Understanding the Gold Card Visa
The Trump Gold Card Visa, outlined in Executive Order 14351, directs the government to create a process that allows individuals who contribute $1 million or more to the U.S. Treasury to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa using an expedited process, to the extent permitted by law and consistent with public safety and national security considerations.
The financial contribution removes the need to qualify under the existing EB-1 and EB-2 visa pathways, and it puts applicants at the front of the line for processing. Companies can sponsor a Gold Card for an employee with a $2 million contribution.
Who is the Trump Gold Card Visa For?
The Trump Gold Card visa is an expedited pathway for certain wealthy individuals to obtain U.S. permanent residency by making a significant financial contribution to the U.S. Treasury. The contribution is $1 million if you’re petitioning on your own behalf and $2 million for a corporation contributing on behalf of an employee or prospective employee.
The White House says the program is designed to prioritize immigrants who will “affirmatively benefit the Nation, including successful entrepreneurs, investors, and businessmen and women.”
Benefits of the Trump Gold Card Visa
The Trump Gold Card grants lawful permanent resident status, just like a Green Card obtained through EB-1 or EB-2 visas. The main advantage of the Gold Card is that it offers a fast track to permanent residency.
Financial gift: The money serves as a substitute for evidence that you meet the eligibility requirements of the EB-1 or EB-2 visa categories.
Expedited processing: The Gold Card speeds up visa petition and lawful permanent resident application processing, steps that would otherwise take months. However, applicants are still subject to the Visa Bulletin and availability of Immigrant Visas.
Path to citizenship: The Gold Card gives you full lawful permanent resident rights just like a Green Card. You’ll have the right to live and work anywhere in the U.S. and the freedom to change jobs or start a company. A Green Card allows most lawful permanent residents to apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of permanent residence, provided they meet all other naturalization requirements.
Family: You can petition for your spouse and unmarried children under 21 to immigrate to the United States. But you’ll have to pay an additional $1 million fee for each person on the application.
What It Takes to Qualify for a Trump Gold Card Visa
Here's how to begin the application process for the Trump Gold Card:
Submit your application at TrumpCard.gov and pay the nonrefundable application fee of $15,000.
File Form I-140G (Immigrant Petition for the Gold Card Program) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a new version of the standard I-140 immigrant petition being finalized by the Trump administration. You’ll need to provide information about yourself and the source of the funds.
USCIS will conduct security vetting, including a criminal background check.
Transfer the financial gift to the Department of the Treasury.
Apply to become a lawful permanent resident through a U.S. Department of State consulate. The instructions for I-140G don’t say what you should do if you’re already in the U.S., but you should be able to apply to adjust your status by filing Form I-485 with USCIS.
Receive final approval for a Trump Gold Card visa. The Gold Card offers expedited adjudication of your application.
Who Can Sponsor a Trump Gold Card Visa?
A U.S. corporation can use the Trump Gold Card visa to quickly secure lawful permanent resident status for foreign talent. The sponsoring company must make a non-refundable financial gift of $2 million on behalf of the employee or prospective employee.
The sponsoring corporation can transfer permanent resident status to another employee if the original recipient leaves the company. The new employee has to undergo vetting separately, but the corporation doesn’t need to pay another $2 million gift. However, it will have to pay an annual maintenance fee and transfer fee.
Trump Gold Card Visa Fees
The fee for each person requesting a Gold Card is $1 million. Any accompanying family member will also have to pay the fee. Corporations petitioning on behalf of an employee must pay $2 million, plus $1 million for each accompanying family member. The processing fee for Form I-140G is expected to cost $15,000 per person.
How Manifest’s Visa Lawyers Can Help
The Trump Gold Card visa offers a costly new pathway to permanent residency. Our attorneys can help guide you through the process by preparing the evidence package, documenting your financial contribution, and managing the complex filing requirements.
Choosing a Gold Card visa lawyer
What matters when deciding on a Gold Card visa lawyer?
Working with a visa lawyer experienced in investment-based immigration is crucial for the new Trump Gold Card visa. They can help you submit the new federal form (I-140G) and document the substantial financial contribution. You’ll need an attorney well-versed in federal policy, financial compliance, and federal law to ensure your application meets all the requirements.
Here’s what to look for when choosing a Gold Card visa lawyer:
Experience with investment-based and complex EB categories: Ask how many EB-1 or EB-2 cases they’ve handled, since the Gold Card is an expedited path through these established categories.
Track record with financial compliance: Learn about their experience documenting a lawful source of funds for investment-based visas.
Adaptability: The Trump administration is still finalizing the rules around the Gold Card visa, so your attorney needs to adapt new strategies as the standards are released.
Communication style: Make sure they provide clear updates and are responsive during what promises to be a fast-moving application process.
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*Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.
What is the Platinum Card program?
The Trump Platinum Card is a separate proposed tier of the wealth-based immigration program. In exchange for a $5 million financial contribution, it would allow the holder to spend up to 270 days a year in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxation on non-U.S. income and become a legal permanent resident.
Is the Trump Gold Card tax-deductible?
No. The Gold Card financial contribution is considered a gift, which is not tax-deductible.
Are families included?
Yes. The Trump Gold Card program allows you to include family members in your petition. This can include your spouse and unmarried children under 21. But there’s a $1 million fee for each additional person on the petition.
Will Trump’s Gold Card visa fully replace the EB-1A and EB-2 NIW Green Card paths?
It’s not clear yet. For now, Trump’s Gold Card visa is an alternative way to qualify for an EB-1 or EB-2 category visa.
What are the tax implications of the Trump Gold Card?
Once you become a lawful permanent resident, you’ll be subject to U.S. taxation on your worldwide income. This is different from the Platinum Card, which would allow the holder to spend up to 270 days a year in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxation on non-U.S. income.
Is the Trump Gold Card visa subject to annual quotas?
Gold Card recipients are drawn from the same annual visa quotas as traditional EB-1 and EB-2 applicants, so you may still have to wait for a visa.
What’s the difference between the Trump Gold Card visa and the EB-5 visa?
Both visas provide a pathway to lawful permanent resident status based on financial contribution, but the EB-5 requires you to invest the funds in a job-creating commercial enterprise.
What if I’m already in the U.S.?
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 in the U.S. It’s unclear how USCIS would treat someone already in the U.S., but 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.
