Trump Unveils Lucrative $1M 'Gold Card' for Wealthy Immigrants: What You Need to Know

US President Donald Trump has introduced a new expedited immigration program, dubbed the Trump Gold Card, which offers wealthy foreign nationals US residency in exchange for a $1 million payment. The initiative is being marketed as a quicker alternative to the traditional green card process, despite the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies. The Gold Card program has been launched at a time when the administration is intensifying its efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and restrict legal immigration channels. The official website, trumpcard.gov, has gone live, and Trump has touted the program as a major economic win, claiming it could raise 'many billions of dollars.' To qualify for the Gold Card, applicants must pay a $15,000 processing fee, pass a background check, and make a $1 million payment to the US government. A corporate version of the program is also available, allowing businesses to secure fast-track residency for employees at $2 million per applicant. The program has been met with criticism, with many arguing that it contradicts Trump's messaging on immigration. While the Gold Card promises legal residency, it does not guarantee permanent status, and applicants must still qualify for existing EB-1 or EB-2 visa categories. A premium tier, the Trump Platinum Card, is in development, which will cost $5 million and allow holders to stay up to 270 days a year in the US without being taxed on foreign income. The program has already seen significant interest, with around 10,000 people pre-registering, according to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. While the Gold Card program may raise significant revenue for the US Treasury, it has raised concerns about the fairness of the program, which only benefits wealthy applicants. The program's fine print also matters, as applicants must still qualify for existing visa categories and may face significant green card backlogs in their home countries.