US President Donald Trump is once again in the spotlight for his immigration policies.
This time, he has launched a new and expensive immigration program called the Gold Card.
Announced on Wednesday, this scheme is meant for individuals and companies willing to spend a large amount of money in exchange for legal US residency and a direct path to citizenship.
According to the Trump administration, the Gold Card will help bring skilled and talented people to the US, which they believe will strengthen the country’s economy.
Trump wrote on social media, “The Trump Gold Card is here.
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It provides a direct path to citizenship for all eligible and vetted people.
Our companies will finally be able to keep their best talent.”
This announcement comes as a surprise, especially during a time when Trump has enforced strict immigration rules.
A New Alternative to the EB-5 Visa
The Gold Card is seen as a modern replacement for the EB-5 investor visa, which has been in place for nearly 30 years.
Under this program, foreign nationals can gain US permanent residency by investing $1 million personally or $2 million through their company.
Experts describe the Gold Card as a modified version of the Green Card, but with a faster and more direct process.
Those who receive it will be allowed to live and work in the US indefinitely and may also apply for citizenship later.
How Is the Gold Card Different?
There are several ways to get a US Green Card today, including sponsor support, lottery selection, and EB-5 investments that start at $800,000 and require job creation.
In contrast, the Gold Card:
Requires a minimum investment of $1 million
Offers faster approval
Allows applicants to be processed under EB-1 or EB-2 categories, depending on eligibility and visa availability
This makes the Gold Card attractive for those who want a quick and direct route to permanent residency.
High Application Fee and Strict Screening
The Gold Card application comes with a $15,000 processing fee.
According to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, this fee will help fund background checks on applicants.
The goal is to ensure that only highly qualified and thoroughly vetted individuals receive the Gold Card.
However, experts point out that the card may not save costs for companies.
Even though companies can buy multiple cards, each card can be used for only one employee.
This makes the scheme more suitable for large corporations with big budgets, while offering little help to smaller firms facing worker shortages.
