WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has revealed a redesigned $5 million "gold card" aimed at attracting wealthy immigrants seeking American residency. This initiative, which overhauls the existing EB-5 investor visa program, was announced aboard Air Force One while global markets were reeling from Trump's sweeping tariff plans.
The metallic card, which features Trump’s image, offers "green card-plus" privileges, granting holders the right to live and work in the United States with additional benefits. Trump proudly pitched the program, saying, “For $5 million, this could be yours. It’s the gold card — the Trump card.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick shared that the administration sold 1,000 cards in a single week last month, raising $5 billion in just one day. The program is targeted at high-net-worth individuals and distinguishes itself from standard residency pathways by exempting cardholders from paying US tax on foreign income.
Trump first introduced the concept in February, promoting it as a faster and more profitable alternative to the EB-5 system, which has long faced backlogs. The new initiative effectively allows foreign nationals to "buy in" to US residency, amidst tighter immigration enforcement.
The announcement coincided with significant stock market losses, following Trump’s global tariff overhaul. When questioned about the economic impact, Trump compared the US economy to “a sick patient” undergoing surgery, adding, “It’s gonna be a booming country… we see it because we have trillions of dollars committed to come in.”
In February, Trump had announced the launch of the "gold card" visa program, proposing that investors pay $5 million for US residency and a pathway to citizenship. Details on the program’s full implementation are still unclear, but Trump indicated that it would not require congressional approval.
Lutnick confirmed that participants would be vetted to ensure they are "world-class, global citizens." The funds raised would be used to help reduce the federal deficit.
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