Trump launches $5 million 'Gold Card' visa scheme (VIDEO)
New residency permit includes exclusive privileges and expedited path to US citizenship
US President Donald Trump has unveiled what he called the “Trump Card” – a $5 million golden visa offering affluent investors a direct path to American residency and eventual citizenship.
Speaking to journalists en route to Miami aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Trump held a prototype of the card, featuring his own image, and declared himself its first buyer.
“This is the gold card,” he said, grinning. “Pretty exciting, huh?” According to the president, the visa will be available “in less than two weeks” and is designed to attract high-net-worth individuals while reducing the national deficit.
Trump's $5m visa
The new visa is positioned as an elite upgrade to the existing EB-5 investor programme, which has long been plagued by backlogs and regulatory hurdles. Under the Trump administration's plan, the “gold card” grants holders the right to live and work in the US, with additional privileges over traditional green card recipients. Among these is an exemption from paying US taxes on foreign income – a benefit expected to appeal strongly to global elites.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the visa had already generated massive interest. “We sold 1,000 cards in a week,” he claimed, amounting to Dh18.4 billion in revenue – or $5 billion – in just a single day. The programme reportedly does not require congressional approval and will replace the current EB-5 route entirely.
The rollout comes as financial markets react to a series of aggressive trade tariffs introduced by the Trump administration. When asked whether the visa launch was a distraction from plunging stock prices, Trump responded with characteristic bravado: “The economy is like a patient undergoing surgery. It’s gonna be a booming country.”
In remarks made earlier in February, Trump indicated that the gold card could bring in “maybe a million” applicants. Though he did not confirm eligibility specifics, he notably did not exclude wealthy Russian nationals, raising questions about geopolitical implications.
Applicants will still undergo security and background checks. According to Lutnick, only “wonderful, world-class, global citizens” will qualify. The Dh18.4 million price tag must be paid directly to the US government, with proceeds earmarked for deficit reduction.
The Trump Card is not merely a visa – it's a branded offer designed to combine exclusivity with access, merging immigration policy with commercial spectacle. Whether it reshapes US immigration or sparks global controversy, its golden sheen has already made headlines.