President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP via Getty Images
US President Donald Trump has announced the launch of a new ‘golden card’ programme that will allow foreign investors to obtain the right to reside in the United States with an investment of $5 million. Trump presented this initiative to journalists on board Air Force One, en route from Washington to Miami, the New York Post reports.
“For $5 million, it can be yours. This was the first of the cards. Do you know what this card is? It’s a golden card – the Trump card!” the American leader said.
Trump also said that he himself had become the first buyer of the card, and the programme is expected to start in less than two weeks. According to him, the new programme will be a modernised version of the EB-5 visa programme, which has been allowing foreigners to obtain a green card for investments in the US of $1 million or more for more than 25 years.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that more than 1,000 ‘gold cards’ have already been sold, and more than 37 million people worldwide are potentially interested in purchasing one.
“Now there is a queue of 250,000 people who want to get EB-5. 200,000 of these ‘golden green cards’ ($5 million each) is $1 trillion to pay off our debt,” Lutnick explained, referring to the US national debt, which has reached $36.5 trillion.
The programme is designed to attract wealthy investors who can not only obtain permanent residence, but also open the way to citizenship. Unlike other visas that tie foreigners to specific jobs, the ‘golden card’ provides much greater flexibility in choosing where to live and work.
However, government observers have already expressed concern about the potential for abuse and corruption in the new system. Many countries have similar programmes to attract investors, but the US is trying to create the most attractive conditions.
According to experts, the successful launch of the ‘gold card’ could be an important step towards improving the US economic situation and strengthening Trump’s position among investors.
