US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced plans to roll out a new “Gold Card” visa, a premium alternative to the traditional Green Card, offering a fast-track route to American citizenship for foreign investors. The proposed scheme, which would require a $5 million investment, is set to replace the existing EB-5 investor visa program.
As per Trump, the Gold Card would grant “green card privileges plus,” enabling card holders to enjoy all the benefits of permanent residency while also paving the way to citizenship. “We are going to be selling a Gold Card,” he told reporters. “It’s going to give you green card privileges plus a route to citizenship, and wealthy people would be coming into our country by buying this card.” He stated that further details of the program would be released in the coming weeks.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has confirmed that the new initiative would eliminate the EB-5 visa program, which he described as being plagued by “nonsense, make-believe, and fraud.” He stated that unlike the EB-5, the revenue from the Gold Card program would go directly to the US government, generating billions in funds. Trump even speculated that the government could sell 10 million Gold Cards to help reduce the national deficit.
What is the EB-5 visa program?
The EB-5 visa program, introduced by the US Congress in 1990, had been designed to stimulate the US economy by granting residency to investors who create or preserve jobs in the nation. At present, the program requires a minimum investment of $1,050,000, or $800,000 in economically distressed areas. It has, however, faced criticism over allegations of misuse and fraud, with reports of businesses - including those linked to Trump family members- leveraging it to fund real estate projects.
The EB-5 program was last reauthorised under former President Joe Biden in 2022, with increased investment thresholds. Trump’s previous administration had attempted to raise the minimum investment amount to $900,000 in 2019, but a federal court struck it down in 2021. Now, his latest proposal seeks to overhaul the investor visa system entirely, replacing it with a high-priced option targeted at the ultra-rich.
Impact on Indian nationals
The proposed Gold Card visa is set to reshape the US immigration landscape, offering a faster but significantly costlier alternative to existing pathways like the H-1B and EB-5 investor visa. With a staggering $5 million price tag- far surpassing the EB-5’s $800,000 requirement - this visa will be accessible only to India’s wealthiest individuals.
Who can apply?
Indian nationals on H-1B, EB-2, or EB-3 visas can apply for the Gold Card visa, provided they meet the steep financial requirements. Unlike traditional employment-based green card routes, this visa would eliminate job sponsorship or business investment obligations, granting a direct path to US citizenship.
India remains a dominant player in the US work visa landscape, particularly in the H-1B program. In fiscal 2024 alone, 3.9 lakh H-1B visas were approved across 52,892 companies, with Indian IT firms Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services ranking among the top recipients. If, however, Trump reinstates stricter H-1B policies, competition for these visas is projected to intensify, making it tougher for Indian professionals to secure US jobs.
Alternative US immigration options for Indian nationals
Since the Gold Card visa’s $5 million investment requirement makes it financially unfeasible for most, Indian applicants can explore other immigration pathways that offer more accessible routes to US residency.
One such option is the EB-5 investor visa, which currently requires a minimum investment of $800,000 in a targeted employment area. This visa offers a relatively faster route to a green card, typically within 3-5 years—significantly quicker than the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. It, nevertheless, comes with the condition of job creation, and processing times may increase if demand surges. If Trump’s Gold Card visa replaces the EB-5, this option may no longer be available.
For highly skilled professionals, the O-1 visa is a viable alternative. It is designed for individuals with exceptional abilities in fields such as technology, research, arts, and business. The biggest advantage of the O-1 visa is its potential to transition into an EB-1 green card, which does not have the long backlogs faced by Indian applicants in other employment-based green card categories.
Business owners and executives might consider the L-1 visa, which enables intra-company transfers for key employees of multinational companies. This visa can serve as a stepping stone to a green card, making it a preferred choice for entrepreneurs expanding their businesses to the US.
Finally, Indian tech professionals currently on an H-1B visa often pursue the EB-2 or EB-3 employment-based green card route. While this is the most common pathway, it is also the most time-consuming, with wait times stretching to decades due to country-specific backlogs. If Trump reinstates restrictive H-1B policies, competition for this visa could become even heat up, further complicating the process for Indian applicants.
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