Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
AMERICANS have flooded into Spain to escape Donald Trump’s administration. But where are they staying?
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.
The Coronavirus pandemic only interrupted this trend that began as early as 2008.
After Covid-19, approximately 13,000 Americans are expected to move to Spain in 2022.
According to lawyer Federico Gonzalez, ‘many come here because they aren’t comfortable with the current political situation in the USA.’
He specializes in helping Americans move to Spain, regardless of whether they are gay, transgender, or don’t agree with Trump.
They are seeking the freedom and peace they can’t find in certain areas of the United States. He said that he has recently received more requests from people who identify as transgender.
He received 350 requests last year from US citizens who wanted to move to Spain. That’s 12 per week on average. He claims that this year is busier.
According to a Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, American immigrant Evaristo Jose Valle said many move to Spain ‘without really thinking it through.’
“Many people arrive here without knowing Spanish,” said he. “Most of the people that I know love it here, despite this.”
Pellicer y Heredia are property experts who claim the Golden Visa has been re-issued to speed up the arrival of Americans in Spain.
“We definitely get more requests,” they said. 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 says that while this is normal, he’s also helped retirees who have pensions between 60,000 and 80,000 euros with assets between five to 15 million euro.
It allows them to purchase property in wealthy areas like the Costa del Sol or Madrid.
He said that “normally they go to the most exclusive areas of Madrid, such as Salamanca and Chamartin.”
They like Madrid’s urban vibe because they often run businesses in the US.
In 2022 only 8,403 Americans were registered in the Capital. That number has risen to 1144.
Due to its lower costs of living, the city has become one of the most popular places in southern Europe for US citizens.
The cleanliness of Madrid, the friendliness and ease of travel in Europe from Madrid are also highlighted by immigrants.
Many people also mention the high costs of healthcare, the risks of wildfires or other natural disasters as well as safety.
