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Immigration lawyers in the United Kingdom say they have seen an increase in liberal Americans who want to leave the US after Donald Trump’s election victory.
Many who inquired said they were concerned about socially conservative policies that Trump could introduce when he takes office, the lawyers added.
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken on more American clients than we have in the past few months,” said John Kiely, head of immigration at British law firm Howard Kennedy. “I spoke to three same-sex couples one day who were visibly upset at the prospect of a Trump administration.”
He said all three referred to “Project 2025,” a conservative policy plan written by former Trump administration officials that recommends collecting data on abortions, banning pornography and restricting contraception.
Trump has distanced himself from the project, although many of his appointees have expressed support for it.
Kathryn Bradbury, head of citizenship and immigration at UK law firm Payne Hicks Beach, said she had seen a “noticeable increase” in inquiries about immigration to UK options for US citizens. They were all “Democrats and worried about Trump 2.0,” she added, saying the level of interest was higher than in 2016, when he was first elected.
Those who are thinking about moving to UK they tended to be mobile, wealthy individuals in technology, law and the arts, lawyers said.
Even more corporate-focused law firms are also receiving inquiries from individuals who want the option of leaving in the future. Claire Nilson, a London-based immigration lawyer at Faegre Drinker, said: “Post-election I have already involved three families who are getting passports to different places. . . They want to have it in their back pocket just in case.”
Those making inquiries were more focused on politics than potential tax implications, lawyers said.
US citizens’ worldwide income is subject to US income tax, which means that moving to the UK does not necessarily bring any financial benefits and can often be more expensive as some US estate planning measures are not recognized in the UK.
The UK also has a much lower inheritance tax exemption: £325,000 ($415,000) for an individual versus $13.6 million in the US.
Those who want to move should find a suitable path for legal migration.
The UK no longer has an investor visa, where applicants must spend a certain amount on UK property, shares or bonds to secure their stay. This means wealthy individuals who want to relocate must apply through other means, such as the competitive Global Talent Visa, which is for a “leader or potential leader” in the arts, digital technology and academia.
People with family ties, such as a husband or wife born in the UK, can apply for a spousal visa.
An ophthalmologist from the north-east of the US said he sought work in the UK because he was concerned that his personal life – he is gay, married to a man and has two children via surrogacy – had “become politicized and a weapon for the right . . . We are very worried about the world in which we will raise our children”.
Most UK immigration lawyers who spoke to the Financial Times reported more inquiries from US clients, but US-based lawyers gave a more mixed picture.
Avram Morell, a partner at Pryor Cashman in New York, said he had received “a number of inquiries from people who want to leave the United States at least temporarily after the November election.”
Fragomen’s David Grunblatt said there had been “a lot of grumbling” but that clients had not yet asked about the move.
Stephanie Heilborn, a partner at Proskauer Rose, said she received many more calls from clients about moving in 2020 after Joe Biden won the election.
