Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria for the USA Gold Card Visa

Who Can Apply: The Gold Card visa is targeted at high-net-worth individuals who are willing and able to invest USD $5 million in the United States. In essence, an applicant would “buy” this Gold Card by contributing $5 million, which has been described as “a form of economic donation rather than an investment” directly to the U.S. government. Key eligibility points include:

Minimum Investment: You must commit $5 million of capital to the U.S. as required by the program. This high price tag makes it one of the most expensive investor visa programs in the world. (By comparison, the EB-5 program it would replace required $800,000–$1,000,000 investments under current rules
Financial Qualifications: Applicants will need to prove they legally own the $5 million and that the funds come from legitimate sources (similar to how EB-5 applicants must document lawful source of investment funds). Rigorous due diligence and background checks are expected to ensure no criminal history or illicit funds, given the program’s focus on “sophisticated” investors.
High-Net-Worth Individuals: The program explicitly targets wealthy investors. There are no specific nationality or country-of-origin restrictions announced – even individuals from countries that might be restricted under other programs could be eligible if they meet the requirements. (For instance, when asked if Russian oligarchs could apply, the President indicated “yeah, possibly,” suggesting no blanket exclusion by nationality.)
Age and Background: Applicants must be adults (18 or older) and likely need to meet standard U.S. immigration admissibility criteria (e.g. pass security screenings and medical checks). They should have a clean background (no serious criminal record, no immigration violations) to qualify, as with any U.S. immigrant visa.
Family Members: As with the EB-5 investor visa, it is expected that immediate family can be included under the Gold Card visa. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of the main investor would likely obtain residency as dependents on the Gold Card investor’s application. This means the $5 million investment could cover a family unit, allowing them all to live in the U.S. and later apply for citizenship.

Note: The Gold Card visa is still in the proposal stage as of early 2025. Final eligibility rules (such as what forms of investment qualify, or any additional criteria) will be confirmed once enabling legislation is passed and the program is formally launched.