Record numbers of Americans seek British citizenship: what are the routes?

As UK immigration practitioners, we have been answering increasing numbers of questions from US nationals looking for immigration routes to live in the UK since the run up to the US election. These recent figures are no surprise. With President Trump using his first weeks in office to sign multiple executive orders impacting the lives of LGBT Americans, it will be no surprise that many of our enquiries are from the LGBTQ+ community, concerned about new restrictions to protection from discrimination. High-profile LGBT celebrities such as TV’s Ellen DeGeneres and filmmaker and designer Tom Ford who have made public their misgivings about Donald Trump, have already swapped their West Coast abodes for the Cotswolds and Chelsea respectively – both prime destinations for High-Net-Worth individuals from the United States.

Current US legislation is set to enact President Trump’s pledge to end the double tax hit on Americans living outside the US, ending US taxation on worldwide income based on citizenship, rather than residence in the US. (The Residence-Based Taxation of Americans Abroad Act is currently a draft bill and as such subject to amendment). Another factor encouraging wealthy emigres is the UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement that plans to abolish non-dom status (which enables people who live in the UK to avoid paying UK tax on money made abroad because their home for tax purposes is elsewhere) will be softened to allow a more generous phase out of the tax benefit.

It’s not just HNW individuals looking to come to the UK, and as well as economic reasons, there are other pulls for Americans – social, cultural, such as a great choice of schools, universities, arts, culture and properties.  

So, what are the most common routes that our clients from the US can avail themselves of if they want to settle in Britain? Below is a quick overview of the current available routes.

Skilled Worker visa

An organisation with a sponsor licence can employ and sponsor you for a Skilled Worker visa.  To obtain a Skilled Worker sponsor licence, the organisation must meet several requirements, including being active and trading in the UK, plus having at least one settled worker in the UK who will assume sponsorship duties.

On a Skilled Worker visa, you must be qualified to carry out the UK role.  The job must pay a guaranteed salary of at least £38,700 pa or the median ‘going rate’ for the occupation, whichever is higher.

Dependent family members may join you on this five-year route to settlement. (NB: for all the visas mentioned here, the terms “dependant” or “dependent family” mean married spouse, partner and children under 18).

Expansion Worker visa

If your organisation doesn’t yet have a UK branch or subsidiary, it may send senior members of staff to establish a commercial presence in Britain.  To obtain an Expansion Worker sponsor licence, among other requirements, your organisation must show activity and trading for at least three years as well as a credible expansion plan, including a genuine commercial reason for expanding into UK markets, sufficient market research and sufficient cash to fund the expansion.

The overseas organisation must establish a UK presence, usually a corporate subsidiary. The 12-month Expansion Worker visa does not count towards settlement, but it can be extended once for a further 12 months and you can switch to other visas. Organisations may apply for a Skilled Worker sponsor licence once they have set up their UK foothold. Dependants may join Expansion Workers.

Innovator Founder visa

This is a visa for founders of innovative businesses which have not yet launched and want to start up in the UK. The business must be assessed by a Home Office licensed endorsing body, as being viable, innovative and scalable. The Innovator Founder visa reflects the fact that businesses often have cofounders. More than one founding team members may apply for this visa with a single business plan if it qualifies for endorsement and they have all contributed towards it and will be involved in the business day-to-day.

This visa can be renewed or lead to settlement after three years, but only if the business has met certain targets. Otherwise, Innovator Founders can switch to other visas and time on this route may count towards a five-year route to settlement. Family dependants are permitted on this route, though they will need five years’ residence to qualify for settlement.

Global Talent visa

 Recognised experts in the fields of academia, research, entertainment, arts and culture or digital technology may apply to this non-sponsored visa which does not rely on a job offer.

Applicants must apply for recognition by an approved endorsing body, such as PACT (for film and TV), the Royal Academy of Engineering or Tech Nation as a leader or potential leader in their field.

The Global Talent visa is a three-year route to settlement (five years for emerging talent). Dependent family members are permitted too, but they would need five years’ residence to qualify for settlement.

High Potential Individual visa

Graduates (within the last five years) from a list of around 40 top global universities may apply to come to the UK on a High Potential Individual visa. They do not require a job offer.  A new list of universities that qualified graduates on the year they attained their degree is published every November – and around half the institutions are in the US.

The HPI visa is granted for two years (three years for those with PhDs) and dependants may accompany those on this visa. This isn’t a route to settlement, but you can work, study or set up a business in the UK and switching to other immigration routes is allowed.

Student and Graduate visas

Students accepted by an education institution which is a licensed student sponsor can apply for a UK Student visa for the duration of their course. Once an international student has successfully completed their study at graduate or postgraduate level they may apply for a Graduate visa, allowing them to stay in Britain and work for two years after the end of their course. (Three years for a PhD or other doctoral qualification.)

Student and Graduate visas are not in themselves routes to settlement (though time on them may potentially count towards a 10-year long-residence route). Dependent family members can only join those on a Student visa studying for a PhD or other doctorate or a research-based higher degree. Dependants can only join those on a Graduate visa if they were already in the UK on the Student visa that preceded it.

Family visas

British nationals and UK permanent residents may sponsor a spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner or children to be with them in the UK on a Family visa.

British nationality will in some cases transmit to the second generation born outside of the UK. (See below.)

If you are joining a loved one in the UK on a spouse or partner visa they must meet the financial requirement which rose significantly in 2024. For most cases they would now need to be earning at least £29,000 pa in the UK if the two of you cannot show £88,500 in cash savings. Family visas are a five-year route to settlement.

British citizenship through ancestry

Due to changes introduced in 2022, those born in the USA before 1988 may now be able to claim British citizenship if their mother or grandparent was born in the UK. This niche direct route to British citizenship is a new immigration route addressing historical gender discrimination against women in nationality by descent.

Can I hold dual UK and US citizenship?

Dual and multiple citizenship is permitted under both UK and US law. US citizens are required to enter and exit the United States using a valid US passport and you should use your UK passport to enter and leave the UK. To apply for British citizenship, you will need to obtain permission to remain in the UK until your application is granted. You will also need to pass requirements such as the Life in the UK test, which assesses your knowledge of UK life, history and current affairs.

Americans coming to the UK as a visitor

A reminder that Americans do not generally need a visa to come to Britain as a Visitor for up to six months for purposes such as tourism, visiting friends or family, carrying out a permitted business activity or undertaking a short course of study. However, since January they now need to fill out the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – which operates much like the US ESTA. Permitted business activities as a Visitor include negotiating and signing deals and contracts; carrying out site visits or inspections; servicing machinery sold to a British customer or promoting your business at trade fairs (though you cannot use this route to sell items or carry out unpermitted work).

Vanessa Ganguin is the Managing Partner of Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law.