Translated with AI
Under the Gold Card visa program introduced by US President Donald Trump, only one foreign applicant has been approved for permanent residence. This was announced by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a congressional hearing, Interfax reports.
According to him, hundreds of foreigners' applications are currently being reviewed. Latnik noted that all applicants undergo a highly thorough background check by the Department of Homeland Security and pay a $15,000 processing fee.
The program began accepting applications in December 2025. It was previously reported that the new initiative would replace the EB-1 and EB-2 visa categories, which were intended for individuals with extraordinary ability or those who could be of value to U.S. interests.
According to published materials, the "Golden Card" grants foreign citizens permanent residency with the possibility of subsequently obtaining citizenship. Despite significant interest in the program in the first weeks after its launch, the number of actual approved applications remains minimal.
Howard Lutnick explained that the delay is due to the fact that the verification procedure was recently agreed upon with the Department of Homeland Security and is considered one of the most stringent.
Donald Trump previously stated that funds received from the sale of "gold cards" to wealthy foreigners would be used to reduce the US national debt.
