Breaking! Trump's $1 Million Gold Card Program Launched
On September 19, 2025, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order for a program called the “Gold Card,” stating it would open a new visa channel for “foreigners with extraordinary abilities who are willing to support the United States.”
The program is divided into three categories: individuals can obtain a regular green card status by investing $1 million; companies need to invest $2 million for their employees; and there is a $5 million level “platinum card,” which exempts holders from domestic U.S. taxes. The executive order requires the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish and implement the program within 90 days.
Individual Gold Card: $1 million regular gold card and $5 million platinum card
Corporate Gold Card: $2 million
Although the White House promotes this move as a way to attract “top talent” and generate revenue for the national treasury, a closer analysis of the policy details and legal background reveals that the “Gold Card” program faces many restrictions, and its appeal may not be as great as advertised.
The “Gold Card” is essentially still a regular green card
No special status advantages
According to the executive order, except for the $5 million level “platinum card” which has tax exemption privileges, the “Gold Card” is essentially still a regular green card, with no substantial difference in legal status from other immigration visas.
According to the executive order, the donation made by applicants for the Gold Card will be considered strong evidence that they meet the conditions for the following three common categories of extraordinary talent immigration visas:
• 8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(1)(A) (EB-1A - Extraordinary Ability Visa)
• 8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(2)(A) (EB-2 - Advanced Degree Professional or Exceptional Ability Visa)
• 8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(2)(B) (NIW - National Interest Waiver)
This means that the “Gold Card” program will use the existing EB-1 and EB-2 (including National Interest Waiver NIW) visa category quotas. Applicants from countries like China and India will face the same backlog issues as existing applications. Currently, the backlog for these countries in the EB-1/EB-2 categories can be as long as 5-10 years, meaning that even if applicants are willing to pay $1 million, they will still face a long wait before obtaining a green card.
Limited presidential power
Unable to bypass the current immigration law framework
During the signing ceremony, Trump compared this policy to a “signing bonus in football or baseball,” predicting that the program would generate more than $100 billion in revenue for the U.S. Treasury in the future. However, this move once again demonstrates that presidential executive power cannot bypass the current immigration legal framework.
To make substantive reforms to the green card system, one must either strictly follow existing laws or push for legislative changes, the latter of which faces significant obstacles and has a bleak outlook in reality. Therefore, the government can only seek limited adjustments within the existing EB-1/EB-2 mechanism.
EB-5 is a more stable choice
Compared to the existing EB-5 investment immigration program, the “Gold Card” program appears less attractive in several aspects:
• Fund handling: EB-5 requires an $800,000 investment in a commercial project, with the possibility of a return if conditions are met; the “Gold Card” program involves a direct donation to the U.S. government, which is non-refundable.
• Backlog issues: The current new policy EB-5 program has no backlog and allows simultaneous filing of I-526E and I-485 applications, achieving “dual filing” for early U.S. residency, with rural projects enjoying priority review for fast U.S. green card acquisition; whereas the “Gold Card” program uses EB-1/EB-2 categories, facing significant backlogs.
• Legal stability: EB-5 investment immigration was established by congressional legislation in 1990 and has been reauthorized in 2022. According to the act, EB-5 is explicitly written into law and includes a “Grandfather Clause” to protect all EB-5 applications submitted before September 30, 2026, from future legal and policy changes. The “Gold Card” program, based on an executive order, may change with government transitions.
Wise immigration decisions are often based on predictable institutional guarantees. The EB-5 program, as a congressionally legislated immigration channel, has remained stable through multiple government transitions, providing long-term assurance for applicants. For Chinese families seeking overseas development, seizing the current EB-5 no-backlog policy window and the protection of the "Grandfather Clause" to lock in existing policies is undoubtedly a more prudent choice. In the path of immigration, rather than chasing the uncertainties of new policies, choosing a reliable path proven by time is the wisest move to achieve overseas development plans.