President Donald Trump has introduced a new immigration program that offers wealthy foreigners a fast-track route to U.S. residency in exchange for a $1 million contribution, an unprecedented shift that blends the administration’s restrictive immigration posture with a high-priced, pay-to-accelerate alternative for those who can afford it.
The announcement came on Wednesday at a White House roundtable event, where Trump formally unveiled the “Trump Gold Card” and launched its official website, trumpcard.gov.
The online portal went live on Wednesday afternoon, marking the federal government’s first public release of application details, timelines, and fee requirements.
According to the program guidelines, applicants must pay a $15,000 Department of Homeland Security processing fee and undergo a background screening before becoming eligible to make the $1 million contribution.
Employers may also sponsor a foreign worker under the new pathway by paying $2 million. The administration says successful applicants will receive lawful permanent residency through the EB-1 or EB-2 categories, visa classifications typically awarded to individuals with “extraordinary” or “exceptional” abilities.
The process, once documents are submitted, is expected to take only “weeks,” the website states, though it still requires an in-person interview and potential additional State Department fees. “The applicant will need to attend a visa interview and submit any additional documents in a timely manner,” the program notes.
Other pathways being considered
Even before the Gold Card takes effect, the administration is already previewing a higher-tier option. The “Trump Platinum Card,” highlighted on the new site, promises qualifying foreign nationals the ability to spend up to 270 days per year in the United States without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income. The price: a $15,000 DHS fee and a $5 million contribution. No launch date has been set, but the site allows interested individuals to join a waiting list.
The rollout comes as Trump pursues one of the most aggressive immigration crackdowns of his presidency. In recent weeks, citing the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., the administration has tightened or halted virtually every legal and illegal pathway into the country.
Yet Trump first floated the Gold Card concept in February, initially describing it as a $5 million citizenship-linked offer for wealthy foreigners. A September executive order formally directed its creation, ultimately at the $1 million price point released Wednesday.
What you should know
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said the initiative will modify the long-standing EB-5 investor visa program, which already grants green card eligibility to foreigners who invest in U.S. job-creating projects.
Lutnick argues the revised system could generate as much as $1 trillion in federal revenue and attract what he calls “extraordinary people at the very top.”
Immigration experts caution that significant changes to EB-5 typically require congressional action, leaving open questions about how the program will be implemented.
Still, Trump has suggested millions of Gold Cards could eventually be sold, signalling a dramatic new direction in the nation’s immigration framework, one where wealth accelerates opportunity even as other paths narrow.
Nairametrics reported in February that Donald Trump had announced a new immigration program that would allow foreigners to obtain a special “gold card” visa for $5 million, which would grant them Green Card privileges and a pathway to U.S. citizenship.
According to The US Sun, the proposal was part of Trump’s effort to encourage wealthy individuals to invest in the U.S. economy, as he believes the initiative will generate substantial tax revenue and job creation.
