Trump Signs 'Gold Card' Visa Executive Order Requiring $1-2 Million Payments

President Trump signed Executive Order 14351 establishing the ‘Gold Card’ visa program, requiring foreign nationals to make ‘unrestricted gifts’ of $1 million to the Department of Commerce ($2 million if a corporation gives on behalf of an individual) to obtain residency. The order represents an unprecedented monetization of immigration policy, effectively creating a pay-for-entry system that circumvents traditional visa requirements.

The Gold Card program grants recipients expedited residency and a path to citizenship in exchange for substantial payments directly to the federal government. Critics argue this establishes a two-tiered immigration system where wealthy foreigners can bypass standard processes while creating potential corruption risks.

This executive order builds on Trump’s February 2025 proposal for a similar program targeting Russian oligarchs and other wealthy foreign nationals, transforming immigration policy into a revenue-generating mechanism that prioritizes financial contributions over traditional merit-based criteria.