Gold Card vs EB-5 Visa: How Trump's $1-million offer fast tracks US residency for ultra wealthy

Trump Gold Visa

In a major immigration policy overhaul, US President Donald Trump has launched the “Trump Gold Card”, offering a pathway to affluent foreigners to pay their way to permanent residency.

Wealthy individuals can secure American residency by “contributing” $1 million to the US government after paying a $15,000 processing fee to the Department of Homeland Security and complete extensive background checks.

There is also a corporate route. Employers can sponsor individuals by paying $2 million for each of the employee. Trump has positioned the Gold Card as a straightforward, high-end alternative that offers ultra-wealthy investors direct entry into the United States.

The Gold Card effectively replaces the long-standing EB-5 visa, which required investors to deploy $800,000-$1.05 million into projects that generated at least 10 American jobs.

Unlike EB-5, the Gold Card is a fee-based route with no return of capital and no requirement to create jobs. It is also expected to be significantly faster, removing much of the long wait and processing uncertainty associated with EB-5.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, in place since 1990, enables foreign investors and their immediate families to obtain US permanent residency by investing in approved commercial projects through regional centres. The investment lead to creation of jobs, making it a development-focused route.

The Gold Card shifts away from this investment-and-job-creation model. Instead of deploying capital into businesses, applicants make a $1 million non-refundable “contribution” directly to the US Treasury.

After completing background checks and receiving approvals from Homeland Security, successful applicants are granted permanent residency through the EB-1 or EB-2 visa category.

EB-1 is reserved for those with extraordinary ability in fields such as science, education, business, arts, or athletics, or for outstanding professors, researchers, and multinational executives. EB-2 is for individuals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability, usually requiring an employer-sponsored job offer.