The Trump Administration unveiled the new “Gold Card” program, offering a fast-tracked path to U.S. permanent residency on Sept. 19. Under the initiative, the Gold Card program mandates a non-refundable $1 million “gift” to the U.S. Treasury for individual applicants, or $2 million if made through corporate sponsorship.
Qualification and visa category: The contribution is recognized as evidence of “exceptional business ability” and “substantial national benefit,” qualifying applicants under the EB-1 extraordinary ability or EB-2 exceptional ability categories. This includes a national interest waiver (NIW) of the labor certification requirement, streamlining the path to permanent residency.
Applicants must qualify for lawful permanent residency, be admissible to the United States, and have an available visa number. As a visa, the Trump Gold Card can be revoked if national security concerns or other risks arise.
Economic focus and use of funds: The initiative targets immigrants capable of delivering tangible economic benefits, with a particular emphasis on entrepreneurs, investors, and business professionals. Funds collected through the program will be directed to a dedicated Treasury account to support and stimulate U.S. commerce and industry.
Implementation timeline:
Under the executive order, the Secretary of Commerce working alongside the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security will oversee its rollout, with the three agencies required to implement the initiative within 90 days.
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The agencies also need to determine when donations can begin, how companies can transfer sponsorship responsibilities, the fees applicants and sponsors will incur, and whether the program should be extended to include the EB-5 investor visa category.
How it differs from EB-5:
Unlike the EB-5 investor visa, the program is framed as a contribution to “American industry and commerce.” Immigration experts note that interest in the initiative has surged following the recent H-1B changes. “Interest has gone up sharply since the H-1B revisions, ” said Sahil Nyati, founder of consultancy Jinee Green Card & Meritmap.ai, adding that most inquiries come from mid-career tech professionals in their 30s and 40s with STEM backgrounds, according to ET.
Rise in demand: The increase comes after Trump’s decision to raise H-1B visa fees to $100,000, a dramatic rise from the previous $2,000–$5,000 range, with Indian applicants who make up the largest portion of H-1B filings being particularly affected. “In our own practice, conversations referencing the Gold Card are up around 40% this week compared with a normal week, mainly from individuals who were originally considering H-1B or EB-5,” Sukanya Raman, country head at immigration firm Davies & Associates told ET.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said there have already been “about a quarter million expressions of interest,” said Rohit Jain, managing partner at Singhania & Co, told the outlet. “Our immigration law teams are noticing a surge in queries from potential clients, particularly corporations, since the announcement of a steep hike in H-1B fees,” he added.
Purpose and pricing: In February, Trump unveiled plans to introduce the Gold Card as a replacement for the EB-5 program, which has provided green cards to foreign investors in the U.S. since 1990.
Now offering a fast-tracked path to U.S. permanent residency for high-skilled individuals, entrepreneurs, and investors.
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The “Trump Gold Card” is now priced at $1 million for individual applicants and $2 million for corporate sponsors. The corporate version allows companies to sponsor an employee and transfer that sponsorship to another individual without incurring an additional fee.
The Corporate Gold Card is aimed at businesses, enabling companies to pay $2 million per employee to obtain U.S. residency, with the flexibility to transfer sponsorship to other staff after approval.
Lutnick confirmed that the Gold Card will supplant existing EB-1 and EB-2 visas for individuals with extraordinary or exceptional ability, and suggested that other green card categories could be suspended within a month of the program’s launch.
Eligibility focus: Targets individuals who provide clear economic benefits, especially mid-career tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors.
Application process: To apply, individuals must first submit a non-refundable processing fee. Once the fee is received, the visa application will move forward, provided all required supporting documents are submitted promptly. If approved, the applicant must make a $1 million contribution, which serves as proof that their presence will offer significant economic benefit to the United States.