Washington, December 11: The Trump administration has officially launched its new “Gold Card” immigration program, a policy that offers U.S. residency and a future path to citizenship to wealthy foreign nationals in exchange for a substantial financial contribution. The announcement was made in September 2025 by President Donald Trump alongside Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who detailed the structure of the program as applications opened nationwide.
Under the initiative, an individual applicant must pay US$1 million directly to the U.S. government to obtain residency rights, while corporations can sponsor foreign employees for US$2 million. The administration described the plan as a streamlined alternative to investment-linked immigration, positioning it as a revenue-generating tool that will attract high-net-worth individuals from around the world.
President Trump said the program would “bring in many billions of dollars,” framing it as part of a broader economic strategy intended to strengthen federal revenues without raising taxes.
Secretary Lutnick said applicants will undergo what he called “the best vetting the government has ever done,” including a US$15,000 security-screening fee. He added that only candidates who “absolutely qualify to be in America” will be approved under the system. According to the administration, successful applicants must maintain a clean record while in the United States and may apply for citizenship after five years of continuous residence.
Corporations using the scheme can pay US$2 million to retain or hire a foreign employee who would otherwise be unable to secure a visa under existing categories. The administration said the program will prioritize “law-abiding, economically contributing individuals” and will not require job-creation metrics associated with previous investor-visa models such as the EB-5 program.
The Gold Card launch comes amid wider changes to U.S. immigration policy, as the Trump administration continues to tighten enforcement in most visa categories while offering expanded options for wealthy applicants. The policy has drawn criticism from immigration-rights groups, who argue that it effectively allows permanent residency to be purchased by the affluent, creating an unequal system that favors financial capacity over merit or humanitarian need.
Supporters, however, say the program will provide a significant financial boost to the U.S. government and attract globally mobile talent who might otherwise relocate to countries offering similar fast-track residency schemes.
The administration has not disclosed how many Gold Cards it intends to issue annually, and further regulatory guidelines are expected in the coming weeks as the Department of Homeland Security begins processing initial applications.
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