Trump launches “Gold Card” Visa Scheme

● On December 10, 2025 the Trump administration commenced accepting applications for the “Trump Gold Card” programme which grants foreign nationals residency, work authorisation and a pathway to US citizenship upon payment of a minimum fee of US $ 1 million ( RS NINE CRORE ).

● The Gold Card replaces the EB-5 investor visa which was established by the U.S. Congress in 1990 and is administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It provides a route to permanent residency (Green Card) for foreign nationals who make qualifying investments in U.S. commercial enterprises and to create a minimum of 10 full-time jobs for US workers.

● The Trump Gold Card is a visa program that lets foreigners get US residency more easily than usual. Approved applicants would receive an EB-1 or EB-2 visa, which are top priority visas for people with exceptional skills. It grants residency/work rights without bureaucratic delays.

● The Gold Card requires no job creation commitment like EB and the payment is non‑refundable.

● The applicants must qualify for permanent residency, be legally allowed to enter the US and have an available visa. For some countries, the wait for an available visa can take a year or longer.

● It prevents skilled foreign students (especially from India, China, France etc.) from leaving the US after graduation due to visa limitation. The Gold Card aims to stop this “brain drain”. It is designed to help US companies like IBM,Dell etc. to retain global talent especially in tech and innovative sectors.

● The Gold Card program could attract wealthy people to the US and their investments might help in boosting the economy.

● It also raises ethical, legal and political concerns. It makes putting US citizenship on sale, giving an advantage to the rich instead of focusing on skilled professionals. Without strong rules the program could lead to money laundering and foreign influence.