US applications for British citizenship skyrocket after Trump election win

Nearly 2,000 Americans applied for British citizenship in the first three months of 2025

More Americans are applying to become British citizens than ever before (Alamy/PA)

The number of Americans applying to become British citizens has skyrocketed since Donald Trump’s second inauguration, new Home Office data reveals.

More than 1,930 US citizens applied to call the UK home in the first three months of 2025, which is a stark 12 per cent increase from the previous quarter and the highest number on record.

Law firm Chambers and Sons identified many applicants from LGBTQ+ communities and other marginalised groups after Mr Trump used his first weeks in office to sign multiple executive orders impacting their lives.

The number of Americans applying to become British citizens has spiked since Donald Trump’s election victory in November (Getty)

Ono Okeregha, director at the Immigration Advice Service (IAS), told the Financial Times: “People are leaving because of fear, frustration and financial security. Beyond that is a deeper fear about personal safety.”

One of them is rock star Courtney Love, who told a crowd at the Royal Geographical Society that she will become an official British citizen in six months.

“Emperor-core is going on at Mar-a-Lago,” the former lead singer of Hole said, according to the Daily Mail. “It’s frightening now.”

While many people who renounced their citizenship complained of being unhappy with the political climate in the US, another reason for their decision is often taxes, Alistair Bambridge, a partner at Bambridge Accountants said.

According to IAS data, online traffic to Ireland citizenship pages rose by 800 per cent after Mr Trump’s inauguration. Similar spikes were seen on citizenship pages for Canada, UK and Spain, with a 600 per cent increase seen in UK citizenship pages after Mr Trump’s inauguration.

Immigration lawyer Dina Modi said the droves of Americans applying are being driven by “fear and uncertainty” at the direction of the Trump administration.

She said: “Many clients have expressed that their views do not align with the current government and are anxious about what the future holds for them and the welfare and their families.

“Another recurring concern is fear. Particularly from same-sex couples, and the increasing pressure from various states to ban such marriages.”

LGBTQ+ celebrities such as comedian Ellen DeGeneres and designer Tom Ford have made public their misgivings about Mr Trump and already swapped their West Coast abodes for the Cotswolds and Chelsea respectively.

The Home Office data also shows a 9.6 per cent increase in American students applying for student visas in the UK following Mr Trump’s attacks on “wokeness” on campus in the US.

More than 6,100 US citizens applied for British citizenship last year, marking the highest number in two decades and a 26 per cent rise from 2023.