Gold Card VS Green Card: Cost, Process, Benefits - All You Should Know About Donald Trump's $1 Million Ticket For US Citizenship

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday formally opened applications for the much-publicised Gold Card Citizenship Programme, pitching it as a fast-track immigration pathway designed to attract wealthy and highly skilled foreign nationals. The announcement marks one of the most significant proposed overhauls to America’s immigration system in recent years, positioning the Gold Card as a premium alternative to the long-standing Green Card.

The new scheme builds on an executive order Trump signed in September, which created an investor-visa framework promising faster processing for permanent residency. Under the updated structure, applicants can choose between the Individual Gold Card, Corporate Gold Card and the top-tier Platinum Card. All three lead to permanent residency after applicants clear background checks conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

What Is the Gold Card?

Under the proposed framework, the Gold Card targets a specific category of applicants-primarily investors, high-income professionals, and individuals with advanced skills or exceptional achievements. Unlike the Green Card, which covers family-based, employment-based and humanitarian pathways, the Gold Card is positioned as an elite tier meant to streamline immigration for a selected group.

Cost and Investment Requirements

The Individual Trump Gold Card requires a non-refundable USD 1 million payment along with a USD 15,000 processing fee charged by the Department of Homeland Security. Companies seeking expedited residency for key employees can opt for the Corporate Gold Card, which costs USD 2 million plus the DHS fee, and can be transferred between workers subject to a small surcharge. The Platinum Card, priced at USD 5 million, offers additional incentives including the ability to spend up to 270 days a year in the US without being taxed on foreign income.

Green Card vs Gold Card: How They Differ

The Green Card, a cornerstone of US immigration for decades, offers permanent residency through a wide range of categories. It allows pathways for relatives of US citizens, workers sponsored by employers, refugees, and diversity-visa applicants. Processing times, however, often stretch for years due to quotas and backlogs.

The Gold Card, by contrast, aims for shorter processing timelines, fewer bureaucratic layers, and more direct access to citizenship. Where the Green Card is built on broad inclusivity, the Gold Card is framed as merit-driven, prioritising financial and economic criteria.

There is no business-investment requirement and no job-creation mandate, making the process significantly simpler than traditional investor visas such as the EB-5 programme. Meanwhile, traditional Green Card holders retain benefits such as permanent residency, eligibility for social programmes and long-term access to citizenship-but without premium privileges.

Trump has repeatedly argued that US companies “lose out on global talent” due to lengthy immigration delays. The new programme is positioned as a corrective measure, appealing to industries that rely on high-skill workers and foreign investors.

What It Means for Indian Applicants

For many Indians facing long waits under employment-based Green Card categories, the Gold Card offers a fast but expensive alternative. Wealthy families and corporations may view it as a shortcut to permanent U.S. residency. For most others, the traditional Green Card route remains the only accessible option - even if it involves years of backlog. For now, the Gold Card remains an additional option rather than a replacement for the Green Card.

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