American President Donald Trump has unveiled a new immigration plan for high-income earners that provides a route to permanent United States residency through a $5 million donation.
The "gold card" program was launched on Wednesday with the launch of a government-sponsored website, trumpcard.gov, where individuals can enter their email address to sign up for news and join a waiting list.
Making the announcement on his site Truth Social, Trump declared, "For five million $dollars, the Trump card is coming." He went on to comment on the high interest already generated by the plan, saying, "Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World."
Created as a high-end substitute for the available EB-5 investor visa, the gold card has been marketed as a fast-track experience for high-net-worth individuals who hope to call the U.S. home. Trump has hailed it as an upgraded product, referring to it as "green card privileges plus."
Although the announcement has stirred considerable interest, the application process has not yet begun. According to trumpcard.gov, potential applicants can currently only provide their contact details to receive notifications once the enrollment officially begins. The homepage states: “Enter your information below to be notified the moment access opens.”
Trump defined that the gold card is not an instant route to citizenship. "It's a little bit like a green card, but more sophisticated," he said. "It's a path to citizenship for individuals, and really people of means or people of great ability."
According to USA Today, although the $5 million investment provides a gateway to residency for life, applicants are still required to meet current legal and residency requirements in order to become citizens.
The launch of the gold card is consistent with Trump's continued drive for what he calls "merit-based immigration." The new program is presented as a strategic move to draw top-quality talent and capital from everywhere and anywhere on the globe, all while maintaining stricter controls for traditional immigration channels.
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