The Importance of a “Plan B” Passport

It's not a good time to be a Russian.

The European Parliament this week approved a ban on the granting of investment-based visas and passports to Russian citizens. Caribbean islands that sell citizenships have also cut off Russians at the insistence of the EU and US.

Of course, this also hurts the countries who sell residency and citizenship. Russians have long been one of the biggest buyers of these migration products.

There is no mystery behind these moves. Russia invaded one of its neighbors, the first major ground war in Europe since World War II. It's been accused of a litany of human rights violations and war crimes. The country's government constantly threatens Europe with everything from an energy boycott to nuclear war.

On the other hand, you have to feel for ordinary Russians. Although many support their country’s attack on Ukraine, there are plenty of Russians who abhor what their government is doing and want to flee the country.

Sadly for them, that's the way citizenship works: if your country has done something wrong in the eyes of others, you get punished too.

Could it happen here? Could holding an American passport become a liability someday?

In some places, it already is. When I worked for a large US based nonprofit, I traveled to several countries where US passport holders required expensive and complicated visas, and faced harassment at customs. But I was able to sail through with no problem because I travelled on my South African passport.

But those were places in Asia and Africa where the US is not well thought of. Could something like that happen in Europe or Latin America?

It certainly could. Americans are able to travel freely because the US has seen as an important ally that cooperates with other countries economically, politically, and in defense matters. In Europe, for example, the US-led NATO alliance is critical, since it allows Europe to develop peacefully. US-EU trade is a win-win for both parties.

Let's say, for example, that a future US government decides to turn its back on the rest of the world. An administration hikes tariffs on European imports, crippling industries there. Perhaps it decides to scale back US support for NATO or leave altogether. A crackdown on illegal immigration leads to accusations of human rights abuses.

In those scenarios, it's entirely possible that Americans could go from welcome friends to undesirable outsiders. I know it seems like a long shot now… but so did closing the country's borders due to a global pandemic. That taught us that anything can happen.

Now, there are thousands of Russians living permanently all over Europe. That's because they got residency or a second citizenship before their country went off the rails. They now have legal rights that aren't available to their compatriots back at home.

A recent Washington Post article quoted European citizenship and residency advisors who had seen inquiries from Americans increase by over 300% in the last few years.

The CEO of an Italian ancestral citizenship consultancy says “US demand for passports is often the first move for many in a long-term plan to seek a new home in Italy or elsewhere in the European Union, rather than a sign of imminent emigration. The majority is still not ready to move but is getting ready, just in case.”

In other words, like far-sighted Russians before their country invaded Ukraine, increasing numbers of Americans are looking for a second passport to protect their personal rights to travel and live abroad against potential developments at home. They’re not yet ready to leave the country, but they want to be able to do so if and when it becomes necessary.

And if worse comes to worse, they'll be able to do so… but only because they started planning for it now.