American emigrants to other countries are a small slice of the overall U.S. population, heavily skewed toward specific groups. Obtaining long-term residency abroad is difficult for most ordinary Americans without family ties, ancestry, marriage, or high skills.
Then we get this 100% fake news item from an actual news organization:
The photo, purporting to be of the US, is actually from Ukraine.
Reliable estimates put the number of U.S. citizens living abroad at roughly 4–5.5 million (civilian, excluding or separating military), or about 1.2–1.6% of the total U.S. population (~340+ million).
- The oft-cited 9 million (or ~3%) figure from the State Department around 2016 has been widely criticized as inflated and unreliable. It reportedly included temporary travelers, long-term tourists, and was geared toward contingency planning rather than actual residents. The State Department has since stepped back from actively using it.
- More credible sources: Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO) ~5.5 million (as of late 2024/2025); Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) ~4.4 million in 2022 (voting-age civilians). Independent analyses cluster in the 4–5.5 million range.
This has grown modestly over time but remains low as a percentage.
Recent Emigration
In 2025, estimates of U.S. citizens emigrating (permanent or long-term moves) reached ~150,000–180,000+, contributing to the first net negative overall migration in decades. This is a record recent high but still modest relative to the population. The potential that the US population shrinks is due primarily to a large net outflow due to recent immigration enforcement. An estimated 600,000+ unauthorized immigrants have been deported, and over 2 million have voluntarily left the U.S. which has offered free air flights and cash grants to leave.
Composition of Outbound Emigrants
- Military personnel and families: Often 200,000–350,000+ stationed abroad at any time (active duty rotations, most are not “emigrants”).
- Students: Significant temporary flow for study abroad.
- Retirees: A notable group, especially to places like Mexico (hundreds of thousands), Portugal, Spain, etc., drawn by cost of living and visas. Up to nearly 40% of Americans living abroad live in Mexico or Canada; just 20% live in Europe.
- Skilled professionals: Well-educated STEM, healthcare, engineering, finance, and tech workers. Many on temporary or work visas; estimates suggest skilled migrants form a disproportionate share of longer-term civilian moves.
- Work visas: A minority overall—15–20% range for certain cohorts is reasonable, as many moves are via other channels (ancestry, marriage, retirement visas, digital nomad programs, or self-funded).
Barriers to entry: Most countries prioritize skilled workers, investors, family reunification, or ancestry (e.g., Ireland/Italy for descendants, Portugal’s D7/Golden Visa, etc.). Ordinary middle-class Americans without these often face strict income, language, or qualification hurdles for permanent residency. Dual citizenship or marriage remains a common pathway.
In the broader net migration picture the 2025 reversal was overwhelmingly driven by sharp drops in inbound non-citizen immigration plus enforced/voluntary departures of non-citizens—not a massive surge in U.S. citizen emigration (though citizen outflows did hit notable highs).