President Donald Trump has unveiled a new programme that offers expedited US visas to affluent foreign nationals willing to pay at least $1m (£750,000), a move his administration says is designed to attract top global talent.
In an announcement on social media on Wednesday, Trump said the new Trump Gold Card will provide a “direct path to citizenship for all qualified and vetted people,” describing the initiative as “SO EXCITING!” He added that the card will finally enable “our Great American Companies” to retain “their invaluable Talent”.
Initially revealed earlier this year, the Gold Card programme grants a US visa to individuals who can demonstrate they will bring a “substantial benefit” to the country, according to details provided on its official website.
The launch comes at a time when Washington is tightening its broader immigration policies, including raising fees for work visas and intensifying deportations of undocumented migrants. The Gold Card promises US residency in “record time” and carries a mandatory $1m fee, which the website describes as proof that the applicant will “substantially benefit the United States”.
Companies seeking to sponsor employees under the scheme must pay $2m, along with additional charges. A higher-tier “platinum” card offering special tax advantages will soon be available for $5m, the website noted.
Applicants may incur extra government fees depending on their individual cases, and all candidates must pay a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee before their documents are evaluated. Since its initial announcement in February, the programme has drawn criticism from some Democrats who argue that it creates an unfair system that privileges the wealthy.
When Trump first outlined the initiative, he compared the visas to green cards, which allow people from diverse income levels to live and work permanently in the US. Typically, green card holders may apply for citizenship after five years.
However, the Gold Card targets “high-level” professionals specifically. Trump emphasised that the US seeks “productive” individuals. “The people that can pay $5m, they’re going to create jobs,” he said, insisting the programme “is going to sell like crazy. It’s a bargain.”
The visa plan is being introduced as the Trump administration continues to channel extensive resources toward deportation efforts. Immigration applications from individuals in 19 countries—mostly in Africa and the Middle East—affected by the president’s travel ban have also been paused.
Additionally, the administration has frozen decisions on asylum applications and announced a review of thousands of cases approved under former President Joe Biden.
In September, Trump signed an order imposing a new $100,000 fee on applicants for the H-1B visa, a programme used widely by skilled foreign workers. The decision triggered alarm among international students and technology companies, though the White House later clarified that the fee would apply only to first-time applicants currently residing outside the United States.
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