A record number of Americans applied for British citizenship in the first quarter of 2025 and, at the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term, fell together as US President, according to new data from the British home office.

Between January and March, 1,931 US citizens hired applications for British citizenship, which marked the highest quarterly total since the beginning of the records in 2004 and an increase of 12% in the previous quarter. The increase follows a similar increase in the last three months of 2024, which corresponded to Trump’s re -election.

The numbers indicate a growing interest of the Americans when setting up a long -term residence in Great Britain. In 2024, 5,500 US citizens were given a defined status-an increase of 20% compared to the previous year. The Settle status grants the right to live, work and study in Great Britain indefinitely and can serve as a path to citizenship.

The last comparable increase in the Migration of the United States to UK came in 2020, while Trump’s first term and at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic, as dissatisfaction with the political climate of the United States, public health and cross-border tax burdens drove many Americans abroad.

This year, a record number of Americans also officially waived their US citizenship, with more than 5,800 passing their passports in the first half of 2020 alone – almost tripled for all 2019, according to Bambridge Accountants, a company specializing in international tax.

“These are mainly people who have already left the United States and have only decided that they had enough of everything,” said Alistair Bambridge, partner of the company, in an interview 2020.
“While political and pandemic frustrations were key factors, the complexity of the US tax system for expats is often the final straw.”

While more Americans keep an eye on life in Great Britain and Europe, the paths to citizenship are becoming increasingly limited. Prime Minister Keir Starrer announced last week that the government will introduce harder requirements for legal migrants, including longer waiting times before newcomers can apply for citizenship.

This week Italy introduced new laws that remove the right to citizenship by great -grandparents and closes a popular route for Americans with Italian descent. Italy has also tightened the visa requirements for non-EU state members in recent months and has geared towards a wider European trend of strict migration controls.

Despite the changing legal landscape, the Great Britain’s status as a culturally familiar, English-language goal with strong institutions and health care is still an attractive option for US expats that are looking for greater stability or permanent move abroad.

While Trump’s second term unfolds, immigration and citizenship specialists will be closely observed to determine whether this early increase in applications is a continuing migration trend-a short-term reaction to political uncertainties at home.