He first considered it in 2020, during the Covid pandemic. “At that point in time, the decision was political,” says 44-year-old Alexander. Four generations ago, his ancestors emigrated from Greece – specifically the Peloponnese – to the United States. Nearly 150 years later, Alexander has applied for Greek citizenship.
He, his parents and his grandparents were all born and raised in the United States. But they never forgot their roots. As a child, Alexander (who would only provide his first name) would go to the Greek church in Chicago on Sundays with his grandparents. Greece – its culture and traditions – was always present in his life, forming part of his identity. At his core, however, he was American, and proud of it. He had never imagined wanting a Greek passport – until Donald Trump became president.
Church and Theodorakis
During the Covid lockdowns, when, as he puts it, the situation in the United States was “awful,” the first thought crossed his mind: Could he obtain Greek citizenship?
From California, where he now lives, he traveled to New York, Ohio, and, of course, Chicago to gather legal documents spanning the past 150 years and to establish the genealogical line connecting him to his Greek ancestors.
Along the way, he discovered many things he had never known about his family’s history, grew closer to his roots, and came to cherish them even more. Today, he is a member of the choir at a Greek church in Los Angeles, where they sing the works of Mikis Theodorakis every week.
“I am a deeply democratic person,” Alexander says. He has submitted all the required documents and is now awaiting a response from the Ministry of Interior, which oversees the General Secretariat for Citizenship. “Something has fundamentally changed in the system of government. My desire is to live in a democratic country, to be in Europe,” he says. “And if I can do that in my ancestral home, then why not?”
A growing number of American citizens of Greek descent are applying for Greek citizenship, according to data from the General Secretariat for Citizenship obtained by Kathimerini. In 2021, 298 applications were submitted; by 2025, that number had climbed to 749 – a 151% increase. But what is driving this potential reverse migration, decades after their families first left?
“Many Greek Americans are seeking citizenship through their ancestors,” Greek-American lawyer Maria Davari tells Kathimerini. According to sources, even Greek-American actress Jennifer Aniston has shown interest, requesting information through her representative, who contacted Greek authorities around six months ago.
Motivations among the diaspora vary. “Some people are concerned about the political situation in the United States, while others want to reconnect with their Greek heritage – many also hope to retire in Greece,” she adds.
More than doubled
In recent years, the workload of Olga Kallergi, a lawyer based in Athens and a member of the New York Bar Association, has more than doubled – and she stresses that this is a conservative estimate. “Ninety-nine percent of my work is for the Greek diaspora.”
Her clients mostly come from major US cities, “not so much from rural areas.” They are educated, between roughly 25 and 60 years old, and predominantly second- or third-generation immigrants. “About one-third of those seeking a second citizenship cite concerns about the direction the United States is heading, due to political developments,” Kallergi says. She believes the actual proportion is even higher.
“We saw a sharp increase during Donald Trump’s first term and again just before his second election – and not all of them are Democrats,” she adds. “I have clients who traditionally voted Republican but no longer feel represented by the ideology Trump promotes.”
One of them, 58-year-old comedian and actor Ant, says that he is an independent voter and has supported two Republican presidents in the past – but he could not support Trump. He first began considering Greek citizenship when Trump was initially elected, but only started the passport process when he realized Trump would run for the presidency again.
“I wanted an exit strategy. Before Trump, I visited Greece but never thought about obtaining citizenship or moving there,” says Ant, whose parents both emigrated from Greece to the United States in the 1960s.
He received his Greek passport last September and, in the meantime, has been steadily improving his Greek. “If things get really bad in the US, I’ll move to Greece,” he says. His mother owns a house on Lesvos. “I’m already looking to buy another property – maybe a house or a hotel – so I can open it when I retire.”
Return to the roots
For others, politics played no role. For a 32-year-old third-generation immigrant living in New York, who wishes to remain anonymous, the desire for Greek citizenship arose about a decade ago – not because of Trump. “It was really about formalizing a connection that’s always been present in my life. It was a way to connect more deeply with my roots, and I wanted to get citizenship for my child as well, to ensure that Greece would remain a living part of our family,” he explains.
Similarly, 55-year-old Theodora Miller, whose mother immigrated to the United States in the late 1960s, did not begin the process of obtaining Greek citizenship with politics in mind.
Her mother died in 2016 and Miller later visited Greece with her American father in 2021, because he was ill and knew he would not have the chance to return to the country he loved as his homeland. It was then that she realized it was now her responsibility to keep the Greek traditions and cultural heritage alive within the family. She recalled the summers she spent as a child with her grandparents in Greece, and the beauty of those moments. She decided she wanted to offer her own grandchildren the same experience.
In addition to Miller, an artist living in Washington, all three of her children have also applied for a Greek passport. And although her own motivation was not – at least initially – political, she now takes comfort in knowing that her children will have, as she says, “options.”
“We don’t know how the political situation will evolve, so I’m glad they will have other options, especially since I have two daughters. Things change so quickly, and Greek citizenship will give them greater flexibility for the future,” she says.
Crowds at the consulates
Both the former general secretary for citizenship, Athanasios Balermpas, and the current secretary, Dimitris Karnavos, say that in recent years demand for Greek citizenship has soared – so much so that consulates are “struggling,” according to Balermpas. “Of course, after President Trump’s election, many people have wanted the passport,” he notes, referring to members of the Greek diaspora in the US, though both emphasize that political reasons are not the only factor.
The officials also highlight measures the government has taken to reach out to Greeks abroad seeking citizenship. “The government has made numerous efforts, including personal contacts and outreach tours,” Karnavos adds.
Since the start of the year, the General Secretariat for Citizenship has maintained a regular column in the diaspora newspaper The National Herald. Published twice a month, the column aims to answer readers’ questions about citizenship matters, which Karnavos says are numerous.
Other initiatives include providing detailed informational leaflets in both English and Greek, and offering supporting materials for Greeks abroad through the National Registry of Administrative Procedures, also available in both languages. “The government has recognized how vital the Greek diaspora is as a bridge for our country,” Karnavos emphasizes.
“There is a sense of nostos,” he adds, noting that most recent applicants are fourth- and fifth-generation immigrants. “People are searching for their roots.”