title: "Trump Gold Card Visa (Form I-140G): Requirements, Cost & How It Compares to EB-1A/EB-2 NIW in 2026" slug: "trump-gold-card-visa-i-140g-requirements-cost-2026" description: "The Trump Gold Card costs $15,000 to file plus a $1M–$2M gift. Here's exactly who qualifies, how Form I-140G works, and when EB-1A or EB-2 NIW gets you a green card for a fraction of the price." target_keyword: "trump gold card visa requirements" schema: "FAQPage"
Trump Gold Card Visa (Form I-140G): Requirements, Cost & How It Compares to EB-1A/EB-2 NIW in 2026
Short answer: The Trump Gold Card gets you a green card for a $15,000 non-refundable filing fee plus a $1,000,000 gift (individual) or $2,000,000 gift (corporate sponsor) per beneficiary. File Form I-140G after registering at trumpcard.gov, pass a background and source-of-funds check, and USCIS places your case in the EB-1 or EB-2 queue. No job offer, no labor certification, no years of evidence-building required — just capital.
If you don't have $1M sitting around, keep reading. EB-1A and EB-2 NIW get qualified applicants the same green card categories for $0 in gifts — just evidence.
What is Form I-140G?
Form I-140G is the immigrant petition created under Executive Order 14351 ("The Gold Card," signed 2025) that lets an individual or a corporate sponsor petition for a green card in exchange for a direct financial contribution to the U.S. government, instead of a job offer or extraordinary-ability evidence.
Trump Gold Card requirements, step by step
- Register at trumpcard.gov with your name, date of birth, place of birth, current address, and contact information.
- Pay the $15,000 DHS processing fee per applicant — non-refundable, even if you're rejected. Each dependent (spouse, unmarried child under 21) needs their own $15,000 fee.
- Pass background and source-of-funds vetting. USCIS confirms your money is legitimate before you're cleared to send the gift.
- Wire the gift once vetting clears: $1,000,000 for an individual applicant, $2,000,000 if a corporation is sponsoring you, plus $1,000,000 per dependent.
- File Form I-140G electronically through your USCIS online account once USCIS confirms your registration was accepted.
- USCIS approves the I-140G and places your case in line under EB-1 or EB-2, the same visa-bulletin queue as everyone else in those categories.
What does the Trump Gold Card cost?
| Applicant type | DHS processing fee | Required gift |
|---|---|---|
| Individual, principal beneficiary | $15,000 (non-refundable) | $1,000,000 |
| Individual, each dependent | $15,000 (non-refundable) | $1,000,000 |
| Corporate sponsor, principal beneficiary | $15,000 (non-refundable) | $2,000,000 |
| Corporate sponsor, each dependent | $15,000 (non-refundable) | $1,000,000 |
A family of three (principal + spouse + one child) applying individually pays $45,000 in fees plus $3,000,000 in gifts before accounting for medical exams, travel, or professional fees. None of it is refundable if the petition is denied.
Gold Card vs. EB-1A vs. EB-2 NIW: which actually fits you?
| Trump Gold Card | EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) | EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core requirement | $1M–$2M gift + $15K fee | Sustained national/international acclaim, 3 of 10 USCIS criteria | Advanced degree + work in the national interest, no job offer or labor cert needed |
| Cash required | $1,015,000+ | $0 (attorney/filing fees only) | $0 (attorney/filing fees only) |
| Job offer needed | No | No | No |
| Evidence-building | Minimal — capital does the work | Extensive — awards, publications, media, judging, high salary | Moderate — proposed endeavor, national importance, well-positioned to advance it |
| Typical I-140 timeline (2026) | Not yet established (program launched late 2025) | ~7-12 months standard, 15 business days premium | Up to 20-27 months standard, 45 business days premium |
| Best for | High-net-worth individuals who want speed and can skip evidence | Founders, researchers, athletes, artists with a documented track record | STEM professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs without a job offer |
If you can document extraordinary ability or work that serves the national interest, EB-1A or EB-2 NIW gets you the same green card category as the Gold Card — for the cost of a strong petition instead of a seven-figure wire transfer.
FAQ
Is the Trump Gold Card the same as an EB-5 investor visa? No. EB-5 requires a $900,000–$1,800,000 investment in a job-creating commercial enterprise that must employ at least 10 U.S. workers. The Gold Card is a direct gift to the government with no job-creation or business-operation requirement.
Can I get a refund if my Gold Card application is denied? No. The $15,000 DHS processing fee is explicitly non-refundable, even on rejection, per official USCIS guidance on Form I-140G.
Does the Gold Card skip the visa bulletin backlog? No. Once approved, your I-140G is placed in line under EB-1 or EB-2 like any other petition in that category — it doesn't create a separate, uncapped category.
Who should consider EB-2 NIW instead of the Gold Card? Anyone with an advanced degree and work that benefits the U.S. — researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs — who can document that their endeavor has national importance and that they're well-positioned to advance it, without needing an employer sponsor or $1M in liquid capital.
How does VisaSherpa help me figure out which path is right? VisaSherpa.ai runs your background against EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, EB-1, and every other US immigration path in minutes, flags which criteria you already meet, and builds your evidence checklist — no $1M gift required to find out where you stand.
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