Second Wind EB-5

Trump Officially Launches the “Gold Card” Visa Program

President Donald Trump has announced the launch of the Trump Gold Card – a new immigration pathway to the United States for wealthy foreign nationals willing to contribute at least $1 million. The idea was first floated in early 2025, but for months it existed mostly as bold statements without clear details. Now the program has been officially introduced, although many aspects remain unclear.

💰 Program Costs:

- $1 million – for individual applicants
- $2 million – for companies sponsoring a foreign employee
- $5 million – for the upcoming Platinum Gold Card, expected to include additional tax benefits

The process begins with an application and a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee. If the application is approved, the applicant must then pay the main contribution: $1 million for individuals or $2 million for companies applying on behalf of an employee. You can add family members to the application, but each one requires a separate non-refundable $15,000 fee and the corresponding main contribution of either $1 million or $2 million.

According to the administration, the Gold Card is tied to the EB-1 (extraordinary ability) and EB-2 (advanced degree / exceptional ability) categories as its legal foundation.

🔍What About the EB-5 Program?

➡️ EB-5 remains fully active and unchanged.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program continues to offer a transparent, well-regulated pathway that has existed since 1990. It is based on proven job-creation requirements and offers the possibility of recouping the invested capital, with a minimum investment threshold of $800,000. The entire family receives Green Cards – the principal investor, spouse, and children under 21 – with no additional investment required.

While the Gold Card may eventually develop into a parallel immigration route, for now it is expensive, lacks clarity, and comes with no guarantee of long-term political support.

👉Official website: http://trumpcard.gov

💼 EB-5 Fee Cuts on the Horizon — What It Means for Investors

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to introduce a new rule that would reduce EB-5 filing fees and introduce several technical clarifications to streamline the program.

📅 The proposed regulation is scheduled for release on October 23, 2025, followed by a public comment period, and would become effective 60 days after final approval.

What’s changing:

New Form I-527: created for investors whose Regional Center was terminated or debarred — especially relevant for those who filed before March 2022 and are still awaiting adjudication. The new form provides a clear mechanism to move these cases forward.

Reduced filing fees for investors: the proposal suggests lowering the cost of key investor petitions by about $1,500 each. Under the new rule,
- Form I-526E (initial investor petition) would be $9,625 instead of $11,160,
- Form I-829 (petition to remove conditions) would drop to $7,860 instead of $9,525.
- Technical correction for dependents: Form I-829 will now allow family members to be included under one filing if the principal investor passes away before submission.

These adjustments aim to improve program efficiency, make EB-5 participation more affordable, and ensure that filing fee revenue is used directly to support the Investor Program Office (IPO) — not other USCIS divisions.

Learn more: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2025-19642/employment-based-immigrant-visa-fifth-preference-eb-5-fee-rule