'Gold Card, better than Green Card': Trump says new $5 mn visa a more sophisticated ticket to US citizenship

While addressing a joint session of Congress in the House of Representatives chamber, US President Donald Trump raked up his latest pitch about the brand new Gold Card, a $5 million route to US' citizenship. 

Last week, Trump announced a plan to create a "Gold Card" program that would allow wealthy and talented individuals from around the world to buy their way to becoming US citizens.

In the session he suggested this "Gold Card" would be an upgrade to the existing Green Card system, implying it would be a more efficient and prestigious path to citizenship for highly skilled or affluent applicants. He proposed it would cost USD 5 million.  He said, "It's like the green card but better and more sophisticated."

Trump’s administration is developing a premium pathway that aims to upend the traditional EB-5 investor visa program. The new initiative would allow affluent investors to bypass the conventional, multi-step process of securing a green card—a system that has evolved over decades.

The gold card is positioned as a premium ticket to U.S. citizenship, promising a streamlined, direct purchase route that sharply contrasts with the established green card process. Unlike the green card—which originated from the historical Alien Registration Act of 1940, when “the first receipt cards were printed on Form AR-3 on white paper” and “passed in response to the start of WWII, the Act required all aliens in the U.S. to register with the federal government”—the gold card is a modern, cost-driven alternative aimed at attracting wealthy investors.

Beyond cost and convenience, Trump’s proposal reflects his broader agenda to reshape immigration by favoring financial investment over traditional criteria like family sponsorship or job creation. Under the current EB-5 system, green cards are awarded after a rigorous review of immigrant petitions and applications (Form I-485). In contrast, the gold card would eliminate much of this bureaucracy, allowing investors to secure permanent residency—and eventually citizenship—simply by paying the designated fee.

As debates intensify over the implications of monetizing citizenship, Trump’s fresh statement marks a dramatic shift. By proposing a $5 million price tag for a “gold card” that he touts as “...better and more sophisticated,” the president is not just rewriting the playbook on immigration—it’s a bid to redefine the American dream for a new era.