The so-called “Trump Card Visa” has quietly appeared within U.S. immigration application forms, signaling the early digital infrastructure rollout for former President Donald Trump’s proposed “golden visa” program. This initiative would offer U.S. residency rights in exchange for a $5 million investment. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been reported to play a significant role in developing the digital systems supporting this plan.
Although the White House has yet to formally announce the program, certain permanent residents and foreign visitors have already been queried about whether they have applied for the “Trump Card Visa.” The concept was first introduced publicly by Trump in February 2025, describing it as a pathway for wealthy individuals to purchase American residency and eventually citizenship.
However, the implementation details remain unclear. Current federal law strictly limits the number of permanent resident cards (green cards) issued each year, and stipulates eligibility criteria that may require congressional action to amend for this new program to function legally. Experts emphasize that any increase in card issuance or alteration in qualification rules would necessitate legislative approval.
DOGE’s involvement underscores Elon Musk’s expanding influence over U.S. government digital infrastructure. Created initially by an executive order from Trump to modernize federal technology, DOGE has rapidly become central in shaping immigration processes. Insiders reveal that DOGE representatives have recently coordinated with agencies including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the State Department to integrate the Trump Card Visa into existing systems.
A domain registered by DOGE—trumpcard.gov—was found to host multiple subdomains linked to federal immigration and travel portals. Tests conducted by WIRED confirm the site interfaces with major federal departments, including CBP and USCIS’s electronic immigration system.
Significantly, the Global Entry program’s application forms now mention the Trump Card Visa option. Global Entry, managed by CBP, expedites customs clearance for pre-approved travelers from certain countries. Applicants using foreign passports can indicate whether they have submitted a Trump Card Visa application. Nationals from countries such as China, Russia, Ukraine, and South Korea appear eligible to select this option, with Canadian citizens excluded and instead routed to the NEXUS program for expedited border processing.
In a March podcast, Trump’s commerce secretary Howard Lutnick claimed to have sold 1,000 gold cards, estimating that up to one million could eventually be sold. The idea, he explained, was to allow buyers residency rights while only taxing income earned within the U.S.
However, the legal foundation for the program remains murky. The White House has not clarified whether current immigration laws grant the president authority to create such a visa without congressional approval. Stuart Anderson, executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, noted that without new legislation passed by Congress, the Trump Card Visa lacks a clear statutory basis.
The existing green card system caps annual immigrant numbers at approximately 1.1 million across multiple categories, with strict country quotas to prevent any nationality from exceeding 7 percent of the total. Backlogs have long plagued applicants from countries like India, some waiting over a decade. It is yet to be disclosed whether Trump Card Visa holders would bypass these queues.
The Trump Card Visa was proposed as a replacement or expansion of the EB-5 investor visa program, established by Congress in 1990. The EB-5 program grants green cards to foreigners investing $1.05 million (or $800,000 in targeted areas) who create at least 10 jobs. While designed with safeguards to prevent misuse by corrupt actors, including rigorous vetting of investment sources, it primarily serves working-class immigrants pooling savings.
Experts remain uncertain if the gold card program will receive similar scrutiny. Trump indicated during a February briefing that Russian oligarchs might qualify, adding a controversial dimension to the initiative.
As of now, the program’s readiness and formal launch remain unknown, with public announcements anticipated but not yet made.
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