Trump's Gold Card Program (Permanent Residency) Online Applications Now Open

High Profile Trump Gold Card Program (Permanent Residency) Online Application Now Available

Applications for theGold Card program, which allows individuals to obtain permanent resident status by paying a certain amount of investment money and being considered to have contributed to the United States, are now accepted online through the official website. Gold Cardprogram, which allows you to obtain permanent resident status by paying a certain amount of investment money. The official website is as follows
https://trumpcard.gov/

This program has threecategories: 1) Gold Card for Individuals, 2) Gold Card for Corporations, and 3) Platinum Card. There are 3categories.

 

Application Process

In both categories, the applicant must first submit the required information and pay a non-refundable processing fee of US$15,000per applicant. After submitting the initial information (personal information) and paying the processing fee at the above website, you will be asked to log in to your USCIS account and submit Form I-140(Form I-140G for Gold Card only:). (Form I-140Gfor Gold Card only). Thereafter, once the applicant's background check is completed, the applicant will be asked to remit the final investment funds as part of the approval stage.

 

Summary of each card and costs

(1) Personal Gold Card

◆ This category is for individuals seeking permanent residence.

◆ Non-refundable processing fee: $15,000 Investment amount:US$1,000,000(payable upon approval)

The official website explains that this investment amount "serves as evidence that the individual applicant will make a significant contribution to the United States. It also states that depending on the applicant's situation, additional fees may be required to be paid to the U.S. Department of State, but details are not available at this time. It should be noted that these fees are required per one applicant, so if you are applying as a couple or as a family, you will be charged for the number of people in your party.

 

(2) Corporate Gold Card

◆ Non-refundable processing fee:$15,000

◆ Investment: US$2,000,000 per employee

Family members of employees applying for the program are required to invest an additional US$1,000,000 per family member.

 

(3) Platinum Card

The official application process for the Platinum Card has not started at this time, but you can register on the waiting list (Wait List) from the official website.

◆ Non-refundable processing fee: $15,000

◆ Investment amount: US$5,000,000

Platinum cardholders are not subject to U.S. tax on income earned outside the U.S. and will be able to stay in the U.S. for up to 270days per year.

 

Requirements for Investment Funds

Detailed review criteria have not yet been released, but the USCISpublished application form
Form I-140G(Immigrant Petition for the Gold Card Program), it is expected that a certain degree of proof that the investment funds were obtained legally will be required. https://www.uscis.gov/i- 140g

 

It is unclear whether the document review process will be as rigorous as the EB-5application, but the following materials are expected to be submitted.

◆ Individuals: tax returns, bank statements, proof of gifts, documents of sale of real estate or other assets

◆ Corporations: tax returns for the past 3years, financial statements and closing documents

 

 

Impact on other permanent residence categories

Applicants approved for a Gold Card are expected to be treated as EB-1 or EB-2 for permanent residence categories. Thus, because the Gold Card uses the EB-1 and EB-2 categories, there is concern that this could impact priority dates and annual issuance numbers in these categories.
Although the official website states that once the application and fee are received, the process should be completed within a few weeks, it also mentions that for countries with a limited number of visas issued, there could be a waiting period of 1year or more.

 

 

Possible future risks and legality of the system

There is a certain degree of likelihood that litigation will be brought against the Program in the future over its legal basis and the scope of its administrative authority. As mentioned above, this program is unique in that it is based on the existing immigration law permanent residence categories (EB-1 and EB-2), but operates by effectively adding new investment requirements and preferences. However, the legal validity of such a design, introduced without explicit legislative action by Congress, could be a point of contention.

In particular, stakeholders may challenge the relationship between the visa cap and the priority date system established in the Immigration and Nationality Act and its institutional consistency with the existing EB-5investment immigration system. The administrative agency may also have discretionary authority within the scope of its discretionary authority. There is also a risk that a judicial determination will be sought as to whether the administrative agency is designing and operating a system within its discretionary authority or whether it is assessed as effectively creating a new immigration category.

 

Furthermore, there is an undeniable risk that a change of administration or policy policy in the future may result in a review of the continuity and operational criteria of this program. As a result, it is possible that there may be delays in the review of projects that have already been submitted, requests for additional materials, or a suspension of the program itself.

At present, the system has begun to operate effectively, as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIShas published a dedicated application form (Form I-140G) and has established a practical acceptance system. The system has begun to operate effectively. However, the stability and long-term legal certainty of the system will require close monitoring of future trends in applications and the accumulation of judicial decisions.

If you are considering applying for a Gold Card In considering applying for a Gold Card, you should consider not only the short-term institutional benefits, but also the medium- to long-term legal risks and possible policy changes. At this point, there are still many unknowns regarding practical risks and operational details. More detailed information is expected to become available in the future as actual applications proceed.