Study reveals Brexit influenced UK citizens’ perceptions of dual-citizenship, so what will a minority government do?

Study reveals Brexit influenced UK citizens’ perceptions of dual-citizenship, so what will a minority government do?

One year on from the Brexit announcement, an uncertain political environment following last week’s results at the UK General Election brings the topic of second citizenship back to the fore.

A recent study conducted by CS Global Partners reveals UK citizens were drawn to the prospect of dual-citizenship following the Brexit decision, with a staggering 81% willing to invest their income in exchange for the privilege. But will the current uncertainty rising from the Conservative’s challenge to form Government factor in a citizen’s decision to look at alternative citizenship options?

Interestingly, 89% of UK citizens who completed the recent survey would like to have a second citizenship, with 58.46% of those participants admitting Brexit or another specific event had been a motivating factor for their research. Of the findings, CS Global CEO Micha-Rose Emmett believes “the results indicate that people are looking now more than ever for certainty and security amid a landscape of economic and political change.”

Surprisingly, 15% of survey participants said they would be willing to invest half their annual salary to become a citizen of a second country, and over 80% would be comfortable donating 5% of their annual income. The survey showed that three in four participants believed that a second passport meant freedom: the ability to travel and explore the world.

Second citizenship: an insurance policy against political change

Emmett believes the arguable instability and uncertainty sparked from a minority government could reinvigorate the conversation for second citizenship:

“Brexit has clearly had an influence on the UK’s views on citizenship and I believe the current political context stimulates similar discussion. It has always been our advice however to act preventively in the face of potential uncertainty: a second citizenship is an insurance policy against socio-political change.”

The results revealed Australia to be the number one nation of choice for dual-citizenship, followed closely by USA, then Canada and Germany. Lifestyle was an overriding motivation to belong to these countries.

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