The Blubber

A record number of Americans applied for British citizenship last year, with a significant surge in the final quarter of 2024 — a period that coincided with the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to data from the UK's Home Office, more than 6,100 U.S. citizens sought UK citizenship in 2024 — the highest number since records began in 2004, when fewer than 3,000 applications were submitted. The figure also marked a sharp increase from 2023, which saw fewer than 5,000 applications.

The final three months of 2024 saw a notable spike, with over 1,700 Americans applying — the most in any quarter over the past two decades.

This surge mirrors the trend observed in the first half of 2020, when more than 5,800 Americans renounced their citizenship — nearly three times the total from all of 2019. Analysts at the time linked the increase to discontent with Trump's first term and changes in U.S. tax policy, noting that many of those renouncing their citizenship had already been living abroad for some time.

While dissatisfaction with the U.S. political climate is often cited by those renouncing their citizenship, tax considerations are also a major factor, according to Alistair Bambridge of Bambridge Accountants, who spoke to CNN in August 2020.

Interestingly, Trump himself could theoretically seek British citizenship through his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod. Born and raised in Scotland, she left for the U.S. in 1930 at the age of 17 to work as a domestic servant.