What’s Better: Trump’s Gold Card vs the EB-5 Visa?

Published on: 16th January 2026

The U.S. has long offered a residency by investment route through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.

Now, President Donald Trump’s administration has introduced a newer, headline-grabbing alternative: the Gold Card. It’s meant to be a faster, donation-based path that’s positioned very differently from EB-5.

This guide explains how EB-5 works, what the Gold Card is, and how the two compare. Continue reading to discover why many advisers still say EB-5 is worth applying for in 2026.

What is the EB-5 visa?

The EB-5 visa is a U.S. immigrant investor program that allows foreign nationals (and their family) to pursue a Green Card. It is secured by making a qualifying capital investment in the U.S. economy tied to job creation.

It is one of the most efficient pathways to U.S. permanent residency through investment.

EB-5 Visa requirements:

You invest in a qualifying U.S. business/project.

Your investment must support the creation of at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs.

EB-5 investment cost

Current investment thresholds are:

$1,050,000 (standard), or

$800,000 if the investment is in a rural area, otherwise known as Targeted Employment Area (TEA).

Why investors like the EB-5 Visa

As an EB-5 Visa Green Card holder you can live, work, and study anywhere in the U.S. After five years of permanent residency, you may be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.

What is Trump’s Gold Card?

When Trump first mentioned the idea publicly in February 2025, it was framed as a $5 million “gold card” that could replace EB-5.

But by late 2025, the program was formalised and implemented differently than the early headlines suggested.

The official structure

A White House executive order describes the Gold Card, Trump’s new program overseen by the Secretary of Commerce, as one in which an applicant makes an unrestricted “gift” to the U.S. government:

$1 million gift for an individual

$2 million gift if a corporation is sponsoring the individual

There’s a $15,000 DHS processing fee, and after vetting/approval the $1 million contribution is made. It also outlines a “Platinum Card” (coming soon) at $5 million with additional conditions and claims.

A major difference: family costs

EB-5 generally allows the main applicant to include a spouse and unmarried children under 21 in the same petition structure.

The Gold Card mentions that each dependent (spouse/child under 21) requires an additional $15,000 fee. A $1 million gift is also required if they want the same benefits and expedited processing.

EB-5 vs Gold Card: the comparison

Here’s how Trump’s immigration Gold Card differs from the EB-5 Visa:

EB-5 is still the known quantity

Even if the Gold Card is marketed as faster, EB-5 has:

Decades of successful applicants receiving their Green Card.

Established rules around investment, job creation, and process steps.

Defined categories and timelines built into law.

That matters if you’re planning a multi-year move for family, schooling, tax residency, and asset structuring.

Trump administration: Green Card application changes

Two EB-5-related facts are driving urgency in 2026.

The “grandfathering” protection tied to September 30, 2026

The Reform and Integrity Act protects certain EB-5 Visa foreign investors. It does so by ensuring that I-526E petitions filed before 30 September 2026 can continue to be processed “to completion,” even if the program changes later.

In other words, getting your EB-5 filing in before that date may lock in protections that late filers might not have if the rules shift.

Visa availability indicators

The U.S. State Department’s January 2026 Visa Bulletin shows EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) as “C” (Current).

“Current” can matter strategically because it may affect how smoothly an investor can move through the pipeline (your immigration counsel will map this to your personal case and location).

So, which is “better” in 2026?

It depends on what you value.

EB-5 tends to suit investors who want:

A lower entry cost than a $1m+ donation route

A program with a long operating history and well-defined investment/job creation requirements

A structure designed around investment into projects, not a direct government gift

The Gold Card tends to suit investors who want:

A donation-based route that aims to shorten the processing time

A path framed around EB-1/EB-2 qualification concepts with a “gift” as evidence

And who are comfortable with higher and potentially compounding family costs

Bottom line

In 2026, the safest, most actionable message is that EB-5 remains available right now. It has clearer rules than the evolving Gold Card framework.

If EB-5 is already a good financial and strategic fit, then this year is still a sensible time to apply. Consider doing so before any legislative or policy changes occur and ahead of the September 30, 2026 grandfathering milestone.