LONDON -- US applications for British citizenship hit a record high in the first quarter of 2025, according to data published by the Home Office on Thursday.

More than 1,930 US citizens applied for British citizenship in the first three months of 2025, the highest quarterly total since records began and a 12 percent rise from the previous quarter, the data showed.

"People are leaving because of fear, frustration and financial security. Beyond that is a deeper fear about personal safety," Ono Okeregha, director of the Immigration Advice Service, a law firm, told the Financial Times.

It is believed that US political instability, particularly the US government's tariff threats, has led to a surge in inquiries about British citizenship, with particular strong interest from US professionals.