US President Donald Trump’s new “Gold Card” visa program has gone live, offering a fast track to US permanent residency for foreigners willing to pay at least $1 million to the US government, plus hefty processing fees. The move is being hailed by the administration as a way to attract top talent and billions in revenue, and condemned by critics as a “green card for sale” scheme that rewrites the rules of US immigration for the ultra-wealthy.
What Exactly Is Trump’s ‘Gold Card’?
The
Trump Gold Card is a new immigration program that grants
US permanent residence (a green card) through existing EB‑1 or EB‑2 visa categories in exchange for a very large “gift” to the US Treasury.
Key structure of the program:
-
Legal basis: Created by a
September 19, 2025 executive order aiming to “facilitate the entry of aliens” who make a “significant financial gift to the Nation.”
-
Core idea: Pay the US government and, if vetted and approved, get
expedited EB‑1 (extraordinary ability) or
EB‑2 National Interest Waiver permanent residence.
-
Official framing: The administration calls it a way to bring in the “world’s most successful entrepreneurs and investors” and keep “invaluable talent” in America.
This is not an investment fund or job-creation project like the old EB‑5 program—it is
direct payment to the US Treasury framed as a donation.
How Much Does the Trump Gold Card Cost?
The numbers are staggering, and they don’t stop with the main applicant.
According to official details gathered by immigration law firm Fragomen and news outlets:
| Category | Upfront DHS Fee | Required “Gift” to US Treasury | Notes |
|---------|-----------------|---------------------------------|-------|
|
Individual applicant |
$15,000 (non‑refundable) |
$1,000,000 | For principal applicant only |
|
Corporate sponsor |
$15,000 per employee |
$2,000,000 per sponsored employee | Employer pays to sponsor a foreign worker |
|
Each dependent (spouse/child under 21) |
$15,000 |
$1,000,000 | Same donation as principal, per family member |
So a family of four applying together could be looking at:
-
$60,000 in processing fees-
$4,000,000 in “donations”—and that’s before standard visa fees, medical exams, and other costs.
Fragomen notes that the requirement that
each dependent must also pay the $1 million donation and
$15,000 fee is a new and significant detail that only recently appeared on the government’s Trump Card website.
How the Application Process Works
The program is being run through a dedicated government website,
trumpcard.gov, with a streamlined but high-stakes process.
3.
Security & eligibility vettingThe Department of Homeland Security conducts background, admissibility, and security checks.
4.
Pay the $1–2 million “gift”If preliminarily approved:
- Individual applicants pay
$1,000,000- Corporate sponsors pay
$2,000,000 per employeePayment is made to the US Treasury through
pay.gov and bank transfers.
5.
Immigrant visa processing- A special petition form (Form
I‑140G) can then be approved once the donation is received.
- Applicants will generally
appear at a US consulate abroad for an interview before their immigrant visa is issued.
- Once admitted, they enter as
lawful permanent residents.
The administration’s website promises processing
“in weeks”, though legal analysts warn that consular processing alone often takes
several months, and some countries may face
waits of up to a year or more due to visa availability limits.
What Does the Gold Card Actually Give You?
The benefits are significant—and that’s precisely why the program is so controversial.
According to official descriptions and legal analysis:
-
Permanent residency (green card):Gold Card holders are admitted under:
-
EB‑1 (extraordinary ability) or
-
EB‑2 National Interest Waiver categories.
-
Path to citizenship:Trump has promoted the program as a
“direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people,” touting it as “SO EXCITING!” in social media posts.
-
Family reunification:Spouses and unmarried children under 21 can apply as derivatives—though each must pay
their own full donation and fees.
-
Business and work freedom:As green card holders, Gold Card immigrants can:
- Live and work anywhere in the US
- Change jobs freely
- Start companies or invest as they wish
-
Tax obligations:Gold Card holders, as US permanent residents, are
subject to US tax on worldwide income, just like any other green card holder.
-
Revocation risks:Status can be
revoked for:
- Serious criminal activity
- National security concerns
- Other grounds comparable to standard green card rules
DHS Secretary
Kristi Noem has publicly praised the program as “historic,” framing it as ensuring wealthy newcomers have “skin in the game” while fulfilling Trump’s pledge to attract “the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and investors.”
How This Compares to the Old EB‑5 System
The Trump Gold Card is widely viewed as a
replacement or successor to the long-standing
EB‑5 investor visa.
Key differences:
| Feature | Trump Gold Card | Traditional EB‑5 |
|--------|-----------------|------------------|
| Payment type | Direct “donation” to US Treasury | Investment in job‑creating commercial projects |
| Amount | $1M for individuals, $2M via employers; per person and per dependent |
$800k–
$1.05M in qualifying investments (post‑reform) |
| Job creation requirement | None stated | Must create or preserve at least 10 US jobs |
| Processing time (promised) | “Weeks” (plus consular delays) | Often many months to years |
| Family costs | Each family member pays full fee and donation | One investment covers main applicant and derivatives |
Critics argue this is
less “investment immigration” and more “cash-for-passports”, with no requirement to create US jobs or direct funds into productive projects.
The Mystery ‘Platinum Card’ Teaser
One of the strangest twists: the Trump Card site reportedly references a
“Platinum Card” option.
According to Fragomen’s analysis:
- The Platinum Card would allow:
- A foreign national who pays
$5 million (plus processing fees)
- To live in the US
up to 270 days a year-
Without being subject to US taxes on non‑US income- It does
not appear in the original executive order.
- The government has
not yet released full details or formal regulations for this tier.
If implemented as described, this would be an unusually aggressive
tax break linked to immigration status, and is already drawing legal and policy scrutiny from immigration and tax experts.
Tech Giants and Corporate America in the Spotlight
Trump has explicitly linked the Gold Card to demands from major US companies for easier access to global talent.
During the announcement, he highlighted Apple in particular, saying:
-
“The companies will be very happy and I know Apple will be happy.”- He claimed
Apple CEO Tim Cook had “talked to me more about it than anyone” and called the talent bottleneck a “real problem” that the Gold Card would fix.
The administration is aggressively pitching the
corporate Gold Card—where employers pay
$2 million per foreign worker—as a way for big firms to retain critical staff and recruit elite talent worldwide.[
Sources
1. Donald Trump on $1 million 'Gold Card' visa
2. United States: Gold Card Permanent Residence Program ...
3. Trump Launches Gold Card Visa Programme: What It Is, ...
