Wealthy Indians take a shine to Trump's $5 million Gold Card plan

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump's Gold Card immigration programme is sparking a surge in interest among Indian high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) even prior to its official launch, say immigration experts.

This is particularly evident among Indian professionals in sectors such as technology, finance, and healthcare, typically aged 28-45, in the US. Many are keenly awaiting more details on the programme while continuing to explore other US immigration routes like EB5.

"Nearly 50% of interest is probably coming from the Middle East and a few wealthy countries, many of which are home to sizeable Indian diaspora populations who may also factor into the programme's uptake," said Sukanya Raman, country head, Davies & Associates, LLC, an immigration law firm.


Trump's proposed $5 million Gold Card visa plan has triggered overwhelming interest, with more than 70,000 registrations within days of launch of the official website last month. The programme is mainly aimed at ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) and investors, rather than entry-level or mid-career professionals.

Indian nationals are also enquiring about Trump's Gold Card, said Prachi Shah, founder and managing attorney who runs the eponymous law firm. "Most of the interest so far is coming from professionals in the tech, finance, and healthcare sectors," Shah said.

While the prima facie interest in the programme remains high from Indian HNIs, it would be worthwhile to see how many of these initial queries translate into actual conversions, said Keshav Singhania, head, private client at Singhania & Co, a law firm.

To be sure, the Gold Card programme is currently not backed by any legislative framework. Experts term the buzz around the programme as mostly driven by marketing strategy rather than actual demand. Currently, the sign-up portal circulating online appears to contain basic registration pages and not requiring substantive information, they said. "Without such filters, it is difficult to ascertain whether these registrants are genuinely interested and eligible, or simply curious," Shah said.

Rajneesh Pathak, founder of Global North Residency and Citizenship, said his immigration and investment advisory firm is getting queries from clients about the Gold Card's impact on the future of the EB5 programme.

"We are advising our clients that at this stage EB5 is live and kicking ...also Gold Card can be a success only if it comes with no tax on global income," Pathak said.

Gold Card and EB5 can co-exist as two different programmes, say experts. While prospective applicants wait for the Gold Card's official launch, many individuals are exploring established programmes EB-5, H-1B, or National Interest Waiver options.

"We are urging caution to our clients until the legislation framework is in place and full details are made available," said Singhania.

The new website of Trump Gold Card currently features a notification form for individuals who wish to be alerted once the programme becomes accessible.

Currently, there is no legal framework in the US or a formal policy/executive order for starting a Gold Card immigration programme, said Alexander Jovy, a lawyer. "While the idea is gaining traction, it remains a proposal, not a legally recognised immigration pathway," he said.

There is also talk of the Gold Card replacing the existing EB5 visa programme, creating a rush for EB5 visa applications, as the latter requires less investment than Gold Card, as reported by ET earlier.