Trump Unveils $1 Mn Gold Card Visa Offering Citizenship After Five Years

US President Donald Trump on December 10, 2025, introduced the “Gold Card” visa, presenting it as a premium alternative to the green card for wealthy foreign nationals seeking permanent residency and a faster route to citizenship. The programme requires individuals to pay a $15,000 processing fee and make a nonrefundable $1 million “gift” to the US Treasury, providing expedited vetting, permanent status, and citizenship eligibility after five years of full compliance. Trump said the initiative offers “big advantages” over traditional green cards and aims to attract top global talent by allowing companies to retain graduates from elite institutions like Harvard and MIT without concerns of deportation.

The corporate version requires sponsoring companies to pay $2 million per employee, along with the $15,000 fee, enabling firms to keep foreign workers indefinitely with complete government vetting and a pathway to citizenship. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick noted that the $15,000 background check is designed to ensure only “perfect” candidates qualify, while companies can shift their allocated funds to new hires each year through a 1% maintenance fee.