Trump to Introduce ‘Gold Card’ Visas Offering Permanent Residency for $5 Million
The recently introduced visa will provide green card benefits and a pathway to citizenship. “Wealthy individuals will be entering our nation,” stated the president.
President Donald Trump revealed that his administration plans to begin selling so-called gold-card visas at $5 million each within the next two weeks.
“This will grant you green card privileges, and also serve as a pathway to citizenship, with wealthy individuals coming into our country through this card purchase,” Trump remarked on February 25.
“They will be affluent, successful, and will contribute significantly to the economy through spending, taxes, and job creation. We believe this initiative will be incredibly successful, and it’s something that has never been done before.”
Lutnick referred to the EB-5 as “full of nonsense, make-believe, and fraud,” emphasizing the ease of obtaining a green card at a comparatively low cost.
“Of course, they will undergo a vetting process,” Lutnick stated. “We are committed to ensuring they are exceptional global citizens. They can come to America, receive a green card from the president, invest in our nation, and we can utilize that funding to reduce our national deficit.”
Trump pointed out that the U.S. is currently $35 trillion in debt, and selling 10 million gold cards could potentially raise $50 trillion.
Along with viewing this as a means to attract wealthy immigrants who will generate jobs, the president also anticipates that major companies like Apple may opt to pay the $5 million for certain individuals to work for them.
“They won’t be citizens, but they must contribute if they create employment in the U.S. They will pay the same taxes as everyone else,” Trump commented regarding prospective gold card holders. “So we’re looking at significant taxpayers and job creators, and we could potentially sell a million of these cards, or even more.”
Trump reassured the press that the gold card initiative is “completely legal.” He did not specify if there would be a cap on the number of immigrants who can gain entry through this gold card purchase, implying that the number could reach millions.
When a reporter inquired whether a Russian oligarch could qualify for a gold card, Trump acknowledged that it was possible, adding that he was aware of several who “are very nice people.”
“It’s possible they’re not as wealthy as they used to be,” he joked, referencing the economic impact of the war in Ukraine. “I believe they could manage the $5 million price tag.”
Trump and Lutnick both expressed their disapproval of green card lotteries, asserting that this approach provides greater financial advantages.
“Why do we randomly issue green cards?” Lutnick questioned. “Why do we offer the EB-5 program for green cards? President [Trump] recognizes that the right question is why we shouldn’t work towards eliminating the U.S. deficit instead.”