U.S. President Donald Trump has formally launched a scheme offering fast-tracked U.S. visas to foreigners who can pay at least $1 million — or companies willing to spend $2 million to sponsor a worker they want to bring into the country.
The “Trump Gold Card,” first announced earlier this year, grants a U.S. visa to applicants who can show they provide a substantial benefit to the country.
It promises accelerated residency at a time when Washington is intensifying its immigration crackdown, raising work-visa fees and stepping up deportations of undocumented migrants.
"Basically it's a Green Card, but much better. Much more powerful, a much stronger path," Trump told reporters at the White House. "A path is a big deal. Have to be great people."
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said some 10,000 people have already signed up for the gold card during a pre-registration period and he expected many more to do so.
"I would expect over time that we'd sell, you know, thousands of these cards and raise, you know, billions, billions of dollars," Lutnick told Reuters in a brief interview.
Lutnick said the gold card program would bring people into the United States who would benefit the economy.
He compared that to "average" Green Card holders, whom he said earned less money than average Americans and were more likely to be on or have family members on public assistance. He did not provide evidence for that assertion.
Once materials are submitted, processing may take only weeks and includes an interview.
"The Trump Gold Card is a visa; therefore, national security and significant criminal risks are a basis for revocation." according to the oficial site.
The programme has already drawn criticism for appearing to undercut America’s traditional reputation as a refuge for the hardworking poor.
The official website also flags an upcoming “Trump Platinum Card,” costing $5 million and allowing holders to spend up to 270 days a year in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meetin...
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplo...
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained low on Thursday, as Iran reiterated that it will neither enter into new negotiations with th...
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained low on Thursday, as Iran reiterated that it will neither enter into new negotiations with the United States nor re-open the Strait as long as its conditions are not met, despite recent indirect talks in New York mediated by Qatar.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine and Kyiv and Moscow continue to strike energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump is addressing the UN General Assembly as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st session. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set to dominate the event.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his team held a three-hour meeting with an Iranian delegation in New York that he described as “very good” and “productive”, with another round of talks scheduled soon.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplomatic meetings. Restoring trust, managing global transformation, peace and security, and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
Australia says an OpenAI AI agent gained unauthorised access to a government Medicare statistics portal in June, in what officials say could be an unprecedented case of an AI system breaching a government network.
Pakistan says it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites it said were used to store and launch drones, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continued to escalate.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment