US Unveils $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa: New High-Value Immigration Scheme
London-UK, December 12, 2025
US Unveils $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa: Auctioning Expedited Residency
The United States has formally unveiled details of its highly anticipated $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa, a new, expedited immigration scheme aimed at attracting and Retain Foreign Tech Talent by fast-tracking the path to US residency for high-net-worth individuals.
The program, which is based on an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in September 2025, requires applicants to provide a “significant financial gift to the Nation” in the form of a seven-figure contribution to the US government.
This New High-Value Immigration Scheme is now live and accepting applications, signifying a unique, wealth-based approach to solving America’s persistent shortages of skilled workers in its critical technology sectors.
The core requirement for the ‘Gold Card’ is a non-refundable, unrestricted financial gift of $1 million to the Department of Commerce for individuals, or $2 million for corporations sponsoring an employee.
In addition to this large contribution, applicants must pay a separate $15,000 processing fee to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The program promises successful applicants “U.S. residency in record time,” placing them into the existing EB-1 (extraordinary ability) or EB-2 (advanced degree) green card categories.
The initiative has been publicly championed by the President as a means for American companies to “finally keep their invaluable Talent,” directly addressing the long-standing issue of highly-educated foreign professionals being forced to leave the US due to caps on standard employment-based visas.
Headlines Points
Price of Entry:
The $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa requires applicants to pay a $1 million unrestricted financial gift to the US government, plus a $15,000 processing fee.
Expedited Residency:
The New High-Value Immigration Scheme promises to grant US residency in “record time,” bypassing long backlogs associated with standard employment-based visas.
Targeting Talent:
The program is designed to Retain Foreign Tech Talent and entrepreneurs, preventing them from taking their skills and wealth to competing nations.
Corporate Option:
Corporations can also use the scheme by making a $2 million contribution to fast-track residency for key foreign employees.
Controversy:
Critics argue the program is fundamentally unfair, auctioning off residency and citizenship to the wealthy rather than prioritizing those with critical skills or family ties.
The Fast Track for High-Value Skills
The rationale behind the $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa is clear: circumvent the bureaucratic hurdles of the existing immigration system, which often forces highly skilled foreign graduates of US universities to leave the country because they cannot obtain permanent residency quickly enough.
This “brain drain” has been a consistent complaint of US technology and finance leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, who reportedly lobbied the administration to adopt such a high-value retention mechanism.
By requiring a massive financial contribution, the program ensures that beneficiaries are not only highly skilled (as required by the underlying EB-1/EB-2 classification) but also demonstrate a significant, tangible financial commitment to the US economy.
The process is designed for speed, with officials expecting the application and approval process to take only weeks, a stark contrast to the years-long waits faced by applicants from countries with high backlogs like India and China.
While the financial gift of $1 million is steep, it is a fee that the global pool of highly successful entrepreneurs and senior foreign executives may view as a worthwhile cost for expedited and permanent access to the US market and quality of life.
The fact that the process grants legal status as an EB-1 or EB-2 visa holder means the path to eventual US citizenship is clear.
Ethical and Global Implications
The program is not without significant controversy. Critics argue that the New High-Value Immigration Scheme is fundamentally undemocratic and unethical, essentially auctioning off residency and citizenship rights to the highest bidder.
Human rights advocates suggest it creates a two-tiered system where wealth, rather than merit or family connection, determines the speed of immigration, disproportionately favouring the ultra-rich from nations facing visa backlogs.
Globally, the introduction of this gold card accelerates the international competition for talent. Nations like Canada, the UK, and several EU states have also implemented streamlined visa programs for skilled tech workers and investors.
The US, with its economic gravity, is now using its market power to demand a massive price for entry, effectively weaponizing its immigration system to both attract wealth and extract a direct financial payment from highly-desirable foreign talent.
The success of this highly transactional approach will be judged by its ability to demonstrably Retain Foreign Tech Talent and its impact on the US’s standing as a fair and equitable destination for all immigrants.
