Trump’s ‘gold card’ visa program would offer US residency for $5 million

US President Donald Trump shows the gold card

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), initially created to slash federal spending, is now spearheading a project to generate revenue by selling permanent US residency to high-net-worth individuals. The new visa, dubbed the “gold card” by President Trump, would be offered at $5 million per applicant and is designed to replace the EB-5 investor visa program, the New York Times reported.

Engineers building a fast-track digital system

DOGE engineers are developing a streamlined website and application system in coordination with the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The goal is to approve wealthy applicants for residency within two weeks—far faster than the typical visa timeline, which can take years.

Trump and Lutnick push the new program

President Trump first unveiled the idea of the gold card in February, describing it as a way for “very high-level people” to gain a path to residency. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later claimed that 1,000 of the visas were sold “yesterday,” though sources close to the project clarified that no funds had actually been exchanged. Lutnick emphasized that most cardholders would not become citizens but would gain permanent residency if they pass vetting and follow the law.

Mock-ups and launch timeline

Trump recently showed reporters a prototype of the gold card featuring his image, the Statue of Liberty, and a bald eagle, saying it would be released within two weeks. Lutnick has since updated the launch timeline to “within a week and a half.” The website and supporting infrastructure are still under construction.

Controversial figures at the helm

The project is being led by Marko Elez and Edward Coristine, both of whom have drawn criticism in the past. Elez resigned earlier this year after The Wall Street Journal tied him to a pseudonymous X account that made racist posts and promoted eugenicist ideas. He has since been rehired and is now working across five government agencies. Coristine, 19, known online as “Big Balls,” was fired from a previous internship following a company investigation into leaked proprietary information.

Tech billionaire joins effort

Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, has also joined the team. Initially brought in to modernize the federal retirement system, Gebbia is now involved in the gold card initiative, according to sources familiar with the project.

Vetting process under review

One of the biggest challenges remains how to circumvent the traditional visa process, which involves lengthy interviews and background checks. The team is exploring ways to compress this timeline while maintaining some level of national security screening for applicants.

Silence from key agencies

The State Department redirected questions to the White House, while both the White House and the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment. Elez, Coristine, and Gebbia also did not respond to requests for interviews.