Trump’s gold card program has begun taking applications, touting a $5 million investment as a fast track to U.S. residency. For Indians and NRIs—the biggest group stuck in green card lines—the launch brings excitement mixed with hard questions about whether it delivers anything new.
The first doubt centers on the per-country cap: 7% of green cards go to any single nation each year. No change here means Indians could still wait decades, even after paying millions, joining the same backlog as EB-5 applicants. Second, the card lacks clear quota exemptions or fixed timelines. It rests on executive action, open to court challenges or future policy shifts, leaving buyers unsure if residency arrives sooner than standard routes.
Third, the steep price—six times the EB-5 minimum—offers no matching advantage for Indians already deep in queues. Many view it as a luxury option that favors cash over skill, sidelining professionals who contribute through work. Fourth, bureaucracy may not shrink as promised. Past premium tiers sped paperwork but not allocation; the gold card could follow suit, especially without written guarantees on processing.
