News Americas, Washington, D.C., Dec. 24, 2025: President Donald Trump has introduced a new, donation-driven pathway to U.S. permanent residence, unveiling what the administration is calling the Trump Gold Card immigration initiative.
The Trump Gold Card introduces a donation-based pathway to U.S. permanent residence, raising new legal, economic, and immigration questions.
Announced on December 10th, the program formalizes a pay-to-prioritize approach to green card adjudications, pairing large financial contributions with expedited review under existing immigration law. A new web page from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and a newly created filing mechanism, Form I-140G, were revealed alongside the announcement.
The initiative builds on Executive Order 14351, first issued in September, and reframes long-standing employment-based visa categories as vehicles for capital inflows – not new visa classifications.
How tThe Gold Card Works
Rather than creating a standalone visa, the Gold Card program accelerates adjudication for foreign nationals who qualify under one of two existing legal standards:
- Alien of Extraordinary Ability, or
- Alien of Exceptional Ability whose work is deemed to serve the national interest.
To receive priority processing, applicants must donate at least $1 million to the U.S. Department of Commerce, positioning the program as both an immigration and economic policy tool.
USCIS has indicated that qualifying applicants will be fast-tracked for review, though final visa issuance remains subject to statutory caps.
Tiered Access, Tiered Costs
The administration has outlined multiple contribution tiers:
An Individual Trump Gold Card requires a $1 million contribution per applicant, inclusive of spouses and children. A Corporate Trump Gold Card raises the threshold to $2 million for a sponsored employee, with an additional $1 million required for each accompanying family member.
A higher-tier Trump Platinum Card has been announced but not launched. According to administration statements, it would require a $5 million contribution and allow up to 270 days of U.S. residence without taxation on non-U.S. income — a provision likely to draw scrutiny from tax and immigration experts alike.
All applicants must also submit Form I-140G with a $15,000 non-refundable vetting and processing fee, with additional charges potentially imposed by the State Department.
Heightened Scrutiny, Not Guaranteed Outcomes
Despite the promise of expedited review, approval is far from automatic. Form I-140G requires extensive disclosures covering biographical details, employment history, academic credentials, family members, and — most critically — the lawful source of funds used for the required donation.
Government scrutiny of financial origins is expected to be rigorous, increasing preparation time, legal complexity, and compliance costs. As of now, USCIS has confirmed that Form I-140G is not yet available for filing, leaving timelines uncertain.
Even with approval, applicants remain subject to existing visa quotas, which could limit the program’s real-world effectiveness for some nationalities.
Why The Gold Card Matters
The initiative marks a notable shift in U.S. immigration policy, explicitly tying faster access to permanent residence to financial contributions rather than purely to talent, employment need, or investment outcomes.
While supporters argue the program could attract capital and global talent, critics are expected to challenge whether donation-based prioritization aligns with congressional intent or withstands legal scrutiny. Anticipated litigation could reshape or delay implementation.
For high-net-worth individuals and multinational employers, immigration attorneys caution that the Gold Card should be weighed carefully against established pathways such as EB-1A, EB-2 National Interest Waiver, and EB-5 – options that, while slower, may offer clearer precedent and fewer legal uncertainties.
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