Trump Promises Foreigners a "Golden Card" for the U.S.

On February 26, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would replace the existing foreign investor program with a so-called "Golden Card," which will be available for purchase at a price of $5 million, Reuters reports. This option is being presented as a pathway to U.S. citizenship and will also be accessible to Russian oligarchs.

Currently, the U.S. operates the EB-5 immigrant visa program, which allows foreign investors who contribute significant capital and create or preserve jobs to become permanent residents. Minimum investment amounts range from $500,000 to $1 million, depending on the project and location. The program was established in 1990 to "stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors." It is administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and undergoes periodic adjustments while maintaining its core objectives.

In 2022, 10,885 foreign nationals received EB-5 visas, while in 2023, the number dropped to 9,817. In the first quarter of 2024, 1,276 applications were submitted, with 888 approved. The majority of approvals in 2023—63% of the total—went to Chinese nationals, totaling 6,262. Following China, the largest groups of recipients were from India (815), Vietnam (556), South Korea (446), and Taiwan (261).

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the EB-5 program was full of "nonsense, pretense, and fraud," describing it as a way to obtain a green card for a relatively low cost. He added that the president found the program absurd and plans to eliminate it, replacing it with Trump’s Golden Card.
"We are going to sell the Golden Card," Trump confirmed. "We will set the price at approximately $5 million. This will grant the privileges of a green card and also serve as a pathway to citizenship."

Trump expressed confidence that wealthy individuals would come to the U.S. for the "Golden Visa," although specific details about the process have yet to be disclosed. These details are expected to be released in two weeks.

When asked whether Russian oligarchs would be eligible to obtain the Golden Card, Trump responded, "Yes, possibly. I know some Russian oligarchs, and they are very good people."

Trump emphasized that he wants to maintain legal immigration pathways to the U.S., Bloomberg reports. At the same time, he has vowed to carry out the largest deportation of migrants in U.S. history. The option to enter the U.S. through Mexico using the CBP One app is no longer available, according to reports.

"I will declare a state of emergency at our southern border," Trump said during his inauguration speech. "All illegal crossings will be immediately halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions of illegal immigrants to the places from which they came."

Immigrant communities across the U.S. are preparing for crackdowns that the newly elected Republican president has promised throughout his campaign and continues to reiterate. If he follows through on his statements, approximately 11 million undocumented individuals currently in the U.S. could face deportation. The first to be affected would be foreigners with criminal records.

U.S. Shifts Rhetoric on Russia

Regarding Russia, the U.S. has altered its stance. Representatives from both countries held talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, pledging to form high-level working groups to resolve the conflict in Ukraine "as soon as possible in a way that is lasting, sustainable, and acceptable to all parties."

Additionally, discussions in the U.S. have raised the possibility of lifting certain sanctions against Russia. American officials have also agreed to work on increasing diplomatic staff in their embassies and addressing other "irritants in relations, paving the way for closer cooperation." Experts note that this new approach has shaken the foundations of the U.S.-Europe security alliance. While Trump has promised to negotiate an end to hostilities, he appears willing to make concessions that Russia has long sought—without receiving anything in return.

On February 27, a meeting between Russian and U.S. diplomats is scheduled to discuss embassy operations. It appears that American embassies will soon reopen in Russia, making it easier for wealthy Russian citizens to apply for Trump’s Golden Card—if it is indeed implemented.