US demand for Irish passports soars as many Americans consider moving to Europe

Irish Examiner

04-05-2025

US applications for Irish passports were at their highest level in a decade in the first two months of this year, as an increasing number of Americans consider moving to Europe in the wake of Donald Trump's election as president.
Average monthly passport applications in January and February of nearly 4,300 were up about 60% from last year, according to data from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It was a similar case for other European countries.
Applications for British passports in the last three months of 2024 — the latest period for which data is available — were higher than any quarter in the past two decades, with 1,708 applications submitted.
Surge in visa applications
In France, government data showed that long-stay visa requests from Americans stood at 2,383 in the first three months of 2025, compared to a total of 1,980 over the same period last year.
From January to March, French authorities granted 2,178 long-stay visas versus 1,787 the year before.
Relocation companies and websites helping people to emigrate say that, at any given time in recent years, a significant number of Americans have shown an interest in moving abroad, citing issues including political divisions and gun violence.
Some stars left the US after Mr Trump's re-election in November, including talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and actress Rosie O'Donnell.
Ms O'Donnell has moved to Ireland and has spoken of making efforts to secure Irish citizenship.
Thea Duncan, the founder of Milan-based relocation business Doing Italy, said she has been receiving enquiries nearly every day since the election from ordinary Americans seeking information.
Uncertainty in the US
'People are uncertain about what's happening and what's going to happen,' Ms Duncan said.
In Britain, a company of lawyers called Immigration Advice Service said it had seen a more than 25% increase in enquiries from the US.
Its director, Ono Okeregha, said several clients had expressed worries over political changes under the Trump administration, particularly over rights for same-sex couples as several states consider weakening protections for their marriages.
However, there are many hurdles for would-be American emigrants.
Relocate.me, a relocation platform, identified some of the disincentives: difficulties in securing jobs abroad, restrictions on remote work, lower salaries in Europe, and the US tax system — which taxes its citizens on worldwide income.
For those who proceed, however, there are several visa options. Digital nomads visa for remote workers in countries such as Portugal, Spain and Italy are popular. Retirement visas, work permits and student visas are also in high demand, according to relocation firms.
But some people here in Europe — already struggling to cope with mass tourism and a housing crisis — don't relish the prospect of more foreign arrivals. National authorities are restricting some controversial schemes that offered access to visas for the wealthy.
The option of buying real estate to secure a golden visa is no longer a possibility in Portugal, and the Spanish scheme ended in April after the system was criticised for stoking an affordable housing crisis.
Rebeca Caballero, from Spanish real estate developer Gilmar, said they had received an influx of interest from American clients in the six months before the scheme ended.
"I secured investments from three clients who bought homes for the golden visa without even coming to see them," Caballero said.
Reuters