The new Gold Card initiative replaces the EB-5 visa, offering permanent residency and a path to citizenship for investors and corporations — without job-creation or quota limits.
The “Gold Card” program that President Trump has been touting for months is finally becoming a reality. On Wednesday, the president formally unveiled the initiative, which offers U.S. permanent residency and a pathway to citizenship for individuals investing $1 million, and for corporations contributing twice that amount per foreign-born employee.
At the same time, a dedicated application website went live to begin accepting submissions.
The new program is designed to replace the EB-5 visa, a long-standing investor visa created by Congress in 1990 to attract foreign capital. Under EB-5, individuals could qualify for U.S. residency by investing roughly $1 million in a business that created at least 10 American jobs.
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Unlike the EB-5 program, the Gold Card initiative does not include a job-creation requirement. It also appears to lack an annual cap on the number of applicants, another key difference from the EB-5 system.
Trump said, “Basically, it’s a green card but much better. Much more powerful, a much stronger path.”
The president views the new program as a way to attract and retain top global talent while simultaneously boosting federal revenue. He has been promoting the Gold Card for months, initially suggesting a $5 million price tag per card before revising it to the current structure—$1 million for individuals and $2 million per foreign-born employee for corporations.
“A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent,” Trump wrote on Wednesday on social media.
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the program will include a $15,000 vetting fee per applicant, noting that the rigorous background checks would “make sure these people absolutely qualify to be in America.” He added that companies can obtain multiple cards, but each card will be limited to one individual.