"Golden Visa" for $5 million: How Trump plans to attract super-rich investors to the United States

📌 The essence of the idea

Former US President Donald Trump announced a new immigration initiative, the "Gold Card," under which foreign citizens willing to invest $5 million in the American economy can be granted permanent residence and an accelerated path to US citizenship

💳What does Trump propose

• Payment: $5 million at a time — no refund.
• Rights: an analog of a green card with the ability to apply for citizenship
• The difference with EB-5: no requirements for job creation and mandatory investment in special regions, as well as the ability not to pay taxes on income abroad (unlike from EB‑5)

How it works now

• The TrumpCard website has been launched.gov, where tens of thousands of applicants have already registered in the first few hours
• The Ministry of Commerce, under the leadership of Howard Lutnik, is actively promoting the project, announcing the sale of thousands of cards in the first time
• The potential market is millions of the super—rich, especially among Russians and other countries with unstable economies.

💰 Goals and context

• Budget replenishment: with the sale of only 200,000 cards, the amount may exceed $1 trillion, which is planned to be used to reduce the national debt
• Migration strategy: highly profitable, carefully vetted investors — a contrast to illegal migration
• Legal risks: The Migration Act requires new visa categories to be approved by Congress. Lawsuits are possible if the program is launched without a legal framework

Comparison with other "golden visas"

• In the EU, thresholds range from €250,000 (Greece) to €1.5 million (Austria), Caribbean and Middle Eastern countries also offer permanent residence investment programs
• Trump offered the most expensive option — $5 million, stating that only the super-rich have the right to such a privilege

⚖️ Main pros and cons

One of the main advantages of the new program is quick access to permanent residence and subsequent acquisition of U.S. citizenship. It also claims a favorable tax regime, especially for those who earn income outside the United States. In addition, the initiative is aimed at attracting large capital to the country's economy.

However, there are obvious disadvantages. First of all, there is an extremely high entry threshold: not every investor is ready to part with $5 million without a refund. There is also legal uncertainty, as the program has not yet been approved by Congress, which could lead to legal disputes. Compared to the current EB‑5 program, Trump's proposal looks less affordable and raises doubts about the profitability of such an investment.

📎 The result

Trump's "golden visa" is a bold and ambitious attempt to redefine the fundamentals of investment immigration. The possible economic impact and legal conflicts create a double contrast between an attractive and controversial program. Time will tell if this is being implemented in practice and how soon.