Trump unveils $1m ‘gold card’ visas

Washington: US President Donald Trump has unveiled his long-anticipated “gold card,” a high-priced immigration offering designed to grant legal status, and eventually US citizenship, to individuals and companies willing to pay significant sums.

Framed as a replacement for the three-decade-old EB-5 investor visa, the new programme opens the door to permanent residency for foreign nationals ready to invest $1 million personally or $2 million through their employers.

Trump has cast the gold card as a way to attract the world’s “best people,” pitching it not only as a magnet for elite graduates from US universities but also as a revenue generator for the federal government.

The rollout comes against the backdrop of Trump’s strict immigration crackdowns. Even as his government has pursued mass deportations and tightened border controls, Trump has repeatedly argued that exceptional foreign-born talent should be allowed to stay.

Despite its branding, the “gold card” is essentially a revamped green card, but one that Trump touts as “much better” and offering a “stronger path.” Holders receive permanent legal residency, meaning they can live and work in the United States indefinitely and, over time, pursue US citizenship. Unlike the EB-5 programme, which hinges on job-creation requirements, the new card’s criteria appear streamlined: payment of the required fee and completion of background vetting. Green Cards are accessible via multiple routes including sponsorship, lotteries, or EB-5 investments starting at $800,000 with job creation requirements.