In an age of political volatility and growing global uncertainty, more and more Americans are seeking a second passport as a safety net against future instability.
Requiring US citizens for a second passport or long-term residency in other countries has been dramatically surged in recent years, through investment schemes provided by these countries. Donald Trump’s election as US president appears to have turbocharged that trend.
Arton reported a 400% increase in the number of U.S. clients in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, but Latitude said applications for second citizenship or residence have increased 1,000% since 2020, shortly after joint pandemic hits and travel restrictions peaked.
There is no official record of the number of American citizens seeking a second passport.
However, industry estimates shared with Al Jazeera suggest that of the approximately 10,000 global applications for the second passport in the past few years, around 4,000 came from Americans. Although the total number of applications has been consistent over the years, their proportion from US applicants has increased significantly since the pandemic.
What was once considered the realm of billionaires and business owners is increasingly attracting experts and politically relevant citizens seeking “Plan B.”
“It’s better not to have it and not need it,” said Christopher Willis, managing partner of the Latitude Group.
What is an investment strategy?
These programs, often referred to as “golden visas” or “citizenship per investment” schemes, allow individuals to acquire long-term residence or citizenship in exchange for financial contributions, typically through real estate investments, contributions to the National Development Fund, or purchase of government bonds.
Investment requirements vary depending on the program and location, ranging from just 10,000 euros ($10,800) to 1 million euros ($1.08 million).
Not all programs will necessarily lead to full citizenship or passports, but they provide residency rights.
Residency-by-residency schemes, such as Portuguese Golden Visas and Greek equivalent schemes, provide long-term residence and the right to travel within the Schengen zone of the EU, but do not immediately grant citizenship. However, in Portugal, the programme provides a path to five years of citizenship with minimal residency requirements. This averages 14 days every two years.
Citizenship schemes provided by Malta and several Caribbean countries could lead to a full passport in just 16 months.
According to Latitude, 50% of US clients currently choose Portugal’s Golden Visa as their top pick, followed by Malta (25%) and the Caribbean (15%). Approximately 80% of these clients say they have no immediate plans to move. They simply want the comfort of knowing that they have options.
Most countries that offer citizenship have the option to transfer this to the next generation of children, not just grandchildren.
Who is applying for a second passport?
Currently, the second passport is required by a society that is much broader than billionaires and wealthy business owners.
David Lesperance, a Poland-based international tax and immigration advisor, said his American clients include LGBTQ individuals, key political donors, and people associated with what they perceive as authoritarian trends in US governance.
“I was busy,” he told Al Jazeera, adding that anyone who has never thought about leaving the US is suddenly “very seriously.”
Professor Christine Slack, a political sociologist at the London School of Economics and author of Golden Passport, said the number of things she calls “Armageddon Americans” is on the rise.
Willis said Americans are currently ranked among Latitude’s top three client groups, after China and India. Arton Capital also saw a sharp increase from the US citizens, including both the wealthy and experts on the internet who are worried about the current political situation.
What are the main reasons why people want a second passport?
Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency in 2025, the wave of executive orders targeting civil liberties, immigration protection and minority rights have sparked concern among many groups.
“We got nine applicants seven days after one of these orders,” Lesperance cited the wave of fear, particularly among LGBTQ clients, following the “gender ideology” executive order, which recognised male and female as the only two genders, and reversed the protections of some transgender people.
Some are worried that Lesperance will be added to political watchdogs compiled by presidential allies such as Kash Patel.
Others, including supporters of last year’s student-led pro-Palestinian protest, say they’re becoming increasingly vulnerable amid the Trump administration’s attempts to crack down on pro-Palestinian activities on U.S. campuses and deport several students involved.
Lesperance also points to an increasing frequency of disasters, including recent California wildfires, mass shootings and ideological disparities as additional factors for anxiety.
“The United States is becoming a wildfire zone,” he said. “Massive shootings, a dramatic increase in racism. And if you’re politically active, that means half of the country doesn’t like you.”
For some families, second citizenship is a financial decision. Some people opt to invest in real estate in the Caribbean countries, including Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, which come with a passport in just six months.
Instead of purchasing a Florida villa, one of Latitude’s clients chose to invest $300,000 in Antigua and Barbuda properties, earning their second passport in the process.
Global mobility is another attraction. Armand Arton, CEO of Arton Capital, said clients often combine “bundle” residencies. For example, a combination of UAE Golden Visas and European visas will ensure wider travel access.
To obtain a Golden Visa in the UAE, you usually need to invest around $545,000 by purchasing real estate or depositing at an approved financial institution.
Another important factor for some high wealthy people is taxation.
The United States is one of the only countries in the world that taxes citizens and permanent residents (also known as green card holders) on income around the world, regardless of their global income. Known as citizenship-based taxation, the system means that even Americans living abroad must file US tax returns and borrow taxes on global income.
The system has led some Highnet Americans to consider waiving US citizenship altogether, and green cardholders have waived their residence.
It remains rare for people to take that step, but it is seriously considered by some clients.
“I had hundreds of clients over the decade that did this,” Lesperance said. “We still believe that the number of civic abandonment will increase dramatically,” he said, citing economic, political and social uncertainty.
Arton, whose clients are primarily wealthy individuals, noted that even before the 2024 US election, 53% of American billionaires were actively investigating their options overseas.
Also, do more Americans apply for citizenship through descent?
yes. According to companies that are driving the process, citizenship applications through descent, often a more affordable pass, have increased 500% since 2023, with 80% targeting Italian ancestors.
The path is fairly new in the industry, but it is “growing very quickly” and doesn’t require any investment, Willis said.
These applications allow individuals to regain citizenship in the country they have ancestral ties. For example, Italy allows people to apply if their ancestors did not waive their Italian citizenship before the birth of their child, if they could prove descent from Italian citizenship, and if they could go back many generations.
Ireland, Poland and Germany have similar laws.
Each country has its own rules. Italy is not limited to the extent that it can trace its ancestors to claim citizenship, but Ireland usually allows applicants to return to a maximum of three generations.
Unlike some investment-based programs, these citizenships are often fairly easily picked up by descendants, making them an attractive option for families who can prove their descent. Applicants must provide birth certificates, marriage certificates and other documents, as well as other documents, including family trees.
Will demand for a second passport continue to increase?
Most experts believe this trend is far from its peak.
“Americans are protecting their future lives,” Willis said. Clients sell assets, restructure their finances, make all “bold lifestyle decisions” and secure a second citizenship.
Basil Mall Elzeki, managing partner for Henry and partners and housing and citizenship investment expert, said Americans are also thinking about generations. “When citizenship is obtained, it is often passed through descent,” he said. “It creates Plan B for your children and grandchildren, not just for your clients.”
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