Firms Report Quadrupled Inquiry Volume After Trump Win: Investment Migration People in the News This Week

Investment migration people in the news this week included:

• Paul Williams of La Vida Golden Visas
• Dominic Volek, Judi Galst, Stuart Wakeling, and Marios Rafail of Henley & Partners
• Murat Coskun of Get Golden Visa
• Nuri Katz of Apex Capital Partners
• Armand Arton of Arton Capital
• David Lesperance of Lesperance & Associates
• Casey Johnson of Bousquet Holstein PLLC
• Danae Tsakiris of Savills
• Marcel Cremer of Cremer & Partners
• Reaz Jafri of Withersworldwide 
• Flannery Foster
• Jon Green of Latitude
• Global Citizenship Solutions
• Ashish Mehta of Ashish Mehta & Associates

Bloomberg – Americans Weigh Golden Visa Options in Aftermath of Trump Win

“A lot of people are putting a plan in place to move if need be,” said Paul Williams, chief executive officer of visa consultancy La Vida Golden Visas, who noted that traffic went up on his site 23-fold the day after the election amid a “tidal wave” of interest from Americans.

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Immigration firm Henley & Partners said it received four times more inquiries from Americans the week of the election compared to the week before, and a quarter more applications this year-to-date compared to the same period last year. Murat Coskun, managing partner at the company Get Golden Visa, calculated a nine-fold jump in daily traffic on his site in the days following the election.

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Nuri Katz, founder of Canada-based immigration consultancy Apex Capital Partners, said the increased costs haven’t dented demand.

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“Caribbean nations are now competing with Europe for its wealthier clientele. That’s it,” he said.

CNN – Political and social division is driving interest in ‘golden visas’

Many of these individuals don’t plan on permanently relocating to a new country, however. “The main focus for most Americans is just having the optionality… like an insurance policy,” said Dominic Volek, head of private clients at Henley & Partners.

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“A very small percentage of these people are actually relocating, but they all want to have the option as a Plan B,” CEO Armand Arton told CNN. “We will definitely be very busy (over) the next six months with the US market.”

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David Lesperance of Lesperance & Associates, an immigration and tax advisory firm, told CNN on Wednesday that the Americans he has been speaking with are “serious” about plans to relocate their families.

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“In the last two weeks I have been averaging three to four American clients per day who have actually spent money on a paid consultation,” he added. “In 34 years of practice since I helped my first American client expatriate this is unprecedented.”

Business Matters – Italy, Abu Dhabi, and Cyprus Court Britain’s Wealthy Amid Non-Dom Tax Changes

Financial advisers report a surge in wealthy clients preparing to leave the UK after Labour confirmed plans to abolish the non-dom regime, which offers significant tax benefits for expatriates. David Lesperance, an international tax adviser, noted he is “very busy” assisting non-doms considering relocation. 

NBC New York – Americans show increased interest in dual citizenship post-Trump win, data shows

Judi Galst, managing director at the firm, noted a constant flow of interest leading up to Election Day. Galst made it clear that people do not wish to leave the U.S. entirely but instead use dual citizenship as an “insurance policy.”

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“Despite the fact there are many different options for alternative residences and citizenship by investment programs, few are going to give the exact quality of life that they [clients] are used to here in the United States. It’s not their desire to leave, but they want to know they have a guaranteed way to do so for the short or long term,” Galst told NBC New York.

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“We’ve seen a 116% increase for dual citizenship inquiries in 2024, but we’ve also seen a 160% increase from October to November,” said Casey Johnson, an immigration attorney at Albany-based firm Bousquet Holstein PLLC.

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Research by investment firm Arton Capitol found that 53% of wealthy Americans say they’re making plans to leave the country, regardless of a Trump or Harris victory, reported by CNBC.

The Telegraph – ‘Why we bought a golden visa in Greece’

“The main motivations [for applying for any golden visa] are the same,” says Stuart Wakeling, of Henley & Partners, the migration advisers.

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“People want to claw back their EU status and pay lower tax, get freedom of movement, to have a Plan B, and because of a growing disassociation with the UK, and the desire for a better climate and value for money when buying a property.’

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Most British buyers looking to get the visa had a budget of up to €500,000, according to Danae Tsakiris, of Savills, so some have now been out-priced.

Greek City Times – Greece Becomes Prime Destination for U.S. Citizens Seeking Golden Visas Post-Trump Victory

Sector expert Henley & Partners has noted nearly fourfold website traffic increases from Americans since before the election, indicating a strong interest in overseas opportunities. According to Dominic Volek, head of private clients at the firm, many Americans are not necessarily looking to relocate permanently but desire the option.

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Further underscoring this trend, Arton Capital, an advisory expert in global relocation, reported a fivefold spike in inquiries immediately following Trump’s triumph.

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The cost of a golden visa application – usually made via an intermediary company due to its complications – is €10,000 to €30,000. This is on top of the price of the property, according to Marios Rafail, who oversees Greek residency at Henley & Partners – but he includes the purchase costs of the property, typically 10pc to 12pc of its value.

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But the most popular option for residency is now the Financially Independent Persons visa (FIP) offered to people from outside the EU who wish to live in Greece without buying property, according to Marcel Cremer of Cremer & Partners, a law company based in Athens.

First Post – How wealthy Americans are using ‘golden visa’ as ticket to leave US after Trump win

Immigration attorney Reaz Jafri of Withersworldwide also noticed a similar pattern. Minutes after Trump’s victory was announced, he received an email from a California couple seeking EU citizenship through Malta for themselves and their transgender child.

Business Today – Wealthy Americans planning to leave US? This is what their increasing search for Golden Visas indicate

While these programs primarily appeal to the wealthy, many ordinary Americans are also contemplating relocation, motivated by safety concerns rather than luxury. Flannery Foster, an American residing in Spain who assists others with relocation, shared that she frequently encounters individuals facing life-threatening situations, including women, Black individuals, and LGBTQ+ families. 

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Many of these individuals wish to retain their US citizenship, with Foster noting, “There’s a sense of, ‘I’m leaving because I have to, but I want to make sure my vote still counts.’” 

Sherwood – Americans want a second passport and are willing to pay

Owning multiple passports is a practical strategy for global mobility and financial security, says Jon Green, director of global sales at citizenship concierge service Latitude. While wealthy Americans have always known this, Green says pandemic-era travel bans, which restricted Americans from visiting many of the 186 countries we normally enjoy visa-free access to, woke more people up to this reality.

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“You’re getting a Malta passport,” Green said, “but then with that, you have the right of establishment in any EU country and freedom of movement within the EU.”

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Next, there are residency-by-investment programs, often called “golden visas.” Latitude services nine such programs in countries across the Caribbean, North America, and Europe. Global Citizenship Solutions lists Portugal and Spain, which launched programs in 2012 and 2013, as the best golden-visa options. Other countries on the list include Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary, and the United Arab Emirates. At just €50,000, Latvia’s program is most affordable.

Khaleej Times – What are the requirements for Golden Visa holders to work in the emirate’s freezone?

Ashish Mehta of Ashish Mehta & Associates answers questions regarding the UAE Golden Visa.

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As you hold a property-linked Golden Visa issued in Dubai and wish to work for a Dubai-based free zone company, the formalities differ from those for mainland employment. Your prospective employer must apply for an employee permit through the free zone authority where the company is registered.