Washington, DC: The Trump administration has launched a premium immigration initiative, introducing the $1 million “Gold Card” programme, which allows wealthy individuals worldwide to secure US permanent residency. The programme is expected to generate billions of dollars for the US Treasury while prioritizing high-value applicants.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that individual applicants will pay USD 1 million (approximately Rs 8.5 crore), while corporations sponsoring employees will pay USD 2 million per person.

The Gold Card programme replaces the existing EB-1 and EB-2 employment-based green card categories, beginning with 80,000 available visas. Lutnick described Gold Card holders as “privileged permanent residents,” granting them full rights to live and work in the US, including a pathway to citizenship.

A key requirement of the programme is that Gold Card holders must pay taxes on their worldwide income, similar to US citizens, potentially discouraging applicants with complex international finances. Applicants will also undergo rigorous vetting by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, at an additional cost of USD 15,000 per applicant.

Corporations that sponsor employees must invest USD 2 million per employee, creating a retention mechanism; if a sponsored employee leaves, the Gold Card becomes invalid unless the new employer has purchased a card.

Sponsoring companies retain ownership of the card and may transfer it to a new employee after paying additional vetting and transfer fees.

The administration also outlined plans for a “Trump Platinum Card” programme, costing USD 5 million and requiring congressional approval. Unlike the Gold Card, the Platinum programme will not provide permanent residency or a path to citizenship, and holders will pay US taxes only on American-sourced income. It is designed to allow extended US stays beyond current visa limits.

The Gold Card programme is projected to generate over USD 100 billion for the US Treasury, while the Platinum programme could bring in USD 1 trillion, assuming significant uptake among wealthy global investors. Implementation is expected within one month, with a dedicated website, trumpcard.gov, handling applications.

This programme represents a major shift from traditional employment-based immigration, which has focused on skills and labor market needs rather than wealth.

Critics argue it creates a “pay-to-play” system for US residency, while supporters maintain it ensures substantial economic contributions.

For wealthy Indians, the Gold Card offers a faster route to US permanent residency, though the global tax requirement and high cost may limit its appeal.