Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed Thursday that the Trump administration has approved its first applicant for the Gold Card visa program, which grants wealthy foreigners expedited U.S. permanent residency in exchange for a $1 million contribution.

Lutnick disclosed during testimony before a congressional committee, noting that hundreds of other applications remain in the processing queue. He emphasized the program's rigorous vetting process handled by the Department of Homeland Security, describing it as "the most serious vetting and analysis of any potential applicant in the history of government."

The Gold Card program, launched in December 2025 following President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14351 in September 2025, requires applicants to first pay a nonrefundable $15,000 processing fee to the Department of Homeland Security. After background checks and vetting by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, approved individuals must make a $1 million gift to the U.S. Department of Commerce to receive lawful permanent resident status via an EB-1 or EB-2 immigrant visa. Corporations can sponsor employees through a similar process with a $2 million gift per employee, plus annual maintenance fees.

The official program website, trumpcard.gov, promotes the Gold Card as providing U.S. residency "in record time" with the ability to live and work across all 50 states and territories. Family members, including spouses and unmarried children under 21, can be included for additional fees and contributions. The initiative aims to attract high-net-worth individuals whose contributions demonstrate a "substantial benefit to the United States."

Shortly after its rollout, Lutnick claimed the program had generated $1.3 billion in sales within days, suggesting thousands of interested applicants. However, Thursday's testimony indicated a slower pace, with only one approval five months into accepting applications. Lutnick attributed the deliberate rollout to ensuring a flawless process.

The program has faced legal challenges. In February 2026, immigrants filed a lawsuit arguing that it prioritizes wealth over merit, and government watchdogs sued in April to access records on its operations. Critics have compared it to "million-dollar Mar-a-Lago memberships."

Trump first proposed the idea in early 2025 as a higher-stakes alternative to the EB-5 investor visa, which requires job-creating investments. Proponents view it as a way to draw exceptional talent and generate revenue amid federal budget pressures.