US President Donald Trump on Wednesday formally opened applications for the much-publicised Gold Card Citizenship Programme, to fast-track immigration for wealthy and highly skilled foreign nationals, making it a premium alternative to the long-standing Green Card.
What Is the Gold Card?
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 includes family-based, work-based, and humanitarian categories, the Gold Card is designed as an elite, fast-track pathway for people who can contribute to the US economy.
Applicants can choose from three versions:
- Individual Gold Card
- Corporate Gold Card
- Platinum Card
All provide permanent residency once background checks by USCIS are cleared.
What is the Process and Cost of the Gold Card?
The Gold Card is expensive compared to traditional immigration routes:
Individual Gold Card: USD 1 million (non-refundable) + USD 15,000 processing fee
Corporate Gold Card: USD 2 million + fee, transferable between employees
Platinum Card: USD 5 million, plus benefits like staying in the U.S. for up to 270 days tax-free on foreign income
Unlike the EB-5 visa, there is no need to create jobs or run a business, making the process simpler.
How does this Gold Card benefit Indian students?
For many Indian students 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 US 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.
