WSJ with no paywall via https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/americans-are-leaving-the-us-in-record-numbers/ar-AA1X5a4f
QuoteSome commentators have labeled this wave of American emigrants the "Donald Dash" since numbers have spiked under President Trump's second term. But the phenomenon has been building for years—fed by the rise of remote work, mounting living costs and an appetite for foreign lifestyles that feel within reach, especially in Europe.
Sounds about right. The idea has rumbled in my mind ever since seeing the price of a 2-bedroom flat in Grenoble, a city that offers something hard to find in the US - hospitals, a good university, and access to tons of recreation. Trump/not-Trump is just a detail in my calculus.
There was a time not long ago that some of the poorer EU countries were selling citizenship. It'd be nice to have now.
Up until 2009, I was eligible for automatic Canadian citizenship, but I didn't learn about that until 2020 or so.
There are still countries with "golden visas" similar to what the US offers now. There are other countries where it is informally true that if you have enough money you can get long-term residency without a job or sponsor.
Yeah but now the goldens are really golden$$. IIRC, Malta and Cyprus had bargain basement prices, relatively speaking. $200k-ish maybe.
There has been a shift toward long-term residency rather than citizenship. So for Cyprus, the long-term resident visa requires a 300,000 euro investment.
If you're partial to Caribbean islands, there are still lots of options
If you want to be in Europe but don't care about being in the EU, North Macedonia still offers citizenship for 200,000 euros.
Note that these are not typically *payments,* but investments. In Italy, you can get in with a 250,000 euro investment in a targeted startup or 500,000 euro investment in an Italian corporation. In some cases, it's somewhere in the range of one to two million dollar investment in government bonds that you must hold for a certain period. In theory, you could actually make money off this investment.
Though @ 1-2 million each, it becomes pricey for a couple
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2026/02/25/the-11-easiest-countries-to-get-citizenship-in-2026-according-to-a-new-report/
https://www.henleyglobal.com/citizenship-investment
https://globalresidenceindex.com/cyprus-golden-visa-residency/
https://globalresidenceindex.com/citizenship-by-investment/
Gem:
When Malta joined the EU in 2004, it didn't immediately offer a citizenship-by-investment (CBI) scheme. However, in late 2013, the government introduced the Individual Investor Programme (IIP), which became famous for being one of the most direct—and controversial—ways to gain an EU passport.
The Original "Lowest Price" Offer (2013)
When the IIP was first announced in November 2013, it was significantly "cheaper" and more transactional than the versions that followed.
The Price Tag: The primary requirement was a straight contribution (donation) of €650,000 to a national development fund.
The "No-Strings" Clause: Initially, there was no residency requirement. An applicant could theoretically pay the money and receive a passport without ever living in or even visiting Malta.
The Global Backlash: This "cash-for-passports" approach caused an immediate international outcry. Critics argued that Malta was selling the "sanctity" of EU citizenship and creating a security back-door into the Schengen Area.
Did the EU step in?
Yes, forcefully. The European Commission and the European Parliament were blindsided by Malta's move. Because a Maltese passport allows the holder to live and work in any of the 27 EU member states, the EU argued that Malta was selling something that belonged to the entire Union.
The 2014 Compromise
Under intense pressure from Brussels, Malta was forced to amend the program just months after its launch. The EU mandated a "genuine link" requirement.
The Change: Applicants were required to prove they had lived in Malta for 12 months before citizenship was granted.
The Loophole: In practice, this often meant simply renting an apartment and visiting the island a few times, rather than physically relocating.
The 2020 Overhaul (MEIN)
The EU never stopped pushing back. In 2020, Malta replaced the IIP with the Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalization (MEIN). This new version effectively raised the "price" by requiring a much longer residency period and a higher total investment:
€750,000 for citizenship after 12 months of residency.
€600,000 for citizenship after 36 months of residency.
Mandatory Philanthropy: A required €10,000 donation to a local non-profit.
Real Estate: The minimum property purchase price was doubled from €350,000 to €700,000.
Current Legal Status
The tension reached its peak in September 2022, when the European Commission officially referred Malta to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
The EU's position is that granting citizenship in exchange for pre-determined payments, without any "genuine link" to the Member State, is a violation of EU law. Malta continues to defend its program, arguing that citizenship is a matter of national sovereignty.
Gem:
Cyprus had a very similar—and arguably more scandalous—program called the Cyprus Investment Programme (CIP). While Malta's program faced steady pressure from the EU, the Cypriot scheme imploded under the weight of a massive undercover corruption expose.
The Cypriot "Golden Passport" (CIP)
Launched in its most aggressive form in 2013 (the same year as Malta's), the program was designed to rescue the Cypriot economy following its banking crisis.
The Price: Initially set at €2.5 million, it was later adjusted to €2 million plus a donation.
The Investment: Most applicants chose luxury real estate, which led to a construction boom of "ghost towers"—high-end apartment buildings in Limassol that remained largely empty because the owners just wanted the passport.
The Speed: It was remarkably fast; citizenship could be granted in as little as six months, with no requirement for the investor to actually live in Cyprus.
The Scandal: "The Cyprus Papers"
In August 2020, Al Jazeera released an investigation based on 1,400 leaked documents. It revealed that Cyprus had granted citizenship to dozens of convicted criminals, fugitives, and "politically exposed persons" (PEPs) who should have been blocked.
The final blow was an undercover video showing high-ranking Cypriot politicians—including the Speaker of the House—offering to "help" a fictitious Chinese investor who was supposedly a convicted criminal.
EU Intervention and Shutdown
The EU had been warning Cyprus for years, but the Al Jazeera scandal forced the issue:
Immediate Abolition: Under extreme pressure from the European Commission and domestic protestors, Cyprus abolished the program on November 1, 2020.
Infringement Procedures: Just like with Malta, the European Commission launched legal action against Cyprus, arguing that "selling" EU citizenship undermined the integrity of the Union.
The Revocations: Unlike Malta, which has been more protective of its new citizens, Cyprus has actively revoked dozens of passports since 2020 after audits found they were obtained through fraud or by individuals with criminal backgrounds.
Current Status (2026)
By late 2025, Cyprus officially closed the final legal "loopholes" that allowed the Cabinet to grant citizenship at their discretion. Today, Cyprus is pivoting toward a "Golden Knowledge" program, which focuses on attracting tech talent and skilled workers rather than just wealthy investors. This shift is part of Cyprus's effort to repair its reputation as it prepares to fully join the Schengen Area in late 2026.