United States President Donald Trump has announced the launch of his administration’s “Trump Card” program, offering permanent residency to foreign nationals who invest $5 million in the country. The program, unveiled on Wednesday, allows prospective applicants to register their interest on the (link unavailable) website.
According to Trump, the “Gold Card” promises “green card privileges plus,” suggesting an expedited route to citizenship for wealthy individuals and high-skill contributors. “Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “It’s called THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THE WAITING LIST IS NOW OPEN.”
The Trump Card program requires applicants to submit their name, region, and email address, and specify whether they are applying as an individual or a business. Trump described the card as offering “a sophisticated alternative to the green card” with “an elevated pathway toward eventual citizenship”. The program appears to have no job creation requirements, unlike the existing EB-5 investor visa program, which requires $800,000 to $1.05 million in investment plus job creation.
Trump administration officials suggest that the Gold Card will replace the EB-5 immigrant investor visa program. The new program is expected to attract ultra-rich immigrants while conducting mass deportations of others. Trump emphasized that the gold card does not grant immediate citizenship, but rather serves as “a road to citizenship for people, and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent”.
The Trump Card offers permanent US residency and a path to citizenship for foreigners willing to invest $5 million. Trump said, “They’ll be wealthy, and they’ll be successful, and they’ll be spending a lot of money, and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people.” The program’s benefits include green card privileges and potential tax advantages.
The Trump administration has indicated that there will be a vetting process for applicants, although the specific criteria apart from the $5 million price tag remain unclear. The program is expected to be among the most expensive visa programs in the world.