Donald Trump’s premium ‘gold card’ visa program, designed to attract wealthy individuals to the United States, has seen minimal interest. The initiative offers an expedited path to residency for those willing to pay $1 million per person—or $2 million for companies sponsoring employees—plus a $15,000 vetting fee.
Program Details and Purpose
Launched last year, the gold card targets individuals who can provide substantial benefits to the U.S. Trump introduced the scheme to prioritize top-tier applicants, with proceeds intended to help reduce national debt. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initially projected it could generate up to $100 billion, with 80,000 cards available at launch for ‘extraordinary people at the very top.’
The official application website, active since December, outlines the process: Applicants pay a nonrefundable $15,000 DHS processing fee upfront. Upon approval and completion of rigorous vetting, they submit a $1 million contribution as evidence of their value to the nation. Processing occurs on an expedited basis if documents arrive promptly.
Surprising Low Participation
Despite claims of strong demand, only one unnamed individual has received approval since the program’s inception. Lutnick acknowledges hundreds are in the queue but emphasizes the newness of the initiative. He stated: “This is a new program, and they’ve just set it up, and they wanted to make sure they did it perfectly. It’s a DHS program done with a rigorous, rigorous vetting.”
Upcoming Platinum Option and Visa Comparisons
A pricier platinum version is slated for release soon, costing $5 million and allowing up to 270 days in the U.S. annually without taxes on non-U.S. income.
The gold card aims to supplant existing EB-1 and EB-2 employment-based visas, which offer paths to citizenship for those with advanced degrees or extraordinary abilities, focusing instead on applicants of ‘exceptional value.’
Lutnick noted that fund allocation will be decided by the administration ‘for the betterment of the United States of America.’
