US President Donald Trump plans to replace the EB-5 visa with a new ‘Gold Card’ for wealthy investors
US President Donald Trump has announced a new immigration ‘Gold Card’ that will replace the current EB-5 visa programme, which grants US residency to individuals investing between $800,000 (₹7 crore) and $1.05 million (₹9 crore), depending on the location of their investment, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
The Gold Card will allow wealthy Indians to gain US citizenship through a $5 million (₹43.5 crore) investment. This change comes after Trump ended the US birthright citizenship policy, making the EB-5 visa an attractive alternative for affluent Indians seeking permanent residency.
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The new Gold Card requires a $5 million investment and offers a direct path to US citizenship
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The Gold Card is expected to significantly raise the financial threshold for Indian investors, potentially limiting access for those who previously qualified under the EB-5
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However, it provides an alternative pathway for high-net-worth individuals who face challenges with the H-1B visa lottery or decades-long wait for green cards
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the Gold Card will offer green card privileges and a clear route to citizenship, addressing the uncertainty surrounding H-1B work visas and the long waiting periods for Indian applicants seeking permanent residency.
The EB-5 programme, which has been in place since 1990, is scheduled to expire in 2027 following a five-year extension granted by Congress in 2022. Lutnick criticized the EB-5 as a “low-price programme”, describing it as being riddled with fraud and inefficiencies.
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