📢 The Trump Gold Card is now available, but it is not a simple “pay $1 million and receive a green card” program. For some high-net-worth individuals, it may offer a faster way to present an employment-based immigration case. For others, especially people born in India or China, the Gold Card may speed up the petition while leaving the larger visa backlog untouched.

Here is what you need to know before treating the Gold Card visa as an alternative to EB-5, EB-1, EB-2 NIW, or an employer-sponsored strategy.

What is the Trump Gold Card?

The Gold Card was created by Executive Order 14351, signed on September 19, 2025. The program launched on December 10, 2025, and its official application portal is trumpcard.gov.

The most important point is that the Gold Card is not a new visa category created by Congress. It operates within the existing employment-based immigration system, primarily through:

  • EB-1A (extraordinary ability);
  • EB-2 for exceptional business ability and national benefit; and
  • EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW).

The executive order directs the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security to treat the qualifying financial gift as evidence supporting eligibility under those existing categories. USCIS uses Form I-140G, Immigrant Petition for the Gold Card Program, for the process.

You can review the Executive Order and the official USCIS Form I-140G page for the government’s current instructions.

How much does the Gold Card cost?

For an individual applicant, the basic cost is:

  • $1,000,000 non-refundable gift to the U.S. government; and
  • $15,000 non-refundable DHS processing fee per person.

The $15,000 fee is paid through the application process. The $1 million gift is generally requested after the applicant completes the initial vetting and receives approval to proceed.

For a corporation sponsoring an employee, the required gift is:

  • $2,000,000 for the principal employee; and
  • $15,000 per person in DHS processing fees.

These amounts are separate from possible Department of State visa fees, medical examination costs, attorney fees, tax planning expenses, and document-processing costs.

What does “non-refundable gift” mean?

It means the money is not an investment that you can later recover. It is a payment to the U.S. government, not capital placed into a business.

If your Gold Card application is denied after the required money has been paid, you can lose the gift. The $15,000 processing fee is also non-refundable regardless of the outcome.

This is a major difference between a Gold Card and an EB-5 investor visa. In an EB-5 case, your investment must be at risk and must support job creation, but some or all of the capital may potentially be returned depending on the investment structure and project performance. The Gold Card gift is irrevocable.

Who can include family members?

The Gold Card may cover your:

  • Legally married spouse; and
  • Unmarried children under age 21.

However, the family pricing is very different from EB-5.

Each dependent requires a separate $1,000,000 gift and a separate $15,000 DHS processing fee. One family petition does not allow you to bring the entire family for one financial contribution.

For example, an individual applicant with a spouse and two qualifying children could face:

  • $4,000,000 in total gifts; and
  • $60,000 in DHS processing fees.

That is one of the Gold Card’s most important differences from EB-5, where one qualifying petition generally covers the principal investor, spouse, and unmarried children under 21.

What information must you provide?

The Gold Card process involves extensive personal, financial, and background documentation. Applicants should expect to provide information including:

  • A 20-year employment history;
  • Full educational history;
  • Bank statements and investment account records;
  • At least three years of tax returns;
  • Business records and audited financial statements;
  • Property, inheritance, and trust documents;
  • Documentation showing the lawful source of the money; and
  • Disclosure of all cryptocurrency accounts and wallet identifiers.

“Source of funds” means proving where your money came from and how it moved into your accounts. For example, an applicant may need to connect wealth to business income, stock sales, inheritance, real estate transactions, or other lawful sources.

Applicants must also make self-attestations relating to national security, fraud, money laundering, and terrorism. A large bank balance alone is not enough. You must be able to explain and document the history of your wealth.

How do you apply for Form I-140G?

The process is electronic. Paper filing is not permitted.

The general sequence is:

  1. Register through trumpcard.gov.
  2. Pay the $15,000 DHS processing fee.
  3. Wait for USCIS to invite you to create or use a USCIS online account.
  4. Complete and electronically submit Form I-140G with supporting documentation.
  5. Complete background and security vetting.
  6. If approved to proceed, make the required gift.
  7. Continue through adjustment of status in the United States or consular processing abroad, subject to visa availability.

You cannot simply download Form I-140G and mail it to USCIS. The USCIS instructions state that applicants must first register through the official Gold Card portal and receive notice from USCIS.

Does the Gold Card eliminate visa backlogs?

No. This is the biggest catch.

A per-country cap is a legal limit on the number of employment-based immigrant visas that can be issued to people chargeable to a particular country each year. The executive order specifically requires implementation to remain consistent with existing statutory visa limits.

In practical terms, the Gold Card may accelerate the petition stage, but it does not automatically create a new visa number or move you ahead of people already waiting in the EB-1 or EB-2 queue.

For applicants born in countries without significant backlogs, that distinction may be less important. But applicants chargeable to India or China must plan carefully.

As of the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, the EB-1 India Final Action Date is approximately October 15, 2022, representing roughly a four-year wait in real-world terms. EB-2 India is listed as unavailable for that month. Visa Bulletin dates can change monthly, but these figures show why a fast Gold Card petition does not necessarily mean a fast green card.

Before making any payment, review the current Department of State Visa Bulletin and analyze your country of chargeability.

How does the Gold Card compare with EB-5?

The Gold Card and EB-5 both appeal to investors and entrepreneurs, but they work very differently.

Issue Gold Card EB-5
Basic financial requirement $1 million gift for an individual Generally $800,000 in a qualifying targeted employment area or $1.05 million outside one, subject to current rules
Nature of payment Non-refundable gift to the U.S. government Investment in a qualifying commercial enterprise
Job creation No specific job-creation requirement Generally requires at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs
Family coverage Each dependent requires another $1 million gift and $15,000 fee One petition generally covers the qualifying family
Financial recovery Gift cannot be recovered Investment may potentially be repaid, but remains at risk
Visa category Uses existing EB-1 or EB-2 framework EB-5
Visa backlog EB-1/EB-2 limits still apply Reserved EB-5 categories may offer different visa availability

The best option depends on more than your net worth. Your country of birth, family size, immigration history, business goals, source of funds, and desired timeline all matter.

For some Indian or Chinese applicants, EB-5 reserved categories, including rural or high-unemployment projects, may offer a more practical route than paying the Gold Card gift while waiting in an EB-1 or EB-2 backlog. You can learn more through our EB-5 investor immigration resources.

What should employers know about the corporate Gold Card?

The corporate version requires a $2 million gift per sponsored employee. One notable feature is that the company may be able to transfer the sponsorship to another employee if the original employee leaves.

However, the transfer is not automatic. The company must pay a transfer fee, the replacement employee must undergo additional vetting, and the company must continue meeting program requirements. The official portal also identifies a 1% annual maintenance fee and a 5% transfer fee.

The corporate Gold Card applies to one individual per card. Employers should not view it as a general workforce immigration solution.

For most companies, it is safer to continue planning around established options such as:

  • H-1B;
  • L-1;
  • O-1;
  • EB-1;
  • EB-2;
  • EB-3; and
  • PERM-based sponsorship.

The Gold Card may be considered for a particularly valuable employee, but it remains legally uncertain and financially expensive.

What are the tax consequences?

Gold Card holders are generally U.S. tax residents. That can mean:

  • U.S. taxation on worldwide income;
  • FBAR reporting for certain foreign financial accounts;
  • FATCA reporting;
  • Potential U.S. estate and gift tax exposure; and
  • Additional reporting involving foreign businesses, trusts, investments, and cryptocurrency.

You should consult a qualified U.S. tax professional before applying. Immigration eligibility does not automatically make the tax consequences favorable.

Could a court invalidate the Gold Card?

The program faces significant legal risk. Potential challenges may question:

  • Whether executive authority can create this process without new legislation from Congress;
  • Whether a cash gift can substitute for the traditional evidence required for EB-1A or EB-2 eligibility;
  • Whether the program unfairly favors wealthy applicants;
  • Whether the agencies followed the Administrative Procedure Act; and
  • Whether the program harms applicants already waiting in employment-based queues.

A court ruling or a future administration could change, limit, or invalidate the program. The executive order itself states that it does not create an enforceable right or benefit against the United States.

That uncertainty matters because the required financial contribution is not refundable.

Who is the Gold Card most likely to benefit?

The Gold Card may make practical sense mainly for someone who:

  • Was born in a country with no significant EB-1 or EB-2 backlog;
  • Has at least $1 million available to give away permanently;
  • Can document the lawful source of substantial wealth;
  • Wants to reduce the traditional evidence burden for an extraordinary ability or national interest case;
  • Has no major admissibility or security concerns; and
  • Understands that approval is not guaranteed.

It may be a poor fit if you:

  • Need to preserve your capital;
  • Have a large family and would face several million dollars in dependent gifts;
  • Are chargeable to India or China;
  • Expect the program to bypass visa-number limits;
  • Cannot document your financial history; or
  • Need a legally settled immigration pathway.

What should you do next?

Before registering or transferring funds:

  1. Confirm your country of chargeability and review current EB-1, EB-2, and EB-5 visa availability.
  2. Compare the Gold Card with EB-5, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, O-1, and employer-sponsored options.
  3. Prepare a complete source-of-funds map covering business, tax, property, inheritance, investment, and cryptocurrency records.
  4. Obtain separate tax advice about worldwide income, reporting, and estate planning.
  5. Review the denial and refund risks in writing.
  6. Have an immigration attorney assess eligibility, admissibility, family costs, and litigation risk.

The Gold Card is a real program, but it is not a guaranteed green card and not a replacement for careful immigration strategy. We will continue to keep you updated as USCIS, the Department of State, and the courts provide more guidance.

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal or tax advice. Immigration rules, visa availability, fees, and program procedures can change. Your eligibility depends on your specific facts. Speak with an immigration attorney and qualified tax professional before making a filing, gift, or investment decision.

Contact Badmus & Associates to discuss your employment-based immigration, investor visa, or entrepreneur immigration options.

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