Trump launches USD 1 million ‘Trump Gold Card’ visa to retain top foreign talent

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday launched the “Trump Gold Card,” a new visa pathway designed to help highly skilled foreign graduates stay and work in the United States with a faster route to citizenship. Describing the existing system as “ridiculous” and “a shame,” Trump said that talented students from countries such as India, China and France, who graduate from America’s top universities, are often forced to return home because companies cannot secure long-term visas for them.

At a White House roundtable, joined by IBM’s Indian-American CEO Arvind Krishna and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, Trump said the new initiative will finally give companies the certainty they need to retain skilled graduates from institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Wharton and NYU Stern. The programme allows individuals to pay USD 1 million, and corporations USD 2 million(It’s either USD 1 million if an individual applies or USD 2 million if a company sponsors them — the fees are not combined), in addition to a USD 15,000 processing fee, to secure US residency on an expedited basis and a strong pathway to citizenship. The official website, trumpcard.gov, went live Wednesday evening, promising “US residency in record time.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Gold Card applicants will undergo full and rigorous vetting, and recipients will be eligible for citizenship after five years. Companies will also be permitted to reuse the same card for new employees once the existing beneficiary completes the process. Trump described the Gold Card as “a much better, more powerful version of a green card,” adding that the programme would generate “billions of dollars” for the United States while ensuring that only the “best people” are fast-tracked.

The announcement has drawn mixed reactions from international students and immigration observers. Many foreign students, including those from India, welcomed the idea of having a more dependable route to stay in the US after completing their degrees. Some said the initiative offers hope and long-term stability at a time when visa rules have remained uncertain for years. However, several students expressed concern that the USD 1 million price tag puts the programme far beyond the reach of most graduates, effectively limiting it to wealthy individuals or those hired by large corporations willing to pay the sponsorship fee.

Immigration experts pointed out that while the Gold Card could help top-tier graduates remain in the US, it also raises questions about whether the country is moving toward a “pay-to-stay” model. Meanwhile, tech industry representatives welcomed the clarity the programme may bring to companies struggling to retain skilled talent, though some questioned whether the high cost will restrict the benefit to only the biggest firms.

With the Gold Card now active, many student groups and immigration lawyers are awaiting further clarification on eligibility rules and how the new programme will align with existing systems such as the H-1B visa and the green card backlog.