Trump’s $5M ‘Gold Card’ Visa: Registration Opens Next Week 2025

A major change in how the United States accepts investor immigrants is planned. According to Howard Lutnick, wealthy foreigners will be allowed to apply for the popular $5 million ‘Gold Card’ visa in a short time. The program, originally championed by Donald Trump before he was president, was created to take the place of the EB-5 investor visa program and is expected to change how US immigration works for wealthy foreigners. Registration for the Gold Card can be made online within a week, at the dedicated website trumscard.gov, which will be up and running soon.

What Exactly Is the Gold Card Visa?

U.S. immigration has launched the Gold Card visa specifically for very wealthy foreign investors. You can earn a green card and move toward citizenship if you invest $5 million in the U.S.

Key Features include:

• Minimum Required Investment: The proposed system asks for $5 million, far more than the $1.8 million required by the current EB-5 program (or $900,000 for targeted employment areas).

• Those with Permanent Residency are allowed to live and work in the United States as long as they like.

• Gold Card Benefits: A direct path to citizenship is open to cardholders, skipping some of the original rules set up for immigration.

• Unlike the EB-5 program, no particular investment projects are required for the Gold Card.

Also Read: US Visa Bulletin June 2025: No Major Relief for Indian Green Card Aspirants

Why Replace the EB-5 Program?

Since 1990, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has given foreign nationals the right to obtain green cards by investing in American businesses and creating jobs. Still, the program has received criticism for fraud, poor organization and not meeting its economic targets.

Trump’s administration takes the view that:

• Raising the amount needed to invest will result in better-quality investors joining.

• Improving how we review and approve applications will decrease incidences of fraud.

• The program could produce lots of income, which could help tackle the national debt.

If 200,000 people use the Gold Card, Lutnick believes it could be worth up to a trillion dollars and help the economy grow, he has noted.

What Will the Gold Card Be Used For?

The Gold Card will be used for the following things:

Registration and Application

• Through the government website, trumpcard.gov, people can begin the registration process in just one week.

• Immigration forms: During application, the applicants must provide information on their finances, personal history and common documents.

• Processing, according to the administration, is expected to be efficient and can take as little as two weeks for applications made by qualified people.

Eligibility

• Only individuals with at least $5 million in assets are included in this category.

• The Gold Card does not usually have an annual limit, while EB-5 does.

Benefits

• Green card benefits include being able to live and work wherever you want in the United States.

• Over time, holders can seek U.S. citizenship since they are eligible.

• The Gold Card promises to have fewer requirements and be decided on quicker than the EB-5, making the overall process simpler.

Also Read: US Visa Bulletin June: No Major Relief for Indian Green Card Aspirants

Legal and Political Hurdles

Even though the Trump administration has launched the Gold Card, legal experts say such a program probably needs to be approved by Congress. Presently, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) does not allow for such a large and high-priced investment visa program.

There are two different ways forward:

• The INA might be updated by Congress through a law granting immigrant workers a Gold Card.

• Executive Action: Because Congress did not act, the administration could decide to enforce the program on its own, but this choice might result in lawsuits and high court hearings68.

New measures were recently added to the EB-5 program, and the program was extended to September 202768. Any sudden changes could create problems for people currently applying for EB-5 green cards.

International Interest and the Effect on the Economy

A lot of wealthy people, especially from the Middle East, Asia and other areas, have already expressed interest in getting the Gold Card. The United States is the leading country for private wealth, with 37% of the world’s millionaires and organisations that provide greater security for their assets.

Officials want the Gold Card to help boost public trust in law enforcement.

• Get capital from foreign countries.

• Produce business ideas and open doors for people looking for work.

• Increase the country’s performance in attracting international investors.

Also Read: Denmark’s New Student Visa Rules: Work and Family Rights Curtailed

Experts Latest Comparison: Gold Card vs. EB-5 Visa in 2025

Here is a comparison between the Gold Card and the EB-5:

Implications for Indian and Global Applicants

For these groups, the Gold Card could help them get a U.S. Green Card or citizenship in as little as six months—if they have $5 million to invest. It skips the long line for green cards that many Indian professionals have complained about for years. Unfortunately, most people with special skills and families find it too costly to get a house.

Problems and Issues

• Some argue the program makes it easier for the ultrarich and provides little help for qualified workers and families trying to settle in the U.S.

• Because the program isn’t yet approved by Congress, it is at risk of being altered or overturned by lawsuits, putting early applicants in uncertainty.

• Currently approved EB-5 investors are shielded, but the move to a new program could cause confusion and hold up their cases.

What’s Next?

• The registration website for trumpcard.gov will become available within the next week.

• More specifics about eligibility, the choices of investments and the process are due to be announced shortly.

• Keep an eye on Capitol Hill as Congress discusses the program and the possibility of lawsuits.

Also Read: Indian Americans: 5.2 Million Strong, Now the US’s Second-Largest Asian Group

Conclusion

Offering $5 million Gold Card visas, the Trump administration is trying to update U.S. investment immigration by appealing to the global elite with quick residency and citizenship. While the program may create a lot of economic gains and bring in skilled investors, it is also controversial because it challenges questions of fairness and legal authority. As this plan is set to begin, people worldwide will observe if the Gold Card becomes a highly regarded marker or if it leads to major changes in how America handles immigration.

To learn more about the latest immigration news, contact TerraTern right away!