Trump launches $1M gold card program for green cards

Trump officially launched the 'Trump Gold Card' program on Dec. 10, 2025, at a White House roundtable. Foreigners can pay $1 million plus a $15,000 Department of Homeland Security processing fee to expedite green card applications. Companies can pay $2 million to sponsor foreign workers for expedited permanent residence. Additional small State Department fees may apply.

Trump created the program via executive order on Sept. 19, 2025. The order directed the Commerce Department to coordinate with State and Homeland Security to establish and implement the program. The official website is trumpcard.gov, and inquiries go to goldcard@doc.gov. Trump called it 'very exciting' for him and the country.

The program doesn't create new visa categories. It operates within existing Employment-Based First Preference for extraordinary ability (EB-1) and EB-2 for national interest waivers (NIW). Applicants don't need to prove job creation in the U.S. They only need to demonstrate they'll provide 'substantial benefit' to the country.

The website advertises a coming 'Trump Platinum Card' for $5 million plus $15,000 processing fee. Platinum Card holders could spend up to 270 days in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income. The program is listed as 'coming soon' with a waiting list. People who've ever been subject to U.S. tax on foreign income, including citizens and resident aliens, aren't eligible.

Critics say the pay-to-play program lets wealthy foreigners jump the line ahead of nurses, engineers, and skilled workers waiting years through standard processes. Employment-based visa categories already have massive backlogs, with some applicants waiting over a decade. The Gold Card takes slots from these categories without expanding the total cap.

Immigration attorneys note the million-dollar price ensures only ultra-wealthy foreigners can access expedited green cards. Working-class immigrants face growing delays and higher denial rates in standard processes. The program offers no public benefit requirement beyond vague 'substantial benefit' language that Commerce interprets.

Trump suspended the Diversity Visa lottery program in Jan. 2026 after criticism that it let the Brown University shooting suspect into the U.S. The Gold Card program takes a different approach by explicitly requiring wealth rather than randomness. Both programs bypass employer sponsorship requirements and standard employment-based waiting lists, but Gold Card applicants pay directly for access.