Latest news with #WilsonsSolicitors
Economic Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Trump effect? Americans applying for British citizenship break 2004 record
Agencies A record number of Americans applied for British citizenship in the first three months of this year, and for the right to live and work in Britain indefinitely, according to official data. A record number of Americans applied for British citizenship in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing all previous figures since records began in 2004, according to data released by the UK Home Office. Between January and March, 1,931 U.S. citizens submitted applications — a 12% increase from the previous quarter and the highest ever recorded in a single quarter. This surge follows a similar spike during the final months of 2024, coinciding with Donald Trump's re-election. In total, 6,618 Americans applied for British citizenship in the 12 months leading to March 2025 — the most in a single year since records began. The upward trend also extended to permanent settlement. In 2024, more than 5,500 Americans were granted settled status in the UK, giving them the right to live, work, and study in the country indefinitely — a 20% increase from the previous year and another record high. Immigration experts link the growing interest to concerns over U.S. political stability. 'There's definitely been an uptick in inquiries from U.S. nationals,' Muhunthan Paramesvaran, senior immigration lawyer at Wilsons Solicitors in London, told the New York Times. 'People who were already here may be thinking, 'I want the option of dual citizenship in case I don't want to go back to the U.S.'' Others see the trend as part of a broader shift. Zeena Luchowa, a partner at Laura Devine Immigration, noted increased inquiries not just from American citizens but also U.S. residents of other nationalities. 'The queries we're seeing are less about citizenship and more about long-term relocation,' she said, citing the evolving political landscape in the U.S. as a key factor. The last major spike in American applications came in 2020, during Trump's first term and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, over 5,800 Americans renounced their U.S. citizenship in just six months — nearly triple the total for all of 2019, according to Bambridge Accountants, a firm specializing in cross-border interest in British and European relocation is growing, immigration policies are tightening. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced plans to raise the bar for legal migration and lengthen the wait for citizenship eligibility. Meanwhile, Italy has eliminated the citizenship route through great-grandparents and introduced stricter visa rules for non-EU citizens. Despite these changes, the surge in American applications reflects a broader desire for stability, mobility, and new beginnings abroad.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump effect? Americans applying for British citizenship break 2004 record
A record number of Americans applied for British citizenship in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing all previous figures since records began in 2004, according to data released by the UK Home Office. Between January and March, 1,931 U.S. citizens submitted applications — a 12% increase from the previous quarter and the highest ever recorded in a single quarter. This surge follows a similar spike during the final months of 2024, coinciding with Donald Trump 's re-election. In total, 6,618 Americans applied for British citizenship in the 12 months leading to March 2025 — the most in a single year since records began. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Harry Potter Actress Stuns Fans With Grown-up Pics Reportingly Undo The upward trend also extended to permanent settlement. In 2024, more than 5,500 Americans were granted settled status in the UK, giving them the right to live, work, and study in the country indefinitely — a 20% increase from the previous year and another record high. Immigration experts link the growing interest to concerns over U.S. political stability. Live Events 'There's definitely been an uptick in inquiries from U.S. nationals,' Muhunthan Paramesvaran, senior immigration lawyer at Wilsons Solicitors in London, told the New York Times. 'People who were already here may be thinking, 'I want the option of dual citizenship in case I don't want to go back to the U.S.'' Others see the trend as part of a broader shift. Zeena Luchowa, a partner at Laura Devine Immigration, noted increased inquiries not just from American citizens but also U.S. residents of other nationalities. 'The queries we're seeing are less about citizenship and more about long-term relocation,' she said, citing the evolving political landscape in the U.S. as a key factor. The last major spike in American applications came in 2020, during Trump's first term and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, over 5,800 Americans renounced their U.S. citizenship in just six months — nearly triple the total for all of 2019, according to Bambridge Accountants, a firm specializing in cross-border taxation. While interest in British and European relocation is growing, immigration policies are tightening. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced plans to raise the bar for legal migration and lengthen the wait for citizenship eligibility. Meanwhile, Italy has eliminated the citizenship route through great-grandparents and introduced stricter visa rules for non-EU citizens. Despite these changes, the surge in American applications reflects a broader desire for stability, mobility, and new beginnings abroad.
The Guardian
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Record number of Americans are seeking residency in UK, according to Home Office
During the 12 months leading up to March, more than 6,000 US citizens have applied to either become British subjects or to live and work in the country indefinitely – the highest number since comparable records began in 2004, according to data released on Thursday by the UK's Home Office. Over the period, 6,618 Americans applied for British citizenship – with more than 1,900 of the applications received between January and March, most of which has been during the beginning of Donald Trump's second US presidency. The surge in applications at the start of 2025 made that the highest number for any quarter on record. The figures come as British authorities under a Labour government are trying to reduce immigration to the UK, with Britain's prime minister, Keir Starmer, vowing to take 'back control of our borders' and warning that uncontrolled immigration could result in the country 'becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together'. UK figures show net migration dropped by almost half in 2024 – to 431,000 – compared with 2023. The surge in US applications for UK residency comes as American immigration lawyers say they are receiving an increasing number of inquiries. Some are pointing to the polarized political climate in the Trump-led country, which itself is mounting an aggressive immigration-related crackdown. Muhunthan Paramesvaran, an immigration lawyer at Wilsons Solicitors in London, told the New York Times that inquiries had risen 'in the immediate aftermath of the election and the various pronouncements that were made'. 'There's definitely been an uptick in inquiries from US nationals,' Paramesvaran told the outlet. 'People who were already here may have been thinking, 'I want the option of dual citizenship in the event that I don't want to go back to the US.'' Zeena Luchowa, a partner at Laura Devine Immigration, which specializes in US migration to the UK, was more explicit in pointing to the 'political landscape' amid Trump's government. Luchowa told the outlet that the rise was not limited to US nationals – but also other nationalities living there. 'The queries we're seeing are not necessarily about British citizenship – it's more about seeking to relocate,' Luchowa said to the Times. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion However, the increase in US applications to the UK may not necessarily reflect political conditions in either country. Of the 5,521 settlement applications from US citizens last year, most were from people who are eligible via spousal or family links. Paramesvaran said such applications were likely to climb because the UK government had extended the qualification period from five years to 10 before they could apply for settlement. But Labour government politicians have hinted that some applicants may be able to skirt those requirements. That echoes one aspect of Trump's thinking in the US, where he has floated the idea of an immigration 'gold card', in essence an extension of the EB-5 program that extends green cards to foreign investors and their families. The UK home secretary, Yvette Cooper, told parliament earlier in May that 'there will be provisions to qualify more swiftly that take account of the contribution people have made' and said the British government 'will introduce new, higher language requirements' because 'the ability to speak English is integral to everyone's ability to contribute and integrate'.
Observer
24-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Record number of Americans apply for British citizenship
LONDON — A record number of Americans applied for British citizenship in the first three months of this year, and for the right to live and work in Britain indefinitely, according to official data. In the year to March, 6,618 Americans applied for British citizenship, the highest annual figure since records began in 2004, according to statistics released by Britain's Home Office on Thursday. More than 1,900 of those applications were made between January and March — the highest number for any quarter on record. Immigration lawyers said they had received an increased number of inquiries from people in the United States about possibly relocating to Britain in the wake of President Donald Trump's reelection in November. Muhunthan Paramesvaran, a senior immigration lawyer at Wilsons Solicitors in London, said that inquiries from Americans looking to settle in Britain had risen 'in the immediate aftermath of the election and the various pronouncements that were made.' 'There's been an uptick in inquiries from U.S. nationals,' he said. 'People who were already here may have been thinking, 'I want the option of dual citizenship if I don't want to go back to the U.S.'' The rise in British citizenship applications from Americans took place against a backdrop of similar increases from across the world, but the global rate — 9.5% year-on-year — was far outpaced by the 30% jump from the United States. Zeena Luchowa, a partner at Laura Devine Immigration, a law firm that specializes in American migration to Britain, said she expected further increases in the coming months because of the 'political landscape' in America. 'We've seen increases in inquiries and applications not just for U.S. nationals, but for U.S. residents of other nationalities who are currently in the U.S. but looking at plans to settle in the U.K.,' she added. 'The queries we're seeing are not necessarily about British citizenship; it's more about seeking to relocate.' Separate data published by the Home Office this week showed that a record number of Americans were given the right to settle in Britain in 2024, allowing them to live and work indefinitely in the country as a necessary precursor to citizenship. Of the 5,521 settlement applications granted for U.S. citizens last year, most were for eligible people because of their spouses, parents, and other family links, while a substantial portion were for people who had originally arrived in Britain on temporary visas for 'skilled workers' and want to remain. That figure was up 20% compared with 2023 and marked a record high for Americans granted permission to remain in Britain indefinitely. However, the jump was less than the overall increase in settlement grants for all nationalities, which rose by 37% in the same period. Paramesvaran believes that the rate of settlement applications will accelerate further in the coming months after the British government recently announced that most people would have to live in the country for 10 years, rather than the current five, before they can apply for permanent settlement. 'People are worried about what may be on the horizon in terms of potential changes to qualification periods,' he said. 'It's a case of people wanting to take advantage of the rules and guidance as they exist today.' Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said in Parliament on May 12 that some people might qualify 'more swiftly' for permanent settlement in Britain depending on the 'contribution' they made, but that the exact details would not be finalized until later this year. Marley Morris, associate director for migration at the London-based Institute for Public Policy Research, said there were likely a 'few things going on' behind the overall increase in settlement applications from around the world, with 'political motivations' being among several factors. 'There are a whole load of people who are becoming eligible for settlement, and that is filtering through the system,' Morris added. Successive British governments have been seeking to cut net migration, which halved in 2024, according to figures released Thursday. That decline followed a tightening of restrictions by the previous Conservative administration. This article originally appeared in
New York Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Record Number of Americans Apply for British Citizenship
A record number of Americans applied for British citizenship in the first three months of this year, and for the right to live and work in Britain indefinitely, according to official data. In the year to March, 6,618 Americans applied for British citizenship, the highest annual figure since records began in 2004, according to statistics released by Britain's Home Office on Thursday. More than 1,900 of those applications were made between January and March — the highest number for any quarter on record. Immigration lawyers said they had received an increased number of inquiries from people in the United States about possibly relocating to Britain in the wake of President Trump's re-election in November. Muhunthan Paramesvaran, a senior immigration lawyer at Wilsons Solicitors in London, said that inquiries from Americans looking to settle in Britain had risen 'in the immediate aftermath of the election and the various pronouncements that were made.' 'There's definitely been an uptick in inquiries from U.S. nationals,' he said. 'People who were already here may have been thinking, 'I want the option of dual citizenship in the event that I don't want to go back to the U.S.'' The rise in British citizenship applications from Americans took place against a backdrop of similar increases from across the world, but the global rate — 9.5 percent year-on-year — was far outpaced by the 30 percent jump from the United States. Zeena Luchowa, a partner at Laura Devine Immigration, a law firm that specializes in American migration to Britain, said she expected further increases in the coming months because of the 'political landscape' in America. 'We've seen increases in inquiries and applications not just for U.S. nationals, but for U.S. residents of other nationalities who are currently in the U.S. but looking at plans to settle in the U.K.,' she added. 'The queries we're seeing are not necessarily about British citizenship — it's more about seeking to relocate.' Separate data published by the Home Office this week showed that a record number of Americans were given the right to settle in Britain in 2024, allowing them to live and work indefinitely in the country as a necessary precursor to citizenship. Of the 5,521 settlement applications granted for U.S. citizens last year, most were for people who are eligible because of their spouses, parents and other family links, while a substantial portion were for people who had originally arrived in Britain on temporary visas for 'skilled workers' and want to remain. That figure was up 20 percent compared to 2023 and marked a record high for Americans granted permission to remain in Britain indefinitely. However, the jump was less than the overall increase in settlement grants for all nationalities, which rose by 37 percent in the same period. Mr. Paramesvaran believes that the rate of settlement applications will accelerate further in the coming months after the British government recently announced that most people would have to live in the country for 10 years, rather than the current five, before they can apply for permanent settlement. 'People are worried about what may be on the horizon in terms of potential changes to qualification periods,' he said. 'It's a case of people wanting to take advantage of the rules and guidance as they exist today.' Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said in Parliament on May 12 that some people might qualify 'more swiftly' for permanent settlement in Britain depending on the 'contribution' they made, but that the exact details would not finalized until later this year. Marley Morris, associate director for migration at the London-based Institute for Public Policy Research, said there were likely a 'few things going on' behind the overall increase in settlement applications from around the world, with 'political motivations' being among several factors. 'There are a whole load of people who are becoming eligible for settlement and that is filtering through the system,' Mr. Morris added. Successive British governments have been seeking to cut net migration, which halved in 2024 according to figures released on Thursday. That decline followed a tightening of restrictions by the previous Conservative administration.
