APRIL 24, 2026 — Trump’s much-hyped “gold card” visa, billed as a $1 million fast track to U.S. residency, has so far been granted to just one person despite earlier claims of billion-dollar sales. The program, meant to replace the EB-5 visa, is drawing global attention but raises questions about its real impact and appeal.

When Donald Trump unveiled his “gold card” visa late last year, he promised a revolutionary path for wealthy foreigners: pay at least $1 million and unlock permanent residency in the United States. He even called it “the green card on steroids,” holding up a shiny mock-up with his signature, a bald eagle, and the Statue of Liberty. 

The pitch was bold, the branding glitzy, and the expectations sky-high.

But reality has been far less dramatic. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted this week that only one person has been approved so far, despite earlier boasting that $1.3 billion worth of cards had been sold in mere days. Lutnick insisted there are “hundreds in the queue,” stressing that the government is taking its time to “do it perfectly.”

The program is designed to replace the EB-5 visa, which requires foreign investors to put up about $1 million and create at least 10 jobs. The gold card strips away the job creation requirement, making it a pure cash-for-residency scheme. Applicants must also pay a $15,000 processing fee, while corporations can sponsor employees for $2 million plus a 1% annual maintenance fee. Family members can join the application, but each costs another million.

Trump initially floated a $5 million price tag, later scaled down to $1 million, with promises that the program could raise $1 trillion and help balance America’s ballooning $31.3 trillion debt. The administration has even teased a “Trump Platinum Card” at $5 million, offering tax-free stays of up to 270 days.

Globally, “golden visas” are nothing new. Countries like Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada, and Italy have long offered residency to wealthy investors. The difference is that Trump’s version is wrapped in his signature branding and pitched as a patriotic solution to America’s fiscal woes.

For Pinoys dreaming of U.S. residency, the gold card is a stark reminder of how immigration pathways are increasingly tilted toward the ultra-rich. While ordinary applicants wait years navigating strict quotas and requirements, a millionaire can bypass the line with a gilded shortcut.

It also highlights the widening gap between policy rhetoric and actual results. One approval in four months hardly signals success, yet the administration continues to market the program as transformative. 

Do you think U.S. immigration is now becoming less about merit and more about money? Is the “American dream” now just another luxury item for sale?

(Image: Yahoo)