The US Gold Card is an immigration programme that lets a wealthy foreign national make a $1 million gift to the US Department of Commerce in exchange for expedited processing of a green card application. It was created by Executive Order 14351, signed by President Donald Trump on 19 September 2025. The Gold Card is not a new visa category, it does not guarantee approval, and it does not grant US citizenship. This guide explains how it works, what it costs, who has used it, and the legal challenge it faces.

The programme grew out of an idea first floated by President Trump in February 2025, when a $5 million price was suggested. When the executive order was signed seven months later, the price had fallen to $1 million for an individual, or $2 million where a company makes the gift on behalf of an employee. The order was published in the Federal Register on 24 September 2025 as 90 FR 46031, and the programme went live on 10 December 2025, when the official portal, trumpcard.gov, opened for registrations.

How much does the Gold Card cost?

There are two payments. The first is a non-refundable processing fee of $15,000, paid to the Department of Homeland Security when the applicant files Form I-140G, the petition created for the programme. The second is the gift itself: $1 million for an individual donating on their own behalf, or $2 million for a corporation or similar entity donating on behalf of an individual. The gift is described in the executive order as unrestricted, which means it is a donation to the Government, not an investment, and it is not returned if the application fails.

Family members are not included in a single payment. A spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included in the application, but each family member pays a separate $15,000 processing fee and makes a separate $1 million gift. The gift is requested after the applicant has completed vetting, rather than at the first step, and the Government says processing should take weeks once the application and fee have been received, provided the applicant completes each step promptly.

A higher-priced option has also been mentioned. The official website refers to a $5 million Platinum Card as coming soon, but no details of its terms or launch date had been published as of October 2026.

How does the Gold Card actually work?

The most important thing to understand about the Gold Card is that it does not create a new visa. Instead, the executive order tells the Departments of Commerce, State and Homeland Security to treat the $1 million gift as evidence of eligibility under two existing employment-based green card categories: EB-1, for people of extraordinary ability, and EB-2, for people of exceptional ability seeking a National Interest Waiver. The applicant then files Form I-140G, the current edition of which is dated 11 September 2026, online only, after registering on trumpcard.gov and having that registration accepted.

Because Gold Card holders use EB-1 and EB-2 visa numbers, the money changes the evidence, not the queue. Applicants are still subject to the annual caps on employment-based immigrant visas and to the per-country limits that create long backlogs for applicants born in India and China. Paying $1 million does not let an applicant jump that queue. Applicants must also pass background checks and satisfy the normal requirements for admissibility, and the programme is subject to public safety and national security concerns set out in the order.

The order gave the three departments 90 days to implement the programme, a deadline that fell on 19 December 2025. Since then, the machinery of the programme has been built out: the Social Security Administration, for example, has created 16 new Gold Card classes of admission and a Gold Card version of the Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551.

Gold Card vs EB-5: what is the difference?

The Gold Card is often compared with the EB-5 investor visa, but the two are very different. EB-5 is created by statute, the Immigration and Nationality Act, while the Gold Card rests on an executive order. Under EB-5, an applicant invests $800,000 in a targeted employment area or $1,050,000 elsewhere, the investment must create 10 full-time jobs, and the money can be returned if the project succeeds. The applicant first receives a two-year conditional green card and then applies to remove the conditions.

Under the Gold Card, the $1 million is a gift, not an investment. There is no requirement to create jobs, and there is nothing to get back. In return, the applicant gets expedited processing within the EB-1 or EB-2 categories and, if approved, permanent residence rather than a conditional green card. EB-5 has decades of approvals and established case law behind it; the Gold Card has been running for less than a year and its legal basis is being challenged in court. The EB-5 regional centre programme is authorised through 30 September 2027, while the Gold Card’s future depends on the outcome of litigation and on the policy of the current administration.

Who has applied for a Gold Card so far?

Uptake has been modest. In a declaration filed in federal court in April 2026, US Citizenship and Immigration Services reported 338 requests, 165 fee payments and 59 filed Form I-140G petitions. By 20 August 2026, USCIS had received 88 Form I-140G petitions, with 3 final approvals, 38 conditional approvals, 7 denials and 5 withdrawals. Only one approval had been reported by April 2026, when Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told a House committee about the programme’s early numbers.

The administration has also made public claims about the programme’s revenue. In December 2025 it said the Gold Card had already generated $1.3 billion, a figure that has been questioned because it is far higher than the number of confirmed fee payments would suggest. No newer official count of applications had been published as of late October 2026.

One high-profile case caused confusion early in 2026. The administration said a Gold Card given to the singer Nicki Minaj in January 2026 was a commemorative memento and did not grant residency, underlining that a ceremonial card is not the same as an approved immigration petition.

Is the Gold Card legal?

The programme’s legality is being challenged in federal court. The American Association of University Professors and six individual visa applicants sued on 3 February 2026 in a case called AAUP v. DHS, in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. They argue that the executive branch cannot use a payment to substitute for the merit-based criteria Congress set for EB-1 and EB-2 visas. The Government’s motion to dismiss was fully briefed on 1 September 2026, and no ruling had been reported as of late October 2026. No court order blocking the programme was in place at that date, so applications continue to be accepted while the case is pending.

A second lawsuit, brought by the Democracy Defenders Fund under the Freedom of Information Act, seeks records about how the programme operates. Together, the cases mean the Gold Card’s long-term future is uncertain. Because it was created by executive order rather than by an Act of Congress, a future president could also change or end it.

Immigration lawyers have also warned about tax. A person who becomes a US permanent resident becomes subject to US tax on their worldwide income, which can be a significant cost for wealthy applicants that is not reflected in the $1 million headline figure.

What the Gold Card is not

The Gold Card is not a citizenship programme. It leads, if approved, to lawful permanent residence as an EB-1 or EB-2 visa holder. Citizenship through naturalisation is a separate process governed by US law and requires years of residence. It is also not a guarantee of entry. Paying the fee and making the gift does not automatically lead to approval, and applicants must still meet the eligibility and admissibility rules that apply to every immigrant visa applicant.

It is also not a replacement for the EB-1A or EB-2 National Interest Waiver routes. People who qualify for those categories on their own merits can still apply in the normal way, without paying $1 million, and the Government has said the Gold Card will not displace traditional applicants for EB-1 and EB-2 visas.

Anyone considering the programme should check the official website, trumpcard.gov, and take independent legal advice before paying any fee. Programme rules and fees may change, and the outcome of the court challenge could change the position. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the US Gold Card cost? A $15,000 non-refundable processing fee plus a $1 million gift for an individual, or $2 million where a company sponsors an employee.

Is the Gold Card a new visa? No. It is an expedited route into the existing EB-1 and EB-2 green card categories, created by Executive Order 14351.

Does the Gold Card give US citizenship? No. It can lead to permanent residence. Citizenship through naturalisation is a separate process.

Can family members be included? Yes. A spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included, but each pays a separate $15,000 fee and makes a separate $1 million gift.

How many Gold Cards have been approved? As of 20 August 2026, USCIS had received 88 Form I-140G petitions, with 3 final approvals and 38 conditional approvals.

Is the Gold Card being challenged in court? Yes. AAUP v. DHS, filed on 3 February 2026, argues the programme is unlawful. No court order blocking it had been reported as of late October 2026.