An IMGW News Report
Donald Trump has unveiled a new investor visa programme, promising a fast-track to US citizenship for those willing to part with $5 million. Branded the ‘Trump Gold Card’, the initiative is set to replace the EB-5 visa, a long-standing residency-by-investment programme introduced in 1990.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump extolled the virtues of his latest immigration reform. “They’ll be wealthy and successful, and they’ll be spending a lot of money, paying a lot of taxes, and employing a lot of people,” he said. “We think it’s going to be extremely successful.”
“With further details expected in the coming weeks, all eyes will be on the administration’s final blueprint.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the programme would be implemented within a fortnight. The new programme will eliminate the EB-5’s existing requirement for a minimum $1 million investment into job-creating enterprises. Instead, the higher price tag will, according to Lutnick, reduce fraud and bureaucratic inefficiencies while ensuring only “top-tier” investors qualify. Like other green cards, the Gold Card would provide a path to citizenship.
While the Trump administration has yet to release detailed requirements, the president hinted at a potentially uncapped issuance. Floating the idea of selling 10 million Gold Cards, he mused that it “could be great, maybe it will be fantastic.” In contrast, the EB-5 programme is subject to a strict annual cap, with 8,000 investors securing visas in the 12 months leading up to September 2022, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The programme has long been mired in concerns over fraudulent applications and opaque source-of-funds verification.
Residency-by-investment (RbI) programmes are widely available worldwide. According to Henley & Partners, over 100 countries, including the UK, Spain, Malta, Australia, and Canada, offer similar ‘Golden Visa’ programmes, often as a means to attract foreign capital.
Trump’s plan, however, raises fresh questions about congressional oversight. While the EB-5 programme was reauthorised through to 30 September 2027 under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act, it now faces an uncertain future. Investment migration experts are advising clients to act swiftly amid concerns that regulatory changes may complicate applications.
With further details expected in the coming weeks, all eyes will be on the administration’s final blueprint. Whether Trump’s Gold Card is a shrewd revenue-generating move or merely a headline-grabbing election-year pledge remains to be seen.
