Trump's 'Gold Card' attracts little interest as haze over permanent residency dulls its glitter
Mumbai: Nearly a week after the Trump administration opened applications for its $1 million "Gold Card" visa, the programme appears to have attracted little interest. Immigration experts say the scheme has vague application guidelines, legal ambiguity and no clearly defined pathway to permanent residency or citizenship, making it unattractive even for rich Indians. They are advising applicants to go for the EB-5 category instead.
"The instructions for the Gold Card are loosely worded, and there is no clearly defined pathway to permanent residency or citizenship," said Keshav Singhania, Head - Private Client, Singhania & Co.
"We haven't received a single query so far. And even if we do, we encourage clients to consider EB-5 instead," said Poorvi Chothani, a leading immigration lawyer. "You will get stuck in the EB-1 and EB-2 queues anyway. At this point, I don't see this as an attractive option given the legal and practical uncertainties." "We have seen significant inbound curiosity, particularly from high-net-worth individuals and global founders. However, this has translated into very limited concrete follow-through," said Shilpa Malik, Managing Attorney at US-based VisaLaw Nation. "We have not yet started processing any formal applications under the programme."
"The most likely potential takers, at least in theory, would be ultra-high-net-worth individuals who value long-term US access, optionality, and brand association more than immediate immigration outcomes. That said, this is a very narrow audience," she explained. In contrast, the EB-5 investor visa programme continues to see strong demand, particularly from India and China, which together account for the bulk of EB-5 applicants. The US issues 10,000 EB-5 visas annually, with a country cap of 7% or 700 visas, including dependents. Under EB-5, investors must put in $800,000 in a targeted employment area or $1.05 million elsewhere, creating at least 10 full-time jobs.
"The instructions for the Gold Card are loosely worded, and there is no clearly defined pathway to permanent residency or citizenship," said Keshav Singhania, Head - Private Client, Singhania & Co.
"We haven't received a single query so far. And even if we do, we encourage clients to consider EB-5 instead," said Poorvi Chothani, a leading immigration lawyer. "You will get stuck in the EB-1 and EB-2 queues anyway. At this point, I don't see this as an attractive option given the legal and practical uncertainties." "We have seen significant inbound curiosity, particularly from high-net-worth individuals and global founders. However, this has translated into very limited concrete follow-through," said Shilpa Malik, Managing Attorney at US-based VisaLaw Nation. "We have not yet started processing any formal applications under the programme."
"The most likely potential takers, at least in theory, would be ultra-high-net-worth individuals who value long-term US access, optionality, and brand association more than immediate immigration outcomes. That said, this is a very narrow audience," she explained. In contrast, the EB-5 investor visa programme continues to see strong demand, particularly from India and China, which together account for the bulk of EB-5 applicants. The US issues 10,000 EB-5 visas annually, with a country cap of 7% or 700 visas, including dependents. Under EB-5, investors must put in $800,000 in a targeted employment area or $1.05 million elsewhere, creating at least 10 full-time jobs.
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