Form I-140G Gold Card Visa: Cost & How to File
- Filing the electronic Form I-140G is a key step toward permanent residency under the Trump Gold Card program.
- The form requires a $15,000 processing fee per applicant.
- You must provide financial evidence, including up to seven years of tax returns, to prove your financial gift to the Department of Commerce was obtained lawfully.
The U.S. government has a new way for wealthy people (or people with wealthy corporate sponsors) to become permanent residents: the Trump Gold Card program. A key step to getting a Gold Card is filing the newly created Form I-140G immigrant petition.
| 🧑‍⚖️Clear guidance, without the legal jargon. This article is informed and reviewed by Manifest Law’s experienced immigration attorneys—and written to make the law make sense. Because you deserve to understand the system, not fight it. Check out our editorial policy for more info. |
What is Form I-140G?
Form I-140G allows you to request an immigrant visa under the Trump Gold Card program. It was established by Executive Order 14351.
Filing Form I-140G tells U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that you have enough money to make the required contribution to the Department of Commerce to qualify for a Gold Card and that you obtained the funds lawfully.
Before you can file, you must first register your information on trumpcard.gov, including your name, date of birth, contact information, place of birth, and current address, and pay a non-refundable $15,000 Department of Homeland Security processing fee for each applicant. You can’t file Form I-140G until USCIS confirms that your submission was accepted.
Once you receive notification from USCIS, you can log into your USCIS online account to file Form I-140G electronically. There’s no option to file this form on paper.
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Who files the I-140G petition?
Two types of petitioners can file Form I-140G: an individual or a corporation. For an individual, the required financial gift is $1 million; for a corporation it is $2 million. In both cases, the gift replaces the need to prove your qualifications for an EB-1A or EB-2 national interest waiver (NIW) visa.
Corporate Gold Card holders also pay a 1% annual maintenance fee and 5% transfer fee.
Companies who’ve received the Corporate Gold Card can transfer sponsorship from one employee to another without paying another $2 million gift.
How much does it cost to file Form I-140G?
The Gold Card program has two separate financial requirements: a non-refundable filing fee and a seven-figure financial contribution. The cost to file the I-140G petition is $15,000 per person, and it’s not refundable, even if your petition is rejected. That makes it all the more important to consult with an immigration attorney before filing.
The applicant fee must be paid for the principal beneficiary and any dependents (spouse or children) listed on the petition who are also requesting a Gold Card.
In addition to the filing fee, a substantial financial contribution must be made to the U.S Department of Commerce. Payment must be made according to instructions sent to the applicant by the government after vetting is complete.
| Petitioner type | Filing fee for each beneficiary | Principal beneficiary gift | Gift for each dependent |
| Individual | $15,000 | $1 million | $1 million |
| Corporation | $15,000 | $2 million | $1 million |
Processing time
The Trump Card website says Gold Card petitions will be processed on an expedited basis: “Once an applicant’s processing fee and application are received, the process should take weeks.” In contrast, the typical processing time for most EB-1A immigration petition is 19 months. Immigration attorneys are still unclear how the government will expedite processing for the Gold Card and are waiting on further guidance from the government.
However, because Gold Card petitions fall under existing EB-1A and EB-2 NIW categories, you’ll still have to watch the Visa Bulletin to see if a visa is available for your country—a wait that can sometimes take years.
| đź’ˇSee what a strong EB-1A case looks like. Looking at examples of successful EB-1A cases can help you better understand how your own background might measure up, what a strong petition really looks like and what it takes to get approved. |
How to file Form I-140G
Filing Form I-140G requires you to provide personal and financial data to USCIS to confirm your eligibility for the Trump Gold Card. Here is a walkthrough of each section of the form.
Principal beneficiary information
This section is dedicated to the core applicant, requiring a complete personal history:
- Identity and status: Your full legal name, date and place of birth, country of citizenship, and any prior countries of citizenship.
- Immigration history: Your alien registration number (if any), Social Security number (if any), and details from your last arrival in the U.S., including your Form I-94 number and current immigration status.
- Work and education: A list of all employment history for the last 20 years. You must also provide all military or government positions held at any time, as well as your education history, including all post-high school institutions and any honors or awards.
- Marital history: Details on your current and former spouses.
Source of funds
You must prove that the funds for the financial gift were obtained lawfully.
- Net worth: Your current net worth (or the corporation’s net worth) at the time of the transfer, excluding any assets you can’t easily sell.
- Source documents: You must identify the source of your funds (income, sale of property, business ownership, inheritance, or gifts). This section requires evidence like personal tax returns for the past seven years and bank records for the past five years.
- Path of funds: You must trace how the funds will travel from your account to the Department of Commerce, including all financial institutions and bank transfer details (like SWIFT/BIC codes). For cryptocurrency, you must provide wallet identification and show that the funds were traceable through a regulated financial institution.
Attestation and national security screening
This part includes questions designed to vet whether you, your entities, or the source of your funds have ever been involved in activities such as:
- Financial fraud
- Money laundering
- Human trafficking
- Terrorist activity
- Espionage, sabotage, or theft of intellectual property
- Inclusion on a foreign sanctions list in the past 10 years
What happens after USCIS reviews your I-140G?
Once you file Form I-140G, USCIS will review your petition. During this review, USCIS may request more evidence to support your claims and ask you to attend an interview or biometrics appointment to verify your identity and conduct background checks.
- If approved: You’ll be notified of the decision electronically and in writing. Approval means USCIS has determined you meet the Gold Card financial requirements. Once a visa number is available, you can move to the final stage of consular processing with the U.S. Department of State to receive your immigrant visa.
- If denied: The $15,000 filing fee is not refunded. In some cases, you may be able to appeal—you’ll get instructions on how to do so. You may get denied if you fail to prove your eligibility, if you knowingly submit false information, or if you don’t attend a mandatory biometrics appointment.
| Note: The instructions for I-140G say applicants must go through consular processing at a U.S. embassy or consulate to get an immigrant visa, but make no mention of applicants who are already in the U.S. It’s unclear how USCIS would treat someone already in the U.S. Still, the Immigration and Nationality Act says you can apply for adjustment of status with Form I-485 if you’re legally present and have an approved immigration petition and current priority date. |
Preparing your Gold Card petition
Filing Form I-140G is a key step in a complex and costly application for a Gold Card. It requires thorough personal, professional, and financial evidence. An experienced attorney can provide guidance on meeting these requirements.
👉 Ready to explore your options with an attorney? Request a consultation with Manifest Law and get the clarity you need to move forward.
How can I check the status of my Form I-140G?
You can check your case status by logging into your USCIS online account.
Can I submit Form I-140G by mail?
No. Form I-140G can only be filed through your USCIS online account.
Do I pay the $1 million (or $2 million) gift when I file Form I-140G?
You pay the financial gift after a successful vetting process, which includes the evidence filed with Form I-140G. You or your sponsor will receive instructions from the U.S. government to make a payment directly from your bank account, using either ACH or a SWIFT wire transfer. For fees related to the visa, look for instructions from the Department of State, which will tell you how to pay the visa application and medical examination fees.
Do my spouse and children also have to pay the filing fee and make a gift?
Yes. If your spouse and unmarried children are requesting a Gold Card based on your petition, an additional $15,000 processing fee and $1 million gift is required for each person.
