An IM GlobalWealth.com News Report
A record 6,690 Americans applied for residence permits in the Netherlands through November this year, the highest figure in at least a decade, according to Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) data analysed by the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (or ‘NOS’ in short) – the Netherlands’ public national news broadcaster.
With December still to be counted, the total has already surpassed the full-year figures recorded in both 2023 and 2024. With December still to be counted, the total has already surpassed the full-year figures recorded in both 2023 and 2024.
Interest in the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) has also risen sharply. The 1956 agreement allows US nationals to establish a business in the Netherlands with a minimum capital requirement of €4,500 and to apply for permanent residence after five years.
By September, around 700 Americans had received DAFT permits, more than double the number issued five years ago. Immigration authorities indicate that such applications are almost always approved.
Relocation advisers point to the Netherlands’ comparatively accessible migration framework. Economic and personal security concerns are frequently cited as key drivers. High healthcare costs, gun violence, and political uncertainty in the United States have contributed to rising interest in emigration.
Anxiety has intensified following reports of immigration enforcement actions affecting US-born citizens, particularly among Americans with Latin American backgrounds and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Concerns around institutional stability, immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and policy volatility, particularly among minority communities and internationally mobile professionals, have prompted some Americans to secure residency options abroad”
Asylum applications from Americans have also risen, reaching 67 cases so far this year, excluding the final two months.
The Netherlands, however, continues to classify the United States as a safe country, and no such applications have been approved.
Earlier this year, Dutch authorities tightened travel guidance for LGBTQ+ individuals visiting the US, reflecting broader concerns about personal safety.
How the Netherlands Compares Across Europe
The Netherlands’ surge in American residency applications reflects a broader European pattern rather than an isolated national phenomenon.
Comparable EU-wide data compiled by Eurostat show that several European economies have consistently attracted significant numbers of US nationals in recent years, particularly France, Spain, and Germany.
Southern European countries such as Italy and Portugal have also emerged as notable destinations, while smaller states tend to record lower absolute numbers but, in some cases, elevated interest on a per-capita basis.
Because EU-level statistics are compiled on the basis of residence permits issued, rather than applications submitted, the most recent fully comparable figures relate to 2022. While these data do not capture the sharp acceleration now evident in the Netherlands during 2025, they provide a reliable baseline for assessing how American migration has been distributed across Europe prior to the latest political cycle in the United States.
Americans Granted First Residence Permits in Selected EU States
(Latest comparable Eurostat data, 2022)
| EU Country | First residence permits issued to US citizens |
|---|---|
| France | ~12,200 |
| Spain | ~11,150 |
| Germany | ~9,370 |
| Netherlands | ~6,790 |
| Italy | ~6,600 |
| Ireland | ~3,830 |
| Portugal | ~3,280 |
| Czech Republic | ~2,510 |
Source: Eurostat
Political Risk and the Rise of “Plan B” Residency
What distinguishes the current wave from earlier periods of American migration to Europe is the explicit role of political risk in decision-making.
Advisers and relocation firms increasingly describe interest in European residency not as a permanent break with the United States, but as a form of personal and family risk diversification, a ‘Plan B’ that preserves mobility, legal certainty, and access to alternative healthcare and education systems.
The return of Donald Trump to the White House has sharpened these calculations. Concerns around institutional stability, immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and policy volatility, particularly among minority communities and internationally mobile professionals, have prompted some Americans to secure residency options abroad earlier than they otherwise might have done.
In this context, jurisdictions offering predictable legal frameworks, clear pathways to permanence, and relatively low barriers to entry, such as the Netherlands under the DAFT regime, have gained renewed appeal.
While most Americans relocating to Europe continue to do so for work, family, or lifestyle reasons, the growing prominence of contingency planning suggests a structural shift.
European residency is increasingly viewed not merely as a destination, but as an insurance policy against political uncertainty at home, a dynamic likely to shape transatlantic mobility decisions well beyond the current US electoral cycle.
