^{President Trump said he’s the first one to get the gold card. | AFP via Getty Images}

April 4, 2025 — Aboard Air Force One — Former U.S. President Donald Trump has introduced a flashy and controversial new immigration initiative: a $5 million "Gold Card" visa targeting ultra-wealthy foreigners seeking U.S. residency. Trump unveiled the sleek, gold-colored card emblazoned with his image and dubbed it “The Trump Card,” describing it as a premium pathway for “world-class global citizens” to invest in America.

“For $5 million, this could be yours. That was the first of the cards. You know what that card is? It’s the gold card—the Trump card,” Trump proclaimed while showing the card to reporters.

What Is the Gold Card Visa?

The Gold Card is a high-tier visa program that allows affluent individuals to secure lawful U.S. residence—and eventually citizenship—through a $5 million direct investment into the American economy. While it doesn't offer instant citizenship, holders can apply for naturalization after five years, assuming all eligibility criteria are met.

The program is poised to replace the outdated EB-5 visa, which required a $1 million investment and job creation for at least ten Americans. That program has long faced criticism for being inefficient, fraud-prone, and poorly monitored.

“The old EB-5 was full of nonsense, make-believe, and fraud,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a statement to The Sun. “We’re doing something bigger, cleaner, and smarter.”

A Trillion-Dollar Vision

Trump has an ambitious economic goal for the new visa scheme. He claims that issuing one million Gold Cards could raise $5 trillion in revenue, funds that could potentially chip away at the nation’s staggering $35 trillion debt.

“We have $35 trillion in debt. If we can sell a million of these, that’s $5 trillion. That’ll be nice,” Trump said. “So we’ll see.”

While economists say issuing a million such visas is highly unlikely, even a fraction of that number could inject billions into U.S. infrastructure, job creation, and tech development, depending on where the funds are invested.

Elite Entry: Who Qualifies?

While the final qualification criteria are expected to be released in the coming weeks, early reports indicate that applicants must:

• Pass rigorous background and financial checks
• Show proof of legitimate wealth sources
• Demonstrate potential to contribute positively to the U.S. economy
• Uphold a clean criminal and immigration record

Sources close to the Trump team said the government is already in touch with investment groups and billionaire families in Saudi Arabia, India, and China who have expressed interest in applying.

Mixed Reactions and Legal Hurdles

Critics argue the Gold Card represents a "pay-to-play" system that favors the ultra-wealthy and bypasses merit-based immigration. Human rights groups have already raised concerns that this may further marginalize skilled workers, refugees, and those from less affluent nations.

However, Trump allies argue that wealth-based immigration brings immediate returns to the country—jobs, innovation, and infrastructure growth.

“This is about bringing in global winners who will help power American capitalism, not burden it,” said Lutnick.

What’s Next?

The first batch of Gold Cards is expected to be issued within the next 30–60 days, pending final approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Department of Commerce and Homeland Security are working jointly to finalize the operational rollout and vetting mechanisms.

If successful, this could become one of the most financially ambitious immigration reforms in U.S. history.

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