US moves closer to launching Trump’s $1M Gold Card visa. [Photo: X/Reality on Chain]
The United States has taken a major step toward launching President Donald Trump’s proposed “Gold Card” permanent residence program, which would allow wealthy individuals to secure US green cards through large donations to the government.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has submitted the first draft of Form I-140G to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), marking the program’s first formal step toward implementation. USCIS estimates that nearly 1,000 applicants may sign up each year once the program begins.
USCIS has sent a draft of Form I-140G — the key application form for the Gold Card visa — to the OMB for review. OMB approval is required before any federal form or process can be introduced.
Mitch Wexler, senior counsellor at global immigration firm Fragomen, told the Times of India, “Though the draft form is an important step toward implementation of the Gold Card program, the process has not been finalised and USCIS and the Department of Commerce are not yet accepting applications.”
The move is part of Trump’s broader effort to overhaul the US immigration system and replace the existing EB-5 investor visa program.
The Gold Card program requires applicants to donate large sums to the US Treasury. The proposed contributions include:
To qualify, applicants must submit documents proving that the donated funds come from a lawful source.
The proposed process includes three steps:
Wexler noted that the draft does not yet clarify how adjustment of status will work for applicants already inside the US, although that option is expected later.
In February, Trump announced plans to replace the long-running EB-5 immigrant investor visa, which grants green cards to foreigners who invest in US job-creating projects. He said the new program would be simpler and more direct.
“We are going to be selling a gold card,” Trump said. “It’s going to offer green card privileges and serve as a route to American citizenship, attracting wealthy individuals to our country by purchasing this card,” he added.
Experts say the Gold Card marks a major shift in US immigration policy — from job-creation-based investor visas to revenue-driven immigration, where contributions go directly to the federal treasury.
This could appeal to wealthy applicants seeking a quicker, less bureaucratic process, but it has also raised questions about fairness and whether US citizenship risks becoming a commercial product.
