The Trump administration on Wednesday began accepting applications for the Trump Gold Card, a new immigration route that allows wealthy foreign nationals to speed up their path to U.S. residency through an expensive pay-to-fast-track system.
The launch highlights a widening divide in U.S. immigration policy. While the administration has tightened pathways for refugees, asylum seekers, and low-income individuals, it is simultaneously creating an accelerated option for those who can afford it.
Announcing the program on Truth Social, President Trump wrote that the “UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY,” calling it a direct path to citizenship for vetted applicants and claiming it would help American companies retain top global talent.
Under the program, applicants can seek legal permanent residency after securing approval for an EB-1 or EB-2 visa; categories traditionally reserved for people with extraordinary ability, exceptional talent, or advanced degrees. The program website claims applicants can obtain residency “in record time.”
However, this expedited process comes at a high cost. Applicants must first pay a Homeland Security processing fee of $15,000 and undergo a background check.
After clearing the background review, they must make an additional $1 million contribution to the U.S. government. The website notes that some nationalities may face longer processing times due to extended vetting procedures.
There are also legal questions surrounding the initiative. It remains unclear whether U.S. immigration law allows residency to be effectively purchased this way, and experts point out that similar “golden visa” programs in other countries have not performed particularly well.
Ultimately, the Trump Gold Card creates a premium fast-track path for the wealthy at a time when other immigration avenues are being restricted, raising new debates about fairness and legality in the U.S. immigration system.