The US Government has launched the Trump Gold Card program, which may provide a pathway to permanent residence for foreign nationals through substantial donations to the U.S. Treasury. The program was established by executive order in September 2025.
Program Requirements and Fee Structure
The Gold Card program allows individual petitioners and corporate sponsors on behalf of their employees to obtain permanent residence through either the EB-1 extraordinary ability category or the EB-2 National Interest Waiver classification. Individual petitioners must make a $1 million donation to the U.S. Treasury, while employers sponsoring foreign nationals face a $2 million donation requirement. All applications require an additional $15,000 DHS processing fee.
Employers utilizing the Trump Corporate Gold Card face additional ongoing costs beyond the initial $2 million donation. The program includes a 1% annual maintenance fee—calculated as $20,000 based on the initial donation amount—which continues until the sponsored employee receives their green card. For nationals of countries with significant visa backlogs, this could result in several years of maintenance fees.
Updated Requirements for Family Members
According to newly released guidance on the Trump Card website, dependent family members seeking derivative green cards will each be subject to the same $1 million donation requirement and $15,000 processing fee as the principal applicant. This represents a significant departure from traditional immigration processes, where derivatives are included in the principal’s application. Qualifying dependents include spouses and unmarried children under 21.
Risk
The Trump Gold Card was established by executive action, instead of the normal process of being passed by Congress. Individuals who choose to invest in the Trump Gold card risk losing some or all of their investment amount if a court deems the program illegal or if a future Administration decides to rescind the program.
Application Process
Interested individuals can begin the initial application through the Trump Card website, where they can enter personal information and make the initial $15,000 payment. Once the payment is processed, applicants complete Form I-140G and undergo a vetting process before making the $1 million donation. The US government has not released any further information on the eligibility criteria, other than the $1 million dollar donation, for the Trump Gold Card. Similarly, there is no further information about the eligibility criteria for corporate sponsorships.
If you are interested in beginning this process, contact an attorney at Murray Osorio today for a personalized consultation.