Trump Gold Card Visa Program: Investment Requirements, Eligibility, and Application Process

President Donald Trump officially launched the anticipated 'Gold Card' visa program on Wednesday, opening applications for individuals and corporations willing to invest $1 million or more into the United States economy.

The new program aims to attract exceptional talent, generate substantial revenue for the US Treasury, and provide a more efficient alternative to the traditional EB-5 visa pathway that has been in existence since 1990.

The Trump Gold Card represents a new visa initiative designed to offer legal permanent residency and a pathway to US citizenship for qualified investors. It serves as a replacement for the long-standing EB-5 visa program, which was originally implemented to attract foreign investment and create employment opportunities for American workers.

Eligibility for the Trump Gold Card includes individuals who qualify for lawful permanent residency and meet US admissibility requirements. Corporations can sponsor foreign-born employees, while spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age can also apply, though each applicant must pay additional fees.

The program comes with specific financial requirements: a non-refundable processing fee of $15,000 per applicant or corporate sponsor, an investment "gift" of $1 million for individual applicants and $2 million per employee for corporate sponsors, plus additional visa-related fees and medical examination costs.

The application process begins at the official trumpcard.gov website, where applicants select their preferred card type: Individual, Corporate, or Platinum waitlist. Applicants must provide personal or corporate details, establish a myUSCIS.gov account for updates, pay the processing fee, undergo Department of Homeland Security vetting, and upon approval, submit the required investment gift.

Payment options for the Trump Gold Card include credit cards, ACH debit for US accounts, or SWIFT wire transfers for international transactions.

Benefits of the Trump Gold Card include legal permanent resident status through EB-1 or EB-2 visa classification, faster processing compared to traditional pathways, eligibility for family members to join, and a potential route to US citizenship.

Important regulations govern the program: Gold Card status may be revoked for national security concerns or serious criminal activity, applicants from certain countries may face wait times exceeding one year, and all participants become subject to US taxation on worldwide income.