Key facts
- Immigrant Invest, a citizenship-by-investment firm, has seen a rise in middle-class Americans seeking second passports.
- Salaried professionals and retirees now make up 25% of the firm's US consultation calls, an increase from 15% in 2025.
- The proportion of ultra-wealthy investors, entrepreneurs, and business owners in US consultations has decreased.
- Popular citizenship programs for US clients include those in Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis, with costs starting in the low six figures.
- Cheaper options are available, such as programs in São Tomé and Príncipe starting at $90,000 and Vanuatu at $130,000.
- Demand from US clients for citizenship-by-investment programs nearly doubled in 2025, according to Henley & Partners.
Buying second passports, once a pursuit primarily for the ultra-wealthy, is increasingly becoming an option for middle-class Americans, according to investment migration firm Immigrant Invest. The firm's data shows that salaried professionals and retirees now account for 25% of its US consultation calls, a notable increase from approximately 15% in 2025. This growing segment includes doctors, tech workers, academics, and lawyers, as well as retirees with personal savings.
Concurrently, the share of Immigrant Invest's traditional clientele—ultra-wealthy investors, entrepreneurs, and business owners—has decreased from about 50% in 2026 to 40% in 2025. Pavel Reshetnikov, a consultant at Immigrant Invest, suggested that the stable costs of citizenship programs indicate that more Americans with savings are seeking a 'Plan B' due to heightened political division and global geopolitical volatility.
Popular choices among US clients include Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programs, such as Grenada's, which requires a donation of over $235,000 or a real estate investment exceeding $270,000, and St. Kitts and Nevis, with contributions starting at $250,000. More affordable options exist, like programs in São Tomé and Príncipe starting at $90,000 and Vanuatu at $130,000.
Henley & Partners, another major firm in the sector, reported that demand from US clients nearly doubled in 2025. The firm noted that most of these clients, who are primarily US-based Americans, are not planning an immediate move but desire the option for future flexibility. Aleksandr Razinkov of Immigrant Invest stated that clients want 'an option and insurance for the whole family to move somewhere very quickly.' This trend represents a significant shift from just five years ago when middle-class clients were rare.