Trump Launches Gold Card Visa for Wealthy Foreigners

President Donald Trump announced the launch of the Trump Gold Card visa program on Wednesday, offering wealthy foreign nationals and corporations an expedited path to U.S. residency and eventual citizenship in exchange for substantial payments. The program went live through the official website trumpcard.gov, where applicants can submit information and pay fees to begin the process.

Under the initiative, individual applicants must pay a nonrefundable $15,000 processing fee to the Department of Homeland Security, followed by a thorough background check. Upon approval, they contribute $1 million directly to the U.S. Treasury to receive lawful permanent resident status, akin to a green card but with faster processing times measured in weeks rather than years. This status allows holders to live and work in the United States and positions them for citizenship eligibility after five years. Corporations can sponsor foreign employees through a separate corporate gold card, requiring a $2 million payment, a 1 percent annual maintenance fee, and a 5 percent transfer fee if reallocating the benefit to another worker. Additional fees to the State Department may apply based on individual...