The new ‘Trump Gold Card’ offers a fast-track immigration route for a $1 million fee
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled the new ‘gold card’ visa program, offering a fast-track immigration option in which applicants can pay $1 million to accelerate their own visa processing, or companies can contribute $2 million to sponsor an overseas worker they wish to bring to the United States.
“It’s very exciting for me and for the country that we’ve just launched the ‘Trump Gold Card,’” the president said at a roundtable at the White House.
The visa website, trumpcard.gov, launched Wednesday afternoon and includes a link to the official application, which promises “U.S. residency in record time.”
“Get U.S. residency in record time with the Trump Gold Card, with a $15,000 DHS processing fee and a $1 million contribution after a background check,” the official website reads.
What is the expected timeline for the ‘gold card’ application process?
According to the site, once the application materials are submitted, the process will take “weeks” and will include an interview. Depending on the applicant, the State Department may charge additional fees.
The website states, “Applicants must attend a visa interview and submit any additional documents in a timely manner.”
The site explains that a successful applicant will receive legal permanent resident status as an EB-1 or EB-2 visa holder, which are employment-based visas granted to individuals with “extraordinary” or “exceptional” abilities.
Trump admin debuts ‘platinum card’
The website also previews that the “Trump Platinum Card” is coming soon and invites foreign nationals to add their names to the waiting list.
For $5 million, the administration promises that eligible applicants will be able to “spend up to 270 days in the United States without paying U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income.”
“Foreign nationals can now sign up and secure their place on the waiting list for the Trump Platinum Card.
When it launches, and after receiving a $15,000 DHS processing fee and a $5 million contribution, they will be able to spend up to 270 days in the United States without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income,” the website reads.
The website hasn’t indicated when the platinum option will be released.
Authorities have voiced dissatisfaction with the conventional immigration procedures
Trump’s latest immigration crackdown, triggered by the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., has halted or tightened every legal and illegal form of foreign entry into the U.S. in recent weeks, but the president first announced the “Golden Card” program in February.
Trump said at the time that he would offer a path to citizenship to wealthy foreigners in exchange for a $5 million fee. He later signed an executive order directing the creation of a pathway with a similar pricing system, announced Wednesday in September.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in February that the visa would replace the government’s already existing EB-5 immigrant investor visa program, which allows foreign investors to invest money in U.S. projects that create jobs and then apply for a visa to immigrate to the U.S.
“We’re going to change the EB-5 agreement,” Lutnick said. “(Homeland Security Secretary) Christie (Noam) and I are working on it together. For $5 million, they will get a license from the Commerce Department. Then they will make the appropriate investment.”
Immigration law experts have previously said that Congress would have to act to end or significantly change the EB-5 program.
Despite persistent questions about how the plan would be implemented, Trump has suggested that millions of gold cards could be sold, and Lutnick said in February that the plan could raise $1 trillion to pay down the national debt.
Lutnik has previously criticized the traditional green card process that allows immigrants to live and work permanently in the U.S., arguing that it forces the country to accept the “bottom quartile” of immigrants. “We’re only going to get extraordinary people to the top,” Lutnik said.
