Trump’s $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa Struggles to Attract Wealthy Investors

 President Donald Trump’s proposed “Gold Card” visa program, designed to offer fast-track US residency to wealthy foreign investors for $1 million, is facing slow adoption and growing legal scrutiny months after its launch.

The program, introduced in December through executive action, was promoted as a premium residency pathway promising approvals in “record time” for global millionaires and billionaires seeking access to the United States. However, recent legal filings from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicate that interest in the initiative has remained far below initial expectations.

According to court documents, only 338 individuals have submitted requests for a Gold Card so far, while just 165 applicants have paid the required $15,000 visa processing fee.

The figures contrast sharply with earlier projections made by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who previously stated that the program could issue as many as 80,000 Gold Cards and potentially generate more than $100 billion in revenue for the US government.

The program has also faced criticism after DHS clarified in court filings that Gold Card applicants would not receive faster processing or preferential treatment compared to applicants under existing visa categories. This statement appeared to contradict the program’s earlier marketing claims, which advertised approvals within “a matter of weeks.”

Officials stated in the filing that Gold Card applicants “will not necessarily have their petitions adjudicated faster than any non-Gold-Card applicant.”

Immigration experts say the legal uncertainty surrounding the program is one of the main reasons wealthy investors remain cautious. Several attorneys noted that high-net-worth individuals are reluctant to commit $1 million until the program receives stronger legal backing or formal approval from Congress.

The Gold Card program is currently facing a lawsuit challenging its legality. Critics argue that only Congress has the authority to establish new immigration categories and that the program may unfairly interfere with existing US visa systems such as the EB-1 and EB-2 programs.

The lawsuit claims that because annual visa allocations for EB-1 and EB-2 categories are limited, the Gold Card initiative could reduce opportunities for traditional merit-based applicants seeking residency through established immigration pathways.

In response, DHS argued that the Gold Card program would not negatively affect existing applicants because the government has allocated separate processing resources for the initiative.

Despite current challenges, immigration attorneys believe the program could still gain traction in the future if it survives legal scrutiny and establishes a successful approval record. However, many experts say the lack of transparency regarding processing timelines and long-term legal stability has weakened investor confidence.

The Gold Card initiative was introduced at a time when global demand for investment migration programs continues to rise. According to industry estimates, approximately 165,000 millionaires are expected to relocate internationally in 2026 as wealthy individuals seek alternative residency options amid geopolitical tensions, tax changes, and economic uncertainty.

While the US remains one of the world’s most desirable destinations for wealthy migrants, analysts note that many investors continue to favor the long-established EB-5 visa program, which grants residency through business investments that create jobs rather than direct financial contributions to the government.

The future of the Gold Card program is now likely to depend on the outcome of ongoing legal challenges and whether Congress ultimately chooses to formally support the initiative.