# Trump’s New $5M “Gold Card” Visa to Replace EB-5 Program

Source: https://www.savoryandpartners.com/news/trump-gold-card-visa-5m-investor-replaces-eb5 · Published: 2025-03-04 · Updated: 2025-03-04

Trump’s new $5M Gold Card visa offers a fast-track to U.S. residency for investors, potentially replacing EB-5. Launch expected soon, read the details.

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The Trump administration has introduced a new **$5 million investment visa**, the **"**[**Gold Card**](https://www.savoryandpartners.com/blog/trump-gold-card-visa)," aimed at **replacing or restructuring the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program**.

President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced the initiative from the Oval Office, emphasizing a fast-tracked route to U.S. residency and eventual citizenship for high-net-worth individuals.

## **$5M for a U.S. Visa: How the Gold Card Works**

- **Direct Payment to the U.S. Government**: Investors must pay **$5 million upfront**—unlike the EB-5 program, which requires job-creating investments.
- **Green Card-Like Benefits**: Holders would gain permanent residency with a “strong route” to citizenship.
- **Taxation Rules**: **No U.S. taxes on foreign income**, but full taxation on earnings within the U.S.
- **Massive Revenue Potential**: The administration aims to attract **one million investors**, potentially generating **$5 trillion**.
- **Fast Implementation**: The program is set to launch within weeks.

“We’re going to be selling a Gold Card,” Trump stated. “Wealthy people will come in, spend money, pay taxes, and create jobs.”

## **Will the EB-5 Visa Be Eliminated or Integrated?**

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick **strongly criticized** the [EB-5 program](https://www.savoryandpartners.com/programs/business-migration/usa/eb-5), calling it **“full of nonsense, make-believe, and fraud.”** While the administration initially framed the Gold Card as a **replacement**, Lutnick later indicated that **EB-5 might be modified rather than scrapped** to fit within the new system.

For current EB-5 investors, the 2022 RIA regulations provide grandfathering protections. Those who apply before February 2026 will remain covered under the existing EB-5 rules, even if the program undergoes major changes.

## **Does the Gold Card Need Congressional Approval?**

The Trump administration is presenting the Gold Card as a visa rather than direct citizenship, a distinction that could allow it to bypass Congress. Trump clarified that while the program provides a "strong path to citizenship," full naturalization would still require legislative approval.

The funds collected from the **Gold Card program** would reportedly be directed toward **reducing the U.S. national debt**, currently estimated at **$35 trillion**.

With a launch expected within weeks, the Gold Card marks a major shift in U.S. investment immigration policy. It will offer a high-priced, fast-track residency option for the ultra-wealthy while leaving the future of EB-5 uncertain.