President Donald Trump has officially rolled out his long-anticipated gold card program, a sweeping immigration reform that gives wealthy applicants a pathway to legal status and eventual citizenship for a $1 million fee.
The announcement marked a major moment in his second term as he continues reshaping the nation’s immigration system.
The president unveiled the program inside the White House alongside prominent business leaders.
Within minutes, a government website began accepting applications from individuals willing to pay the full amount. Corporations sponsoring foreign-born workers will be required to pay up to $2 million per employee.
Trump said the gold card is designed to attract the world’s brightest talent while generating massive revenue for the federal government. He has promoted the idea since returning to office, initially floating a cost of $5 million per visa before settling on the current price structure.
Democrats immediately attacked the plan, claiming it caters to wealthy elites. The administration dismissed the criticism as political noise from a party that has failed to produce meaningful reforms.
A platinum card is set to follow. It will cost $5 million plus $15,000 in processing fees. The platinum tier will allow foreign nationals to spend up to 270 days a year in the United States without paying taxes on income earned abroad.
Trump described the gold card as a superior alternative to the traditional green card. He said it offers a more powerful path to citizenship and replaces an outdated system that no longer benefits the country.
The EB-5 visa, created by Congress in 1990, required roughly $1 million invested into a business that employed at least 10 people, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Trump did not include job creation mandates or program caps for corporations seeking gold cards, signaling a major shift away from the previous framework.
Business leaders told the president they have struggled to recruit top graduates from American universities because international students lacked long-term residency options. Trump said the gold card provides a solution that puts the United States at a competitive advantage.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the vetting process will include a $15,000 background review to ensure every applicant fully qualifies. He added that corporations may obtain multiple cards, but each one must be tied to a single employee.
Lutnick noted that current green card holders earn less than the average American. He said Trump wants to reverse that trend by bringing in high-income applicants who strengthen the economy.
Dozens of countries already offer investor visas, including the U.K., Canada, Italy, Greece and Australia. Trump said the U.S. cannot afford to fall behind global competitors.
The president believes the program will bring outstanding individuals into the country. He highlighted graduates from China, India and France as likely recipients based on demand from major companies.
The idea was first announced in February. Since then, green card rules have tightened under Trump’s immigration crackdown, raising the value of alternative pathways.
Trump acknowledged that Russian nationals could apply for gold cards. He said some Russian oligarchs he knows are still interested, even though their wealth has declined.
