Overview
- President Trump’s September 19 executive order creates a Gold Card pathway that treats a $1 million gift to the government—$2 million if paid by a corporate sponsor—as evidence for EB-1A or EB-2 immigrant visa eligibility.
- The program relies on unrestricted gifts to the Department of Commerce rather than at‑risk investment or job‑creation requirements, distinguishing it from the EB‑5 investor visa.
- The order directs Commerce, State and Homeland Security to set an application start date, establish expedited adjudication and immigrant visa issuance, create fees, and allow corporate sponsors to transfer a gift between candidates.
- Legal analysts note the Immigration and Nationality Act does not expressly permit eligibility based solely on a monetary gift, leaving unclear whether the gift alone would satisfy EB‑1A/EB‑2 criteria and raising the prospect of litigation.
- Immigration advisers report strong interest from wealthy families, including in China and India, yet applications are not open and EB‑1/EB‑2 backlogs could delay processing once the program launches; rumored higher‑tier options are not part of the order.