Romania, a magnet for Americans fleeing Trump's USA. “The American Dream Ain't What It Was”
Romania is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for Americans who want to relocate, as more and more people choose to leave the US and move to Eastern Europe, attracted by the low costs, safety and more flexible conditions for obtaining citizenship.
More and more Americans are relocating to Romania PHOTO CNAB
It's no surprise that European Union states, particularly France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, are a top choice for immigrants. However, experts have noticed a growing interest in less frequented European destinations, especially countries in Eastern Europe, Central Europe and the Baltic states. Among them is Romania, along with Bulgaria, Slovakia, Poland, Albania and Estonia, notes CNN.
“The American Dream Ain't What It Was”
Americans' desire to move abroad is at record levels: One in five say they would ideally like to emigrate if given the chance, according to a 2025 Gallup poll — and the number of young women who want to leave has quadrupled since a similar survey in 2014.
While some highly popular countries such as Italy, Portugal and France continue to tighten immigration regulations, others in Eastern Europe offer attractive options for relocation, such as tax incentives and more flexible conditions for obtaining citizenship, experts say.
Dragoș Poede, executive director of Door to Romania, a company that supports individuals and companies to relocate to the former Eastern bloc, says he has directly observed this growth. He told CNN that his Bucharest-based firm has seen a fivefold increase in the number of US clients — from about 200 to about 1,000 — interested in moving in the past 18 months.
“When people ask us “Why do your customers choose Romania?”, many expect a complicated answer or some hidden secret”says Poede. In reality, however, the answer depends “everyday factors, essential elements without which it is difficult to enjoy life: safety in public spaces, access to a quality health system, education, tax level, business environment, a very low cost of living”.
Many of the American clients also talk about the feeling of insecurity or lack of safety in their own country “for political reasons”.
“They understand that the American dream is not what it used to be”Poede adds.
Many go back to their origins
An example of those who found refuge in our country is the New Yorker Antoni Scarano. When he visited Romania in 2019, it was the first time he returned to his native country after the 90s. As a newborn, Scarano, now 34, was among the tens of thousands of Romanian children adopted by US families after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Around 2017, with the help of a Facebook group, Scarano managed to find his family in Romania, including his biological mother, siblings and grandmother.
Two years later, Scarano and his wife, Samantha Attaguile, arrived in a small village in Transylvania on a sunny spring day to meet their relatives — who gave them, as he says, “the special Eastern European treatment.”
In May 2024, after months of preparations, documents and steps to obtain identity documents, a residence permit and regain Romanian citizenship, the two moved from New York to a village in Sibiu County, in Transylvania. “It's an idyllic place, with mountains, old forests, churches — a truly magical space, full of spirit and energy,” says Scarano.
“In terms of acceptance of origin claims, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania stand out”said Ted Baumann, director of global diversification at International Living, a magazine and online platform dedicated to living abroad. “Their policies do not impose a generation limit. Applications targeting great-grandparents or even further generations are routinely approved.”
The two plan to eventually buy a home in Romania, and until then they're enjoying the freedom of a less busy work schedule: Scarano is a full-time musician and festival organizer, and Attaguile teaches English. They also spend more time on their shared passion for music and recently appeared on the show “Romanians have Talent”: Scarano on guitar, and Attaguile as vocal soloist.
“In the United States we didn't even have time to think about pursuing these passions, and here we actually get paid to sing, which is a gift and a privilege”says Attaguile.
