Yzabelle Bostyn
AMERICANS are coming to Spain in droves to escape Donald Trump’s administration, but where are they shacking up?
Actor Richard Gere has become the figurehead of a new movement of Americans flocking to Spain to escape the ‘thug’ president, Donald Trump.
Part of the ‘Trump refugees’, US citizens are coming to Spain for safer communities, work life balance and high cultural offerings.
However, this shift has been happening since as early as 2008 and was only interrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Just after Covid-19, in 2022, over 13,000 Americans moved to Spain.
According to lawyer Federico Gonzalez, ‘many come here because they aren’t comfortable with the current political situation in the USA.’
He specialises in helping Americans settle in Spain, whether that be because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or because they simply do not agree with Trump’s politics.
“They are looking for the freedom and peace of mind they cannot find in some areas of the states. I’ve recently been receiving a lot more requests from trans people,” he said.
Last year, he dealt with 350 requests from US citizens interested in moving to Spain, an average of 12 a week. He says this year he is much busier.
According to Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, American immigrant Evaristo Jose Valle said many move to Spain ‘without really thinking it through.’
“Many come here without even knowing Spanish,” he said. “Despite this, most of the people I know are very happy here.”
Property experts, Pellicer y Heredia have claimed the reiteration of the Golden Visa is also accelerating the arrival of Americans on Spanish soil.
“We’re definitely getting more requests,” they told El Confidencial.
A study by property firm Astons also confirmed this trend, marking a 21.6% rise in searches for the term ‘Golden Visa Spain’ during January 2025.
However, this is less than half of the searches for ‘Golden Visa Greece’, another popular spot with Americans.
Most of these immigrants are from middle to upper class backgrounds, with an average annual income of €120-200,000 who work remotely.
Gonzalez claims while this is the norm, he has also helped retirees with pensions of between 60,000 or 80,000 euros, who come with assets of between five and 15 million euros.
This enables them to buy property in affluent areas such as the Costa del Sol, Valencia and Madrid.
“Normally they come to Madrid’s most premium areas such as Salamanca or Chamartin,” he said.
“They often run businesses back in the states and they like Madrid because of its urban vibe.”
In 2022, there were just 8,403 Americans registered in the capital, a figure which has now shot up to 11,444.
The city is now one of the most attractive places for US citizens to settle in southern Europe, thanks to its lower cost of living.
Immigrants also highlight the friendliness of Spaniards, Madrid’s cleanliness and the ease of being able to travel throughout Europe from the Spanish capital.
Many also come to the high cost of healthcare in the states, risks of wildfires and other natural disasters and safety.
