Trump Announced New “Gold Card”

On September 19, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order creating the “Gold Card” visa program. The Gold Card is designed to provide a fast‐track immigration pathway to U.S. permanent residence for wealthy foreign nationals who make a large financial “gift” to the U.S. government (or via corporations). The required amount is $1 million if the gift is made by an individual on their own behalf. If a corporation or similar entity makes it on behalf of an individual, the amount is $2 million. According to the order, these gifts will be treated as evidence of Extraordinary Ability, Exceptional Ability/National Benefit, or eligibility for a National Interest Waiver (ie. EB-1 or EB-2 preference categories).

Litigation is expected on this executive order, as the executive branch does not have authority to create new visa categories, nor does it have the power to deem the eligibility criteria for existing visa categories, which is set by Congress, and is already laid out in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). To change these categories, Congress would need to pass a bill updating the INA.