President Donald Trump has officially rolled out his long-promised “Gold Card.”
The launch comes as the Department of Homeland Security opened public comment on a proposed major reduction in EB-5 visa fees. This move could reshape the existing investor visa landscape, as Trump introduces his own pay-for-residency program.
A Pay-to-Stay Visa Drops as the System Locks Up
Trump unveiled the Gold Card at a White House roundtable, boasting that foreign nationals can obtain “U.S. residency in record time” by paying a $15,000 DHS processing fee and making a $1 million contribution. Companies may instead pay $2 million for a “Trump Corporate Gold Card” to fast-track favored employees and even transfer access between workers for a 5% fee, according to the program website.
A higher-tier Trump Platinum Card is also teased, promising 270 days in the U.S. without U.S. income taxation for a $5 million contribution, pending a $15,000 DHS processing fee.
The website pop-ups promote what the administration describes as a turbocharged EB-1/EB-2 pathway, though CNN notes that the site does not explain the legal authority behind such a program, which the outlet reports would likely require an act of Congress to change.
Legal Immigration Reportedly Freezes
Axios reports that Trump’s suite of post-attack executive actions, including a broadened travel-ban list, a halt on asylum decisions, and a re-review of existing Biden-era cases, has effectively shut down the legal immigration process.
USCIS is now reportedly buried under 11 million pending cases, with some interviews canceled and even citizenship ceremonies derailed.
Immigration lawyers warn the system is buckling. One American Immigration Lawyers Association official described the administration’s moves as “effectively shutting down the legal immigration process,” citing swelling vetting demands, case reopenings, and unpredictable processing times.
EB-5 Gets Cheaper Just as Gold Card Drops
Complicating matters further, DHS has recently opened public comment on a proposal to slash fees for the EB-5 investor visa program, The Dallas Express reported. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previously said the administration would “modify” the EB-5 program to create Trump’s investor pathway, per CNN.
The proposal to discount the EB-5 visa fees comes at the exact moment the administration is debuting a competing menu of million-dollar residency options.
Lingering Questions about Authority and Implementation
The Dallas Express previously reported in July that longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone said the card “is not a real thing,” adding that there was no place actually to obtain one.
Trumpcard.gov is now live with applications.
Trump has previously suggested that millions of cards could be sold, with Lutnick claiming the program could raise $1 trillion to pay down the national debt.
