US President Donald Trump has formally launched his new ‘Gold Card’, a fast-track visa based on an individual’s ability to provide a substantial benefit to the United States.
To apply, an applicant must pay a nonrefundable, $15,000 Department of Homeland Security processing fee. Once an applicant’s processing fee is received, the process for petition approval and visa adjudication will take place on an expedited basis, assuming applicants submit any additional documents or fees in a timely manner.
A $1 million gift upon completion of the individual’s vetting is evidence that the individual will substantially benefit the United States. An individual may also need to pay small additional fees to the US Department of State, depending on his or her circumstances.
Once an applicant’s processing fee and application are received, the process should take weeks. The applicant will need to attend a visa interview and submit any additional documents in a timely manner.
Trump also announced the waitlist for a new Platinum Card which is set to cost around $5 million. The Trump Platinum Card will allow individual applicants to reside in the United States for up to 270 days per year without being subject to tax on non-U.S. income. No more travel visas.
“The people that can pay $5m, they’re going to create jobs,” Trump said in an accompanying post. “It’s going to sell like crazy. It’s a bargain.”
The introduction of the new cards form part of a wealth of immigration changes introduced by Trump over the last month. The US recently announced that it has paused immigration applications from the 19 countries, primarily from Africa and the Middle East, which are subject to the president’s travel ban.
The US government has also halted all decisions on asylum applications and said it would review thousands of cases that were approved under the administration of President Joe Biden.
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