A record number of Americans are leaving the United States for good, with some renouncing their citizenship to start over in countries including Albania, a Balkan nation long associated with organized crime and corruption. Soaring living costs, fears over gun violence and growing political turmoil are fueling the unprecedented exodus, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal.
Net Negative Migration for First Time Since Great Depression
The Journal reported that the US experienced net negative migration in 2025, meaning more people moved out of the country than moved in for the first time since the Great Depression. Analysts at the Brookings Institution estimated the country lost roughly 150,000 people overall last year.
While the Trump administration has touted the decline in immigration as proof its deportation enforcement is working, the Journal found that a growing number of native-born Americans are also choosing to relocate overseas permanently. 'The new American dream, for some of its citizens, is to no longer live there,' the publication wrote.
Millions of Americans Now Live Abroad
There is no precise government tally of Americans living abroad, but estimates cited by the Journal suggest between 4 million and 9 million US citizens now reside outside the country. Popular destinations include Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Mexico, Albania and Thailand, where Americans say they can access cheaper healthcare, safer schools and a higher quality of life.
Albania Emerges as Unlikely Hotspot
Albania has become an especially attractive option for Americans with modest means because it offers US citizens a special visa allowing them to live and work there for a year tax-free on foreign income, according to the Journal. One American expat told the newspaper it is possible to live there on just $1,000 a month.
Moving Abroad No Longer Just for Retirees
The report found that moving abroad is no longer limited to wealthy retirees or adventurous backpackers. Families with young children, students, divorced professionals and people living on Social Security or disability are increasingly relocating overseas to stretch their incomes.
More than 100,000 American students are currently enrolled in universities overseas, while applications for foreign citizenship and passports are surging. Americans filed a record 6,600 applications for British citizenship in the year ending March 2025, while an estimated 40,000 sought Irish passports last year. Ireland also welcomed 10,000 Americans in 2025, roughly double the number who moved there the year before.
Surge in Renouncing Citizenship
The US State Department is also facing a months-long backlog of Americans seeking to renounce their citizenship, either to obtain another passport or to avoid paying US taxes on foreign earnings, according to the Journal. Requests to give up US citizenship rose 48 percent in 2024 and continued rising in 2025, immigration attorneys told the newspaper.
Concerns Over School Shootings and Quality of Life
Many Americans cited concerns about school shootings as a major factor in their decision to leave. 'You don't face the prospect of your 5-year-old going into a kindergarten and doing an active shooter drill,' Chris Ford, a 41-year-old American living in Berlin, told the Journal. 'The wages are higher in the US but the quality of life is higher in Europe.' Others pointed to unaffordable housing, skyrocketing medical bills and increasing political polarization.
Growing Desire to Move Abroad
A 2024 Gallup survey cited by the Journal found that one in five Americans said they would like to move abroad permanently if given the chance, up from one in 10 during the 2008 financial crisis. Among women ages 15 to 44, that figure rose to 40 percent.
Relocation Companies See Boom
Relocation companies are cashing in on the boom. Expatsi, which helps Americans move overseas, has seen demand explode. Founder Jen Barnett told the Journal that her company ran just three scouting trips in 2024 but plans to organize 57 this year. 'Our goal is to move one million Americans,' Barnett said.
White House Response
The White House pushed back on the narrative, telling the Journal that the US economy continues to outperform other developed countries. Officials also said wealthy foreigners are still flocking to America, including applicants willing to pay $1 million for President Donald Trump's proposed Gold Card visa.
