Nearly 5,000 People Renounced U.S. Citizenship Last Year, Highest in Five Years
Nearly 5,000 people renounced their U.S. citizenship or long-term residency status last year, marking the highest level in the past five years, according to data from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Figures published in the U.S. Federal Register show that around 4,900 individuals gave up their American citizenship or long-term residency status in 2025. In 2024, the number stood at about 4,800. Although the increase is modest, it represents the first upward trend in five years.
Renunciation of U.S. citizenship occurs every year, typically involving between 3,000 and 5,000 people. However, the latest figures have sparked renewed discussion as more individuals are openly citing personal and political reasons behind their decisions.
Lily, a U.S. citizen living in Switzerland who also holds Belgian citizenship, told a support organization for Americans abroad that her decision to renounce citizenship was a form of protest. She described it as a personal way of expressing dissatisfaction with the United States.
Another individual, Erin Clatt, who lives in New Zealand, told CNN that she gave up her citizenship for both financial and political reasons. After deciding to settle permanently abroad, she felt her ties with the United States were no longer the same.
Clatt also said she never considered herself highly patriotic or strongly U.S.-centered, and expressed disappointment with the country’s recent political direction.
A UK-based individual told The Washington Post last year that he would not have renounced his citizenship if it were not for the current political situation.
However, experts say that while political reasons receive significant attention, the main drivers are often financial and administrative complexities.
Unlike most countries, which tax individuals based on their place of residence, the United States uses a citizenship-based taxation system. This means U.S. citizens must report their global income to the IRS every year, regardless of where they live. Even those who have lived abroad for many years remain subject to these requirements.
For many Americans living overseas, this system creates long-term burdens involving double taxation paperwork, financial reporting, and administrative procedures. As a result, some choose to renounce their citizenship to escape these complications.
The renunciation process is also complex. According to the U.S. State Department, applicants must first apply for a certificate of loss of nationality. They must then attend at least two interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, one of which must be in person.
Applicants are also required to take an oath of renunciation and accept the risk of becoming stateless as a consequence of their decision.
Analysts expect the number may rise further next year. In early 2026, the U.S. significantly reduced the consular fee for renouncing citizenship. The fee was previously $2,350, but has now been lowered to $450.
This change may encourage more people who had previously delayed their decision due to cost to proceed with applications.
Amid ongoing debates in the United States over immigration, taxation, and political conditions, the upward trend in citizenship renunciations has drawn renewed attention. Although the number remains small relative to the total population, it raises broader questions about policy, administrative burden, and the concept of global citizenship.
