Berlin—Germany granted more citizenships to non-Europeans in 2024 than any other European country.
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A new report highlights the increasing number of Americans looking to emigrate, specifically to Europe, and specifically women. For the past decade, emigration from the U.S. has been on the rise, and a recent report by Global Citizen Solutions shows the breadth of the situation.
Entitled, ‘From Destination To Departure: America’s New Migration Story’ is from Global Citizen Solutions' research arm, the Global Intelligence Unit, and the top line is that in nearly all 27 EU member states, the number of Americans living and working is at a record high.
The report notes that this shift has been “decades in the making”. The reported desire to emigrate was about 10-11% under Presidents Bush and Obama. During the first Trump presidency, it stood at 16-20%. By November 2025, a Gallup poll found the number had risen to 25%.
However, among American women aged 15-44, 40% said they would move abroad permanently if they could. The sample size was small, but it was in sharp contrast to previous iterations of the same poll as reported in The Guardian. The number had increased four times as much as in 2014.
Interestingly, for men, the numbers were around 19% and hadn't changed much since 2014.
The Guardian assigns this gender imbalance to a number of reasons, notably the role and treatment of women in American politics, specifically since the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. Also, the fact that social media advertises what life is like in other countries—making it seem accessible, even though this may not always be the case.
The rising cost of living and the affordability of healthcare are also issues that can be a deciding factor. It has led more retirees, in particular, to look towards Europe to feel more secure in later years, with recent polling from Monmouth University and Gallup showing that the percentage of Americans aged 55 and older who want to leave the country is now 17%, more than four times the level in 1974.
These polls are supported by the data in the Global Citizens Solutions report and in The Guardian:
The numbers from the report are compiled from citizenship renunciation records, overseas residency registrations and survey data tracking American interest in living overseas.
Laura Madrid, Lead Researcher for the Global Intelligence Unit research, says, “This is not the profile of people fleeing crisis. These are informed, often financially stable individuals and families making a deliberate calculation—that their money, their safety, and their quality of life will go further elsewhere.”
Europe is still the most sought-after region, with Germany in the top spot, followed by Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Portugal, according to 2023 data on residence permits.
There has been an increase in the number of passports issued by EU countries to non-EU nationals in recent years, with Germany granting the most citizenships in 2024 of any European country—one quarter of the EU total at 300,000. Spain and Italy issued the next largest number of passports.
Many of these countries offer digital nomad visas, retirement visas and golden visa programs, amongst which Americans are using to emigrate. It isn’t known exactly how many Americans hold dual citizenship, but estimates suggest up to 30 million may qualify for European ancestral visas, too, though those rules are tightening, as is the case with recent legal changes in Italy.
In Italy’s case, Americans now need to prove stronger ties to Italy through a parent or grandparent born in Italy, removing the possibility of ties through great-grandparents. In addition, applicants must demonstrate a genuine connection to the country, such as living there or speaking Italian.
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