Since its launch in December, President Donald Trump’s “gold card” visa program, which grants permanent residency to applicants willing to pay $1 million, has attracted less interest than the administration initially claimed, according to a recent court filing by the White House.
The program was introduced as a lucrative initiative aimed at attracting wealthy individuals and top-tier talent to the United States while generating significant revenue for the federal government. Trump described the card as a “green card on steroids,” asserting that it would help reduce the national debt. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previously asserted that the program had brought in $1.3 billion in revenue, and at one point suggested hundreds of thousands were in line to participate.
However, the latest legal documents reveal a much smaller pool of applicants. The administration reported receiving just 338 requests for the gold card visa. Of those, 165 applicants have paid the $15,000 nonrefundable filing fee to proceed, and only 59 have submitted subsequent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) paperwork. Lutnick acknowledged only one person has been approved and paid the $1 million fee, while describing dozens of others as being processed. Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson claimed that thousands had paid the filing fee, a figure contradicted by the court filing and DHS officials.
The government further stated in its filing that the program does not allow applicants to bypass visa queues or receive expedited processing compared to standard EB-1 and EB-2 visa applicants. The filing emphasized that wealthy applicants would not be given preferential treatment or compromises on visa availability.
The gold card program has faced legal challenges from academics and immigration advocates, who argue it undermines existing visa categories designed to attract highly skilled immigrants without favoring those who can pay large sums. The government counters that EB-1 and EB-2 visas remain available to all applicants through the usual channels, without requiring the premium fee.
DHS official Cara Selby described the program’s workload as “quite small,” with six adjudicators assigned to process applications. DHS declined to comment further on the process or the identity of the individual approved for a gold card, instead directing inquiries to the Commerce Department, which did not respond to requests for comment.
The program’s official website, TrumpCard.gov, claims the visa process should take “weeks” after receipt of payment and application; however, the court filing states that processing times are aligned with those of existing visa categories and do not offer any speed advantage. Furthermore, visa availability and priority processing will be managed in accordance with traditional criteria, regardless of gold card applicant status.
Immigration attorney Leon Fresco noted that the government’s acknowledgment that gold cards will only be issued if visa categories are not oversubscribed could strengthen its legal defense. At the same time, he observed that this approach diminishes the program’s advertised feature of expedited residency.
As of now, despite lofty initial projections and presidential endorsements, the gold card visa program appears to have yet to gain substantial traction among prospective applicants or deliver on its promised financial and immigration benefits.