• Trump announces the Gold Card visa program offering expedited US residency for $1 million.
• The program has a $15,000 processing fee and allows companies to sponsor employees for $2 million each.
• Gold Card holders may receive permanent residency and a path to citizenship after five years.
• The scheme is positioned as a replacement for the existing EB-5 investor visa program, removing job creation requirements.
• Critics call it a "pay-to-play scheme" favoring the wealthy over traditional immigration pathways.

On December 10, 2025, US President Donald Trump officially launched the "Trump Gold Card" visa program, which aims to provide a fast track for wealthy foreigners to gain permanent residency in the United States for a charge of $1 million, plus a $15,000 processing fee. Trump touted it as "somewhat like a green card, but with big advantages," emphasizing its potential to facilitate the entry of highly skilled individuals into the workforce and generate substantial revenue for the US government. The administration suggests that the program could yield billions for the Treasury as it attracts the world's "best people," according to Source and Source.

The Gold Card program is designed to expedite the immigration process by allowing applicants to receive US residency in record time, pending a successful background check. Corporations are also able to sponsor employees through a more expensive "Corporate Gold Card," requiring a $2 million contribution per employee. This initiative, aimed at reducing the bureaucratic hurdles in immigration, shifts the focus from job creation requirements that have characterized past investment-based visas, such as the EB-5 visa, according to Source, Source, and Source.

Successful applicants will be processed under existing EB-1 or EB-2 visa classifications, which favor individuals with extraordinary abilities or advanced degrees. It is projected that applicants could become eligible for citizenship after five years of residency, assuming they pass the required vetting process. Critics of the Gold Card have labeled it a "pay-to-play scheme," arguing that it undermines the values of merit-based immigration by prioritizing wealth over skills and contributions to society, as highlighted by several legal experts and political commentators citing potential inequities in immigration policy, according to Source and Source.

The reception to Trump’s Gold Card has been mixed, with supporters arguing it presents a needed avenue for businesses to retain top talent and generate revenue for the government. In contrast, opponents claim it caters exclusively to the wealthy while neglecting ordinary citizenship aspirants, positioning it as an extension of the Trump Administration’s ongoing tightening of immigration policies for economically disadvantaged individuals while simultaneously opening doors for affluent foreign nationals, according to Source and Source.