In the days following the presidential election, the internet was abuzz with inquiries on ‘how to move abroad,’ with thousands of Google searches directed to specific countries, such as England, Italy, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Spain, and Canada.
Visa inquiries and applications inundated official offices and third-party organizations that deal with helping their clients obtain long-term visas, Digital Nomad Visas, and also the ‘Golden Visa,’ (also known as the Investor Visa), offered to those who are wealthy, and can invest their way into international citizenship.
On November 6th, one specific company based in the United Kingdom recorded an unprecedented number of visitors from the United States landing on their website in search of Golden Visa information: a 2,300% spike in online traffic from after election day in 2020. While another company based in Malta noticed a 300% increase in Visa inquiries and applications post-election day.
Related
Airlines React To New Presidency: Major Changes Looming
Airline experts predict a ‘hands-off’ approach from the new administration.
Google Searches for Moving Abroad Increased Exponentially Post-Election Day
Woman searching on Google
If you were one of the millions of Americans online this past Wednesday, searching for what the legal requirements are to make the transition to another country, you may have encountered some delays with many consulates, immigration offices, and organizations that are specifically trained to assist with Visa applications.
According to Fortune, online searches on ‘how to move to England’ increased ‘10-fold’ post-election day. The Schengen area also witnessed a significant spike in Americans inquiring about Portugal’s Golden Visa program.
Canada visa inquiries hit an all-time record as well, seeing nearly a 1,300% increase in Google searches on Wednesday; New Zealand spiked by nearly 2,000%, and for the land of the Aussies, nearly 1,000%.
Per the Schengen News, “Italy is an important destination for visa applicants, with the country ranking fourth in the Schengen Area for receiving the highest number of applications.”
The highest Schengen visa approval rates from Italian authorities are recorded for citizens of Belarus, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, South Africa, and Vietnam, with a 97% to 99% approval rate.
According to statistics published by SchengenVisaInfo, Italy received 1.1 million visa applications in 2023 – 10.7 percent of all visa requests filed in 2023.
In the year and months leading up to election day, there was also a surge of interest from Americans seeking to move abroad; many wanting a different lifestyle, more relaxed, less stressful, child-friendly for those who had children: their eyes focused on Europe.
Related
You Can Now Live In Italy On A Digital Nomad Visa
Digital nomads haven’t been able to enjoy working long-term in Italy, until now: the European country just launched its Digital Nomad Visa.
The World Is One’s Oyster if One Dares to Take the Leap
Woman holding the Italian Flag While Gazing Upon city of Florence, Italy
Americans interested in moving abroad have a vast selection in front of them, as long as they have the right documents required for Visa or citizenship applications to live in the country they select, and can prove they are either employed or have a solid retirement pension as their monthly income.
“We’ve never seen demand like we see now,” said Dominic Volek, group head of private clients at Henley & Partners, which advises the wealthy on international migration.
While you don’t have to be wealthy to apply for a long-term visa or citizenship to another country, you do have to be able to self-sustain yourself.
Should an American citizen have Italian descent coursing through their veins (like this journalist does), they can become dual-citizens thanks to their grandparents, or parents’ bloodline (also known as “Jure sanguinis,”).
If your eyes are set on Italy, be prepared to enjoy its carefree way of life, an abundance of gelato, pizza, and pasta, and connect with the friendliest people in the world who would give the shirts off their backs to help you. While taking the leap may seem terrifying at first, in the end, you’ll be grateful you took it, and you’ll never look back or have any regrets.