Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has begun quietly building the digital foundation for a new ambitious U.S. immigration program: the Trump Card Visa, a $5 million golden visa scheme aimed at super-rich foreigners.
Although the White House has not yet officially made it public, US tourists and some green card residents are already being asked questions about their application status for this high-end visa program.
This effort, spearheaded by Musk's DOGE and crafted in partnership with key federal agencies, will abolish the conventional US immigration system by merging innovative digital infrastructure with contentious policy changes.
Buy Your Way Into America Through Trump's Golden Visa
Initially hinted at by Donald Trump in February, the Trump Card Visa has been framed as a means by which affluent investors can secure permanent US residency and eventually citizenship through a $5 million investment. According to WIRED's investigation, it's unclear how this will fit with current immigration law, but those close to it say that the program could revamp the process of green cards, long subject to tight caps and country-by-country quotas.
Under current legislation, no more than 7% of green cards can be granted in a year to nationals of any one country, resulting in long delays, particularly for nations such as India and China. Trump's proposal seems to circumvent that with a fast-track visa for the elite.
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DOGE's Role: From Tech Overhaul to Immigration Engine
First built to modernize federal agencies, Elon Musk's DOGE has quickly spilled over its boundaries. Public documents indicate the domain trumpcard.gov was registered in March, now with subdomains for top agencies such as the USCIS, CBP, and State Department. This online platform will most likely harbor application portals, AI vetting software, and real-time case monitoring.
Applicants via the Global Entry system are now asked to identify whether they've applied for the Trump Card Visa, showing that backend integration is already in progress.
WIRED testing proved this feature to be available to most foreign nationals, though not Canadians, who are still under the NEXUS program.
The EB-5 Comparison: Will Gold Replace Green?
The Trump Card Visa is being equated with the EB-5 investor visa, a 1990 program that permits foreign nationals to obtain green cards by investing $1.05 million ($800K in distressed areas) and creating a minimum of 10 U.S. jobs. EB-5 does require strict screening for fraud and abuse, but the experts are wondering if the Trump program will be measured against the same standards.
Unlike most EB-5 applicants, middle-class immigrants who pool their lifetime savings, Trump's golden visa is reserved for the ultra-rich, possibly welcoming oligarchs or contentious billionaires. Trump himself conceded that "some Russian oligarchs" might fit in, further igniting controversy over security and fairness.
The Legal Gray Area and What Comes Next
It is not yet certain whether Trump has the legal right to introduce the Trump Card Visa without Congress. Immigration law is governed by statute, and visa category changes or increasing yearly quotas usually require legislation. Detractors argue that only a congressional act can authorize this effort—anything less might be met with legal resistance.
Nevertheless, Trump supporters such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick say they've already "sold" 1,000 gold cards, projecting a million total customers. While an official launch date remains unclear, indicators suggest that an announcement is just around the corner.
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