“Trump card is coming”: $5 million ‘gold card’ offers permanent US residency

Washington: Amidst ongoing chaos over illegal immigration and mass deportation drives, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday came up with a novel immigration initiative targeting wealthy foreigners, a “gold card” offering a pathway to permanent residency in exchange for a $5 million payment to the government.

Announced via a new official website, trumpcard.gov, the program allows interested individuals to register their details and join a waiting list.

“For five million dollars, the Trump card is coming,” Trump declared on his social media platform, Truth Social. “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.”

Touted as a premium alternative to the existing EB-5 investor visa, the gold card is being promoted as a fast-track route to US residency for high-net-worth individuals. Trump has described it as offering “green card privileges plus.”

Despite the fanfare, the gold card is not yet available for purchase. The website currently allows users only to submit their contact information to receive a notification when the application process begins.

“It’s somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication,” Trump said, clarifying that the gold card would not provide automatic citizenship. “It’s a road to citizenship for people, and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent.”

According to USA Today, while the $5 million contribution would grant eligibility for permanent residency, recipients would still need to meet standard legal and residency requirements to qualify for US citizenship.

The launch of the gold card comes as Trump continues to advocate for “merit-based immigration,” positioning the scheme as a bold move to draw global investment and skilled individuals, while keeping tighter restrictions on traditional immigration routes.