Trump’s gold card finds no takers 1 million visa programme sees muted interest
The buzz around Trump’s gold card finds no takers 1 million visa programme sees muted interest is hard to ignore in the Indian investment and immigration community. Launched as a $1 million visa initiative by former US President Donald Trump, the Gold Card promised a “supercharged green card” pathway to permanent residency. Yet, a week after its announcement, it seems Indians and other potential applicants are giving it a wide berth. Why? The reasons range from unclear legal pathways to prohibitively high costs, making the traditional EB-5 investor visa a safer and more practical option.
Trump promoted the Gold Card as a unique permanent residency programme offering a direct route to citizenship. “Basically, it’s a green card but much better. Much more powerful, a much stronger path,” Trump claimed at the launch. But when push comes to shove, are there real takers? Evidence suggests otherwise.
Why Trump’s Gold Card Is Failing to Attract Interest?
Unclear guidelines and legal ambiguity have made the Gold Card less appealing. Immigration experts highlight that the application instructions are loosely worded and fail to clarify the path to permanent residency or citizenship.
“The instructions for the Gold Card are loosely worded, and there is no clearly defined pathway to permanent residency or citizenship,” said Keshav Singhania, Head of Private Client at Singhania & Co.
By contrast, the EB-5 visa has clear investment thresholds—$800,000 in targeted employment areas or $1.05 million elsewhere—and a legal framework guaranteeing at least 10 full-time jobs per investment. Importantly, the EB-5 covers entire families under a single investment, whereas the Gold Card would cost $1 million per person, plus $15,000 processing fees, making it financially prohibitive for a typical family.
Limited Interest from High-Net-Worth Individuals
Despite the media hype, top immigration lawyers confirm that inquiries about the Gold Card are virtually nonexistent. Poorvi Chothani, a prominent immigration lawyer, stated:
“Not a single query on the Gold Card has been received till now. You will get stuck in the EB-1 and EB-2 queues anyway. The Gold Card is not attractive given the legal and practical uncertainties.”
Shilpa Malik, Managing Attorney at VisaLaw Nation, added:
“We’ve seen curiosity from global founders and high-net-worth individuals, but this has translated into very limited concrete applications. The potential audience is extremely narrow.”
Even prediction markets mirror this sentiment: about 91% of participants on Polymarket anticipate that no Gold Cards will be sold in 2025.
Gold Card vs EB-5: Why Indians Prefer the Traditional Route?
The key differentiator lies in certainty and proof of concept. Rajneesh Pathak, CEO of Global North Residency & Citizenship, explained:
“The Gold Card isn’t a separate visa category; it falls under EB-1 and EB-2, which already have significant backlogs. Meanwhile, EB-5 is legally safeguarded, tried, and tested.”
In addition, strict H1B regulations and predictable pathways have increased EB-5 demand. From January to November 2025, Global North Residency processed over 100 EB-5 applications, with 60 more in December 2025 and January 2026 alone.
Arindam Sengupta, co-founder of Edufund, emphasized:
“EB-5 has been around for nearly three decades and has a proven track record. The Gold Card lacks both clarity and proof of concept. At a million-dollar price point, people want something tried and tested.”
Conclusion: The Gold Card’s Murky Future
Despite the ambitious rhetoric, Trump’s gold card finds no takers 1 million visa programme sees muted interest because it fails to provide clarity, affordability, or legal assurance. For Indian investors, the EB-5 visa remains the preferred route for achieving the American dream, offering a clear, cost-effective, and legally backed pathway to permanent residency and citizenship. Until the Gold Card gains legislative approval and establishes credibility, it is likely to remain a non-starter.
