United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled plans for an immigration program — dubbed the “gold card” — designed to supply residency and a “path to citizenship” to buyers prepared to pay a steep value. The worth tag? $5 million.
Set to launch in two weeks’ time, this system will likely be changing the present EB-5 investor visa program, which Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick referred to as, “stuffed with nonsense, make-believe and fraud.”
Trump has not but mentioned the small print of the gold card program. The president stated he wouldn’t be needing Congressional approval for it because it’s “a really robust path to citizenship, however we’re not doing the citizenship.”
“We’re going to be promoting a gold card,” was what Trump stated on Tuesday. “We’re going to be placing a value on that card of about $5 million, and that’s going to offer you inexperienced card privileges, plus it is going to be a path to citizenship.”
This system, which goals to draw “rich, profitable folks,” indicators a major pivot in U.S. immigration coverage — a transfer supposed to safe financial advantages even because the administration doubles down on a strict stance in opposition to undocumented migrants.
What This Card Entails
Beneath the brand new proposal, prosperous overseas buyers may safe everlasting residency by making a direct fee to the U.S. authorities. Lutnick emphasised that the “Trump Gold Card” would successfully change the “ridiculous” EB-5 program, which at present permits buyers to acquire inexperienced playing cards by enterprise investments within the U.S.
He additional famous that whereas the method would nonetheless contain cautious vetting, the direct monetary contribution would function a streamlined path to citizenship, doubtlessly lowering bureaucratic delays and contributing to deficit discount.
Trump stated he appears to be like to promote round 1,000,000 of those playing cards producing round $5 trillion. “We’ll be capable to promote perhaps 1,000,000 of those playing cards, perhaps greater than that and should you add up the numbers they’re fairly good. 1,000,000 playing cards could be value $5 trillion and if we promote 10 million of those playing cards that is a complete of $50 trillion, we’ve got $35 trillion debt,” the U.S. President stated at a press convention on Tuesday.
He stated that whereas folks could be vetted very fastidiously, he didn’t rule out the potential of Russian oligarchs being eligible for the gold card. “Lots of people would be capable to work, present jobs, construct firms and pay taxes.”
What is the EB-5 Investor Program?
The present EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is a U.S. visa initiative that provides a pathway to everlasting residency for eligible overseas buyers.
- Candidates should sometimes make investments $1.05 million in a brand new business enterprise — or $800,000 if the funding is made in a focused employment space akin to rural or high-unemployment zones.
- The funding should create or protect at the very least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. staff, guaranteeing that this system contributes on to job development.
- The investor program goals to draw overseas capital, and assist native employment.
Regardless of its financial advantages, the EB-5 program has confronted important criticism. Critics have raised considerations over situations of fraud and inefficiencies, with some lawmakers likening it to a “Ponzi scheme,” resulting in requires elevated oversight and reform.
An AP report in 2017 had talked about that Chinese language have taken 75% of the investor visas issued by the U.S. The U.S. has taken in at the very least $7.7 billion and issued greater than 40,000 visas to Chinese language buyers and their households.
World Tendencies on Golden Visa
Whereas the U.S. experiments with its “gold card,” different nations are reshaping their visa packages to draw expertise and funding. The United Arab Emirates, as an illustration, has rolled out a collection of progressive visas — together with a 10-year residency for content material creators and a “blue visa” for environmental innovators. These initiatives are a part of a broader technique to construct a dynamic, globally aggressive financial system by welcoming high-caliber professionals and buyers.
This aggressive international marketplace for funding migration can be evident in areas akin to Portugal, Canada, and Australia, all of which have refined their visa packages to lure thousands and thousands in investments.
World wealth advisory agency Henley & Companions reported a surge in demand for residence-by-investment packages. Between 2019 and 2024, the agency noticed a 1,000% surge in its American shopper base, whereas the variety of British candidates rose by 57% previously yr.
In line with Henley & Companions’ 2025 World Residence Program Index, Greece’s more and more standard golden visa scheme now tops the listing. Switzerland claimed second place, whereas Portugal — lengthy a pacesetter — was tied for third with Italy and the UK. Australia, Canada, and Spain shared fourth place, with the UAE rating fifth.
Trump’s proposal, with its steeper entry value and promise of fast processing, seems to be an try and seize an analogous stream of high-net-worth funding into the U.S.
