development is much from peaking.
“Individuals are future-proofing their lives,” stated Willis. Shoppers are promoting property, restructuring funds, and making “daring life-style selections” all to safe a second citizenship.
Basil Mohr-Elzeki, managing associate at Henley and Companions, a residence and citizenship-by-investment specialist, stated US nationals are additionally considering 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.”
