Gold Card vs Green Card: Indians Turn to Trump’s Gold Card

For countless Indians, the American dream has always been synonymous with opportunity, stability, and a fresh start. Yet the hard reality of decade-long Green Card queues and tightening H-1B visa norms has pushed many to search for alternative paths to secure their future in the United States. Now, a dramatic new doorway has opened — the Trump Gold Card Programme, officially launched by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

Unveiled in the historic Roosevelt Room of the White House, the programme marks one of the most sweeping overhauls of America’s investment-based immigration routes. Surrounded by business leaders and administration officials, Trump announced that applications for the Gold Card are now live through a dedicated federal website, signaling what he called a “new era in high-value immigration.”

Gold Card: A Replacement for EB-5 — But at a Bigger, Bolder Scale

For years, Indians have been among the fastest-growing applicants under the EB-5 visa category, a system created in 1990 to attract foreign capital. Under EB-5, an investor is required to commit roughly $1 million and create 10 jobs — a process that, while promising, often moves at glacial pace due to backlogs and administrative delays.

The Trump Gold Card Programme wipes the slate clean.

Unlike EB-5 investments tied to job creation and commercial risk, the Gold Card demands a straightforward contribution:

• $1 million from individual applicants

• $2 million from corporate sponsors funding an employee
  The contribution is an unrestricted payment to the US Department of Commerce, bypassing the traditional investment structure.

Trump initially floated a $5 million fee per card, but revised it to a more “accessible yet premium tier,” as he described it. All proceeds will be handled by the Treasury Department and funneled into government initiatives.

“A Green Card, But Much Better” — Trump’s Pitch

Calling it “a green card but much more powerful,” Trump positioned the Gold Card as America’s new magnet for top global talent. He argued that current visa restrictions prevent US companies from retaining exceptional graduates from premier universities — an issue he claims the new programme resolves.

“You can’t hire people from the best colleges because you don’t know whether you can keep the person,” Trump said, pointing to the unpredictable nature of the H-1B system.

The Gold Card, he stressed, establishes a direct, predictable, and premium path to legal status and future citizenship, especially for high-skilled professionals from countries like India, China, and France.

“We’re getting somebody great coming into our country,” he said. “Companies are going to be very happy.”

Gold Card: A Rigorous Screening Mechanism

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that each applicant will undergo a meticulous background verification process, funded by a $15,000 assessment fee. Although corporations can sponsor multiple Gold Cards, each one remains linked to a single recipient.

Lutnick also noted that current Green Card holders’ income levels generally fall below the national average — a point the administration says the new system aims to fix.

“Same visas, but now filled with the best people,” he remarked.