Why thousands of Americans are giving up their citizenship
A Decade in New Zealand
Why thousands of Americans are giving – Erin Klatt, now a New Zealand citizen, made the decision to leave the United States a decade ago. After arriving on a working holiday visa in 2016, she spent six months in New Zealand before realizing her goal to settle permanently. Her reasons were deeply personal and political, driven by a desire for a different life and dissatisfaction with the direction of the U.S. under President Trump. By 2025, Klatt had found stable work in the dairy industry, a field she was familiar with from her Wisconsin roots, and secured a skills-based visa that allowed her to remain in the country. This opportunity also led her to meet her future husband, an Englishman living and working in New Zealand. Together, they completed the citizenship process in May 2025, marking the end of their American ties.
Renouncing Citizenship as a Political Act
Klatt’s choice to renounce her U.S. citizenship came shortly after the State Department lowered the fee by 80%, which dropped to $2,350. She paid this amount before taking an oath to formally sever her connection to the nation. The timing of her decision coincided with the outbreak of the Iran war, which she felt amplified its political significance. “I never felt overly patriotic or connected to the country,” Klatt said, adding that the tax obligations and national policies of the U.S. had long made her question her allegiance.
“I never felt overly patriotic or connected to the country,” Klatt said, and she had long been dismayed by the direction of the United States under President Trump.
Tracking the Trend of Renunciations
While official government data on U.S. citizenship renunciations remains elusive, the Treasury Department releases quarterly IRS reports. These reports, however, lack consolidated annual figures, making it hard to gauge the full scope of the trend. According to Americans Overseas, a group that monitors expatriations, 4,889 individuals were listed in the 2025 reports—a record since 2020, when the number surged to 6,705. The organization claims the count is likely underreported, as many expatriates don’t appear in the official data. Daan Durlacher, co-founder of Americans Overseas, noted that the group now advises around 40,000 U.S. citizens worldwide, many holding dual nationality.
“These numbers are not complete, and I don’t know why,” said Durlacher, a dual Dutch and U.S. citizen born in the Netherlands to an American mother.
The Formal Process of Renouncing
Renouncing U.S. citizenship is a structured, legal procedure. It requires extensive paperwork and an in-person oath before a consular officer at an embassy or consulate abroad. Klatt found the process challenging, as she struggled to get assistance after contacting a government email in August 2025. She didn’t receive a response until October, when she submitted the necessary forms. “You have to contact the consulate or embassy in the country where you live, and then wait,” Durlacher explained, noting that the wait can stretch to six to nine months. Klatt relied on online communities like Facebook groups for guidance, which proved invaluable in navigating the steps. By early March 2026, she had secured an appointment at the U.S. consulate in Auckland to finalize her renunciation, paying the $2,350 fee upon arrival.
