Trump’s $1M Gold Card Fast‑Tracks U.S. Residency

Man in suit making a fist gesture at rally.

A new million‑dollar “Gold Card” is quietly rewriting who gets to the front of America’s immigration line—and why.

Story Snapshot

The Trump Gold Card lets ultra‑rich foreigners fast‑track U.S. residency with a $1 million, non‑refundable “gift” to the government, plus hefty fees.
The program runs through existing EB‑1/EB‑2 visa categories by executive order, not new law passed by Congress.
Gold Card donors are moved to the front of the line, consuming limited visas and lengthening waits for other skilled workers.
A $5 million “Platinum Card” tier with aggressive tax perks is being marketed despite unclear legal footing.

How the Trump Gold Card Changes the Rules of Immigration

President Trump’s new Gold Card program creates a dedicated pathway to lawful permanent residency for high‑net‑worth foreigners who transfer a non‑refundable $1 million “gift” directly to the U.S. government, on top of roughly $15,000 in Department of Homeland Security processing fees and related costs. Instead of building a business or proving extraordinary professional achievements, applicants treat the million‑dollar payment itself as the qualifying benefit, and in return gain fast‑tracked processing for themselves, their spouses, and unmarried children under twenty‑one.

Unlike the older EB‑5 investor visa, which ties money to job‑creating projects and specific investment rules, the Gold Card is built around an unrestricted donation with no requirement to employ Americans or run a company. Agencies implement it through existing EB‑1 and EB‑2 “national interest” categories, treating the cash transfer as evidence of exceptional benefit to the United States. That design allows the White House to launch the program by executive order, sidestepping Congress while still consuming the same capped visa numbers.

Executive Power, Fast‑Track Privilege, and Who Gets Pushed Back

Executive Order 14351, signed on September nineteenth, twenty‑twenty‑five, directs Homeland Security, USCIS, and Commerce to “facilitate expedited immigration for aliens who make significant financial gifts to the United States” and to give those applicants priority handling in EB‑1 and EB‑2. Agencies responded by drafting a new Form I‑140G exclusively for Gold Card cases and quietly moving them to the front of the queue. Every slot taken by a donor is a slot no longer available to scientists, engineers, or physicians who followed the traditional process.

For existing skilled workers who have waited years under country caps, that means longer backlogs and less predictability, not because they lack merit, but because they cannot or will not wire a million dollars to Washington. Immigration lawyers already warn clients that Gold Card filings will chew through limited EB‑1 and EB‑2 visas, especially for oversubscribed countries. The White House, meanwhile, openly sells the program as a way to raise billions in revenue without raising taxes, reframing immigration as another revenue stream in an era of budget fights and spiraling entitlement costs.

Corporate “Owned” Green Cards, Platinum Promises, and Two‑Tier Rules

In addition to individual donors, the program offers a corporate version in which companies pay two million dollars per sponsored employee, effectively owning the card and reassigning it when executives move. That arrangement deepens concerns about turning residency into an asset controlled by boardrooms rather than families, even as it appeals to multinationals seeking flexible deployment of top talent. Ultra‑wealthy families see a chance to buy security and mobility, while ordinary migrants face stepped‑up enforcement and fewer legal avenues.

On top of the basic Gold Card, a public‑facing website now markets a five‑million‑dollar Platinum Card “waitlist,” dangling up to two‑hundred‑seventy days per year in the United States without U.S. tax on non‑U.S. income. Tax attorneys and immigration experts note that this pitch goes far beyond anything clearly grounded in the executive order or current statute, raising obvious red flags for treaty obligations, tax enforcement, and congressional authority. Even some supportive advisers caution that Platinum‑style perks may require additional legislation and could invite aggressive court challenges.

Security Screening, Legal Fights, and What Conservatives Should Watch

Homeland Security promises rigorous vetting of Gold Card and Platinum applicants, including background checks and financial scrutiny meant to catch illicit funds, crypto wealth, or money‑laundering schemes. That pledge mirrors decades of bipartisan criticism of foreign “golden passport” programs in Europe and the Caribbean, where weak controls enabled oligarchs and corrupt officials to park money and buy status. Here, however, Washington is deliberately entering that market, betting that high‑end scrutiny can balance national‑security risks against the lure of added revenue.

Trump unveils a $1 million 'Gold Card' for the ultra-rich to buy U.S. residency: For a $15,000 processing fee and a $1 million “contribution,” foreigners will receive residency “in record time” https://t.co/AH90kQBAxX

— Quartz (@qz) December 11, 2025

Legal groups and immigrant‑rights organizations are already exploring lawsuits arguing that treating an unrestricted gift as proof of “national interest” stretches the Immigration and Nationality Act beyond what Congress intended. For conservatives who prize both secure borders and equal treatment under clear laws, the Gold Card crystallizes a new tension: a tougher line on illegal entry paired with a formal, government‑branded fast lane for those rich enough to pay. How courts answer that challenge will shape executive power over immigration for years.