Trump's $1 million immigration Gold Card starts taking applications
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President Trump establishing the "Trump Gold Card" on Sept. 19. Photo: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images.
The Trump administration began accepting applications for the Trump Gold Card on Wednesday, offering a pay-to-play option for foreign nationals wanting to speed up their path to American residency.
The big picture: The program fast tracks immigration protocols for the very wealthy at the same time the administration is narrowing other paths to residency for refugees, asylum seekers, and low-income people.
Driving the news: "THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY," the president wrote in a Wednesday Truth Social post.
- "A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent."
Zoom in: The program allows people to apply for "legal status as a permanent resident" after being approved for an EB-1 or EB-2 visa.
- Those visas are usually reserved for highly-skilled workers or those with advanced professional degrees.
What they're saying: "It'll take in, probably, billions of dollars that will go to the Treasury of the United States," Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
- He said that the money will go to "an account where we can do things positive for the country."
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that the million dollar price tag was a "gift" to "help America be great again under Donald Trump."
- When reached for comment, the White House declined to specify what the card's revenue would be specifically used for, saying instead that "further plans will be unveiled by the Administration in due time."
The intrigue: It's unclear if existing U.S. law permits visas to be sold this way, as Axios' Ben Berkowitz previously reported.
- Plus, similar "golden visa" programs haven't been particularly successful elsewhere.
How it works: According to the site, applicants can receive U.S. residency "in record time."
- Applicants must pay a $15,000 Homeland Security processing fee.
- Then, they must undergo a background check. Certain nationalities are subject to a longer processing time, according to the site.
- After their background is approved, applicants must contribute an extra $1 million to the government.
Go deeper: Trump signs "Gold Card" order, with lower $1 million fee for residency
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from the White House.
