WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration officially launched his “Trump Gold Card” visa programme on Wednesday to provide a pathway, with a steep price, for non-US citizens to get expedited permission to live in the United States.

The website Trumpcard.gov, complete with an “apply now” button, allows interested applicants to pay a $15,000 fee to the Department of Homeland Security for speedy processing.

After going through a background check or vetting process, applicants must then make a “contribution” — the website also calls it a “gift” — of $1 million to get the visa, similar to a “Green Card,” which allows them to live and work in the United States.

“Basically, it’s a Green Card, but much better. Much more powerful, a much stronger path,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “A path is a big deal. Have to be great people.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said some 10,000 people have already signed up for the gold card during a pre-registration period, and he expected many more to do so.

“I would expect over time that we’d sell, you know, thousands of these cards and raise, you know, billions, billions of dollars,” Lutnick said.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2025