America is Changing: Why “Citizenship or Residency for Safety” Is Becoming a Strategy for Affluent People

Clients seeking citizenship by investment from the United States have distinct priorities that clearly set them apart from applicants coming from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. We understand this firsthand—because we are Americans.

From the moment our CEO was born in Washington to the experience of our VP of Business Development, who grew up in Boston, and our marketing lead, born in Miami—through to a team of specialists trained in the U.S. and working in the Caribbean: Apex Capital Partners is one of the few investment migration firms that is fully American-owned and American-managed, and also holds licenses to represent clients’ interests before government authorities.

This is fundamentally different from how marketing agencies typically operate. In their case, preparation and submission of citizenship or residency applications are usually handled through a licensed agent.

Our work is built around understanding the needs of American clients specifically—so much so that last May we commissioned a survey of 1,733 Americans earning more than $200,000 to better understand how wealthy Americans assess the country’s situation and global mobility.

The results pointed to a worrying trend: nearly 61% are open to considering a move to another country within the next 5 years. The main drivers are economic concerns and a deteriorating political climate. 31% of respondents described the U.S. economy as weak, while only 19% called it strong. An important takeaway: 63% said they are considering diversifying assets outside the U.S.

Personal experience leads us to a simple conclusion: countries change—and America is no exception.

As journalist Stephen Marche writes in The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future: “Many Americans, as well as many beyond America, once believed that the United States was like no other country… We learn that America is only part of the story: it rises and falls like the rest.”

Apex CEO Nuri Katz lived in Moscow for more than 20 years and saw the effects of political instability and hyperinflation “from the inside.” Today, he notes similar scenarios in the U.S.—ones that he also witnessed in Russia in the early 1990s.

In his view, those Russians who went through change more resiliently were able to embrace the new reality in time and adjust their personal and financial plans accordingly. As a result, Katz helped many Russians relocate to Canada and then secure an alternative citizenship.

VP of Business Development Dan Brotman arrived in South Africa shortly after the 2010 FIFA World Cup—an era of economic stability and optimism. Over 11 years, the South African rand lost about half its value, and corruption became so systemic that power and water outages gradually turned into something close to a near-daily norm.

Based on consultations with American clients, we identified three key differences that set them apart from applicants in other regions:

More People Are Looking for a “Plan B”: Why Demand Is Growing

1) Visa-free travel is not the main motivation

Americans already hold one of the strongest passports in the world. So when they consider a second citizenship, it’s usually not only about travel—they’re thinking about a country they could theoretically relocate to—permanently or partially—if the situation in the U.S. changes.

2) Investment migration is still a relatively new concept for the U.S.

The idea of citizenship and residency through investment has become familiar to many Americans only in recent years. Growing uncertainty—political, economic, and geopolitical—over the last few years has led affluent Americans to study these scenarios systematically for the first time. For applicants from other countries, alternative citizenship via ancestry, naturalization, or investment is often a more established practice.

3) Expertise and service matter more than the lowest fee

American clients typically place more emphasis on competence and quality of guidance. They are less price-sensitive and more likely to choose specialists who directly represent the client’s interests before government authorities. It’s also important that they understand: marketing know-how alone isn’t enough. Just like choosing a lawyer, the first thing that matters is professional capability and the ability to deliver results.

Every day, we advise clients whose priorities, questions, and expectations differ significantly from those of applicants in other regions. These observations shape our guidance strategy and how we forecast market developments over the coming years.

All Metrics Point to Growing Demand: What Demand Trends Say

We expect that the launch of the Citizenship by Investment program in Argentina may attract American investors.

Argentina is appealing for several reasons: a convenient time zone for North America, a strong international reputation, business opportunities, and a lifestyle that many Americans find familiar and easy to understand.

More and more Americans see in Argentina traits that were previously associated with separate European countries: political and social stability, high quality of life, and an attractive lifestyle. Taken together, these factors can turn the country into a realistic “Plan B” for those seeking an alternative path.

As the U.S. moves toward midterm elections and political, economic, and social disagreements continue to deepen, we believe demand among Americans looking to obtain alternative citizenship will keep rising.

For many people, a second citizenship is not only about mobility. It’s a kind of insurance—a diversification strategy and peace of mind that there’s another place they can call home if circumstances require change.

You can read our 2026 Expatriation Report here. You can also visit our website to learn about the options available.

If you’re considering citizenship or residency by investment as a “just in case” plan, the key is working with a team that understands real-world investor scenarios and cross-market specifics. At Apex Capital Partners, we help high-net-worth clients build a mobility strategy aligned with their goals, timelines, and expectations—from opportunity assessment to support throughout the process and communication with government bodies. Learn more about investment migration: https://digital-nomad.gr/en/goldenvisa

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr