Trump Gold Card applications go live—Programme overview, costs, and how to apply to get a fast-tracked Green Card

US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday the launch of the website for applying to the Trump Gold Card programme, which he launched earlier this year.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced, "THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY! A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent. Live Site opens in 30 minutes!"

Trump Gold Card programme

Established by Trump via Executive Order 14351 in September this year, the Trump Gold Card programme is an investor visa initiative that seeks to provide a "fast-track" pathway for wealthy individuals to obtain permanent residency (or a Green Card) in the US.

“We're taking in hundreds of billions of dollars. The Gold Card will be taking in hundreds of billions of dollars, and companies will be able to keep some people they need. They need people of expertise, great expertise,” Trump had said in September while signing the executive order.

The programme, however, does not consist only of Gold Cards, but also includes other tiers, including a corporate tier and a Platinum Card.

How much will it cost to get a Trump Gold Card?

In general, applying for either a Gold Card or a Platinum requires large investments from the applicant, with costs differing by tier.

Individuals seeking to obtain a Trump Gold Card must submit a one-time, non-refundable "gift" of $1 million, in addition to a processing fee of $15,000 that will be charged by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Employers seeking to fast-track Green Card status for high-value employees can also opt for the Trump Corporate Gold Card by paying $2 million plus the $15,000 processing fee by the DHS. Notably, the Trump Corporate Gold Card is also transferable, and firms can transfer it from one employee and grant it to another with a small 5% transfer fee, including the cost of a background check by DHS.

The ultimate tier, the Trump Platinum Card, requires a one-time payment of $5 million from applicants, in addition to the $15,000 processing fee. The added benefit? Individuals applying for the Trump Platinum Card can spend up to 270 days in the US without being subject to taxes on non-US income.

In all three cases, additional small fees to the US Department of State may apply, depending on the applicant.

It should be noted that the entirety of the processing fee is non-refundable.

How to apply for a Trump Gold Card?

Applications for the Trump Gold Card programme went live on Wednesday, with the website reading, “Unlock life in America”. Here's how to apply.

• Head to https://trumpcard.gov/
• Once there, you can pick between a Trump Gold Card or a Trump Platinum Card for individuals; businesses can opt for the Trump Corporate Gold Card
• Select your preference (at the moment, however, only applications for Trump Gold Cards and Trump Corporate Gold Cards have gone live; applications for Trump Platinum Cards still show ‘coming soon’)
• Once you select the Trump Gold Card programme, you'll be redirected to a page where you have to fill in your details
• Details required: Name, phone number, email address, gender, place and country of birth, current citizenship details, physical address, and number of family members (spouse and children aged under 21)
• Once the details are filled in, applicants can continue to the payment page and pay the processing fee to the DHS. At checkout, the fee comes to $15,375, and credit card users will be required to pay a 2.5% additional fee

Processing of applications

Once a person applies for a Trump Gold Card and pays the non-refundable processing fee, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin an in-depth background verification of the applicant (and their family members, if applicable).

After the DHS has vetted the applicant (and their family members, if applicable), a Green Card will be issued, granting permanent residency.