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US applications for British citizenship have hit record highs as immigration lawyers report a surge in Americans considering moving to the UK.
More than 1,930 US citizens applied in the first three months of 2025, according to official data released Thursday.
The immigration lawyer said the political instability in the United States has led to a surge in inquiries about UK visas and citizenship, and said there is particularly strong interest from US experts following Trump’s tariff announcement.
“People are leaving because of fear, frustration, financial security. Beyond that, it’s a deeper fear of personal safety,” said Ono Okerega, director of the law firm’s immigration advice services.
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This is the first dataset covering the beginning of Trump’s second term, but already showed a sharp rise in citizenship applications after the November US presidential election.
Home Office data also revealed that US applications for research visas have increased by 9.6% in the first three months of 2025, along with increased demand for undergraduate programs. This accused Trump of promoting a culture of progressive politics and “love” on campus after he launched an attack on some of America’s top universities.
Claire Nilson, immigration lawyer for Faegre Drinker Biddle and Reath LLP, said the political situation has “seeking stability and opportunity” for Americans, especially those from the LGBTQ community and other marginalized groups, especially those in the LGBTQ community.
She added that the increase in applications reflects a wave of immigrants who came to the UK during Trump’s first term, and now they remain in the country long enough to apply for citizenship.
Madeleine Samplation, director of the Immigration Observatory at Oxford University, said it was “plausible” that the US political situation has influenced application trends, and that there is data showing that Americans are more likely to apply for citizenship.
She added that the recent law extended citizenship rights to the first British-born grandparents and some non-resident Americans.
Overall applications for UK citizenship reached a record high of 72,729 in the first quarter of 2025. The figure comes a week after the government announced more stringent requirements for settlement, one of the main routes to citizenship for those who have no family ties with the UK.
