The Donald Trump administration has officially launched the ‘Trump Gold Card’ program, allowing applicants to obtain a Green Card in the shortest possible time by donating $1 million (approx. 1.47 billion KRW). This policy aims to attract high-net-worth individuals by requiring a direct, high-cash payment to the government, effectively replacing and abolishing the existing, complex EB-5 Investor Visa program. Conversely, the electronic travel authorization (ESTA) screening for regular travelers has been significantly tightened, now demanding submission of social media accounts and selfie photos. This stark division in entry requirements based on wealth has drawn criticism for creating a “dual immigration policy.”
Trump Administration Turns Immigration into a ‘Revenue Model’
The US government has begun accepting applications for the ‘Trump Gold Card.’ This program is the result of the new immigration policy the Trump administration had previously announced, which seeks to attract wealthy individuals beneficial to the national interest. President Trump himself promoted the card on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating, “This card is a program that opens the path to citizenship for vetted applicants and a way for great American companies to keep talent.”
Key Features of the Gold Card: Speed and Cash Payment
The most significant features of this new immigration program are ‘Speed’ and ‘Cash.’
Requirements: Applicants must pay a $15,000 (approx. 22 million KRW) administrative fee, pass a background check by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and, crucially, donate $1 million as a contribution.
Expedited Processing: Upon confirmation of the donation, the Green Card processing time, which typically takes several years, is shortened to a matter of weeks. Applicants immediately gain EB-1 or EB-2 visa status, rapidly opening the path to permanent residency without the years-long wait.
Furthermore, the even higher-tier ‘Platinum Card’ requires a massive $5 million (approx. 7.35 billion KRW) payment. Although it only permits an annual 270-day stay instead of a Green Card, it offers the extraordinary benefit of exempting all foreign-earned income from US taxes. This clearly illustrates the Trump administration’s calculated business approach aimed at attracting ‘profitable’ wealthy individuals.
Why the Complex EB-5 Investor Visa is Being Phased Out
The Trump Gold Card effectively replaces the existing EB-5 Investor Visa.
The Old EB-5: The EB-5 program required a foreign national to invest a certain amount ($800,000 to $1.05 million) in US development projects in rural or high-unemployment areas and strictly mandated the creation of at least 10 full-time jobs to qualify for a Green Card.
The Administration’s Critique: The Trump administration criticized the EB-5 process for being overly complicated and for directing investment funds to private developers rather than directly to the federal treasury. Furthermore, the stringent requirement of proving job creation was deemed problematic.
The New Approach: The Gold Card eliminates these complex conditions, opting instead for a direct cash payment to the government. This clearly prioritizes immediate cash flow benefiting the US treasury over the indirect benefits of investment and job creation. This shift accommodates the demands of the IT and business sectors, who want to retain top talent and high-net-worth individuals, while fundamentally changing the concept of immigration into a national revenue model.
Doors Closing for the Poor: ESTA Screening Significantly Tightened
In stark contrast to the ‘Gold Card door’ wide open for wealthy immigrants, the barrier is being raised significantly for regular travelers and lower-income individuals.
ESTA Enhancement: Simultaneously with the Gold Card launch, the US government announced a major tightening of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) screening for citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, including South Korea.
Mandatory Submissions: Applicants will now be required to submit the following information:
Social Media (SNS) accounts from the past 5 years
Email address
Phone number
Selfie photo
Major foreign media outlets, such as the New York Times, have expressed concern that this extreme increase in the US government’s data collection scope will inevitably lengthen the ESTA approval time. This dual immigration policy—demanding deep privacy intrusions from regular travelers while promising expedited Green Cards to the wealthy for a cash payment—is currently facing widespread criticism.
Asset Size Becomes the Criterion for US Entry
The Trump administration’s new immigration policy is a re-engineering of the system based on a ‘pure business logic.’
The Fastest Back Door: Maximum convenience and speed are offered to high-net-worth individuals who bring direct cash to the nation.
The Highest Front Door: Conversely, the ESTA process is made extremely complex for the general public seeking simple tourism or short-term visits.
This policy results in a phenomenon where the threshold for US entry is sharply divided based on asset size. A capitalistic logic has been maximally projected onto the US immigration system. It remains to be seen how this policy will impact US national finances and talent attraction in the long term, and what message it sends to global immigration policies.