The Numbers Tell a Story
At LuxCitizenship, we specialize in helping Americans with ancestors from Luxembourg claim dual citizenship through ancestry.
We were founded in November 2016, and to date, we have helped over 3,000 Americans in this process to obtain an EU passport.
The way that we come into contact with our prospective clients is through the free automated Luxembourg dual citizenship eligibility test on our website. For the last several years, about 700 people a year would take this eligibility test.
The data and responses from our eligibility tests started to reveal a striking trend beginning in January 2024 of an intense increase in Americans wanting to move abroad. Overall interest in Luxembourg citizenship started to surge dramatically—growing 47% from 741 submissions in 2023 to 1,141 in 2025 (through September 15th).
To complete the eligibility test, each potential applicant has to answer a number of questions to help us understand their profile. One question allows us to subtly understand who of our clients may be part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“I am interested in content and information about dual citizenship for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Since this option was added on July 21, 2022, the percentage of prospective clients selecting this LGBTQ+ option has increased by 30%, with the most accented growth occurring starting around 15 days before the 2024 election.
The trajectory is unmistakable:
- 2022: 31 applicants selected LGBTQ+ interest (9.5% of 325 total)
- 2023: 68 applicants selected LGBTQ+ interest (9.2% of 741 total)
- 2024: 115 applicants selected LGBTQ+ interest (11.3% of 1,020 total)
- 2025: 140 applicants selected LGBTQ+ interest (12.3% of 1,141 total through September)
Voices from the Data: Personal Stories of Fear and Hope
The individual responses collected by LuxCitizenship paint a deeply human picture of a community under siege. These aren’t abstract statistics—they’re real people making difficult decisions about their futures and their families’ safety.
The Political Awakening
One applicant crystallizes the sentiment driving many applications: “I am a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and believe that Luxembourg citizenship would create options for me and my husband if the political environment in the united states continues to shift.” This measured language of creating “options” reflects the careful planning of people who see the writing on the wall.
Others are more direct about their fears. A public school teacher from Iowa reveals the immediate impact: “I am a member of the LGBTQ+ community and public schools teacher. The current political climate is having a direct negative impact on my ability to live my life free of discrimination. My state, Iowa, has just voted to remove gender identity from our civil rights law and I fear sexual orientation will be next.”
The Urgency of Transgender Americans
The transgender community’s responses carry particular urgency. One trans applicant states bluntly: “As a member of the LGBT community, and more specifically the trans community, I no longer desire to remain in the United States and yearn for a more accepting environment.” Another is even more succinct: “I feel America isn’t a safe place for trans people like myself.”
This aligns with broader trends, as a Williams Institute study finds that up to 288,000 undocumented LGBT immigrants are likely to be among the first affected by President Trump’s immigration policies, creating additional pressure on those who can legally seek alternative citizenship.
Parents Protecting Their Children
Perhaps most poignant are the parents seeking to protect their LGBTQ+ children. One parent simply states: “I want to be able to have a possible refuge for my trans child.” Another elaborates: “Several of my children are lgbtqia and I am very worried for their safety and well-being in this country and I feel the need to protect them.”
A third parent reveals the multi-generational impact: “Two of my kids are LGBTQ+ and are very interested in life in Luxembourg.” These parents aren’t just planning escape routes—they’re involving their children in imagining different futures.
The Luxembourg Appeal: More Than Just Safety
While safety concerns dominate the responses, applicants consistently highlight Luxembourg’s positive attributes that make it an attractive destination beyond mere refuge.
Legal Protections and Social Acceptance
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Luxembourg since January 1, 2015, with comprehensive anti-discrimination protections in employment since 2006, and legal gender change rights without restrictions since 2018. One applicant captures this appeal: “Luxembourg values diversity, equity and inclusion… we want to live somewhere where all walks of life are seen as valuable and cherished.”
Cultural and Practical Attractions
Beyond legal protections, respondents frequently mention Luxembourg’s multilingual culture, public transportation, environmental policies, and work-life balance. An environmentally conscious applicant notes: “Luxembourg’s values and laws align with my own better than America’s seem to… Laws relating to privacy and LGBT rights specifically are much stronger in Luxembourg than they are in the USA.”
The Broader Context: A Community in Crisis
These individual stories reflect broader national trends. A Harris Poll survey found that 42% of U.S. adults have considered relocating outside the country, with the number rising to 63% among Gen Z. Recent reporting describes a “worrying trend” of Americans heading for the exits amid Trump’s second term.
For the LGBTQ+ community specifically, the concerns aren’t theoretical. The ACLU documents how the first Trump administration pursued “a sustained, years-long effort to erase protections for LGBTQ people across the entire federal government,” with promises to “go even further” in a second term.
The “Backup Plan” Generation
What emerges from the LuxCitizenship data is a community that’s learned to think strategically about survival. One applicant articulates this mindset: “Given the current administration of the United States, and as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I think it is prudent to have a backup plan should things go further south.”
Another echoes this theme: “I understand the turbulent times and given the current administration of the United States, and as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I think it is prudent to have a backup plan should things go further south.”
This isn’t panic—it’s preparation. These are people who watched the first Trump administration, observed the policy trajectory, and decided to secure options before they might desperately need them.
Some responses capture the raw fear driving these decisions. One person wrote simply: “USA is becoming very dangerous of LGBTQIA people. And I’m scared.” Another stated: “I am an individual who a part of the LGBTQIA+ community and I’m scared of the political climate of the US.”
The Intersection of Heritage and Safety
Many respondents weave together ancestral connections and safety concerns, creating a narrative where seeking Luxembourg citizenship becomes both a return to roots and an escape to safety. One applicant captures this duality: “I want to reclaim and foster connection to my ancestral homeland. As a regular traveler, and also a member of the LGBT community, I am looking for welcoming and affirming environment to pursue a future that authentically bridges with my past.”
Another adds a poignant family dimension: “My father recently died and he was very proud of his Luxembourg heritage. It feels like the right way to honor my father, and our ancestors, and reclaim that heritage. I am also interested in helping my LGBTQ+ nieces and nephews explore this option.”
The Spectrum of Motivation
The responses reveal a broad spectrum of concerns and motivations. A gay man wrote eloquently: “I am gay man and I have a cosmopolitan soul. My home country seems to have entered a new, frightening, authoritarian era, and while I do not want to abandon it, I need to know that I have a place of refuge.”
Others focus on specific policy concerns. One person wrote: “America is getting a little scary right now,” while another noted their interest in “family lineage and LGBTQIA+ equity.”
The applications also reveal how couples and families are making these decisions together. One applicant wrote: “I want to be a citizen of Luxembourg because I want to connect with my heritage and because I’m nervous about staying in the United States as an LGBTQ+ person.”
Looking Forward: What the Data Suggests
The 30% increase in LGBTQ+ representation among Luxembourg citizenship seekers represents more than a statistical anomaly—it’s a canary in the coal mine of American democracy. When 12.3% of people seeking alternative citizenship select the LGBTQ+ interest option—representing a community that comprises approximately 7.2% of the U.S. population—it signals both the acute vulnerability of this group and their proactive response to perceived threats.
The individual stories reveal a community that’s not waiting for conditions to become unbearable. They’re acting now, while they still can, to secure options for themselves and their families. Luxembourg, with its strong legal protections, multilingual culture, and EU membership, represents not just safety but the possibility of a different kind of life entirely.
As one applicant eloquently puts it: “My home country seems to have entered a new, frightening, authoritarian era, and while I do not want to abandon it, I need to know that I have a place of refuge.”
The great exodus may have only just begun, but the data shows it’s already well underway.
Analysis based on LuxCitizenship eligibility test submissions from July 2022 through September 2025, including multiple choice question responses and open-ended responses to the prompt, “Complete this phase. I want to be a citizen of Luxembourg because…” Article written by Daniel Atz, Founder.
About The Author
Daniel Atz is the founder of Connaissance Solutions LLC, a New York-based business operating several websites in the global mobility space, including: LuxCitizenship.com, Citizenship.EU, StartBrazil.com, AmericanEmigration.com. Daniel is also the Founding Producer of Connaissance Films, a New York and Luxembourg-based documentary film production company with its f. Daniel is also a public speaker on AI, migration, and policy. Before becoming an entrepreneur Daniel helped hundreds of Belgian startup founders in their businesses’ US market entry while working at BelCham, the Belgian-American Chamber of Commerce. In Luxembourg, Daniel is well known for having participated a TV show on the national broadcaster RTL where he met his long-lost family. Daniel speaks 5 languages – English, French, Mandarin, Portuguese and Luxembourgish – and has lived in 8 countries.
Connaissance Solutions LLC is a nationally-recognized LGBT Business Enterprise.
