US consulates worldwide are experiencing unprecedented waiting times as Americans seek to renounce their citizenship, with some locations reporting backlogs exceeding 14 months. The London consulate currently has a waiting list of more than 14 months, while Sydney and major Canadian cities show similar delays. Many European cities have waiting lists of approximately six months.

The process of renouncing US citizenship is both time-consuming and expensive, often taking more than a year to complete and costing thousands of dollars. Those seeking to renounce must appear in person at a US consulate, swear under oath that they understand the consequences of their decision, confirm they are not being coerced, and declare they are not renouncing citizenship for tax avoidance purposes.

Separately, Canada has opened a new pathway to citizenship for individuals who can demonstrate they have a Canadian-born ancestor. The program has attracted significant interest from Americans, with thousands already applying for this ancestry-based route to Canadian citizenship.

The timing of these citizenship-related activities coincides with Donald Trump's return to the presidency, though official statistics on the exact number of applications and the reasons behind them have not been released by relevant government agencies. The renunciation process requires individuals to travel to consulates with availability, with some Americans seeking appointments in locations like Belgium due to shorter waiting times.