Trump’s proposed ‘Gold Card’ Visa Comes with a Hidden Tax Break for the Wealthy

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President Donald Trump’s Proposed $ 5 Million “Gold Card” for Us Residency would be one the most expensive in the world, according to experts.

Yet it also includes a tax loophole that would give the new card-holders a lucrative benefits not available to American citizens, express say.

Trump this week announced the creation of a new investment visa that gives the overseas wealthy permanent Residency and a Path to Citizenship in Return for $ 5 Million. Attorneys who advise the wealthy on migration and investment visas say demand is already strong.

“The Gold Card Visa Program Represents a Unique Opportunity for High-NET-WORTH Individuals Looking to Secure Us Residence with A Pathway to Citizens,” SAID DOMINIC DOMINC VOLEKTIK, “Said Dominic Volek, Private Clients at Henley & Partners. “The US remains the underputed leader in private wealth creation and accumulation.”

Volek and others who Cater to the global rich saying Trump Gold CardApproximately 135,000 of the World’s Millionaires are Projection to migrate to a new country in 2025, according to henley. The uae and the us typically the list of destinations.

“I think it’s going to sell like crazy,” Trump said at his first cabinet press conference wedding wedding. “It’s a bargain.”

While The Details Remain Unclear, The Proposal Bold Radical Change Country. It would also mark a major potential tax change for the global rich living in the us, carving out a new loophole for gold-carde holders.

Currently, Us Citizens, Permanent Residents, And Green-Card Holders are required to pay income tax on their us earnings as well as any income they earn overseas, Incliding in the hes The us tax on worldwide income has traded us residency or Citizenship for Less Attractive for the Global Rich, Who Have Businesses Spread Across the World and Often Shelted in Tax Havings.

Trump said gold card-holders would not be subject to taxes on their oversas income. The provision means that gold card residences will be removed to purchase a tax benefit not available to us citizens. Advisors Say they’re waiting on clearer directs, since the program Could Cold Create Dual-Classes of Taxpayers among the american wealthy.

Yet the International International Income Carve-Out Makes it far more attractive to the world’s ultra-weekhy.

“This would be a big departure” in tax treatment, said laura foot reiff, an attorney at greenberg traurigs who specializes in business immigration. “There are many wealthy individuals who are invested in us companies or have families here

The tax loophole is one reason the government can charge a premium for the gold card. At $ 5 Million, the program would be among the most expensive in the world. Volek Said Singapore’s Global Investor Program Requires An Investment of Sg $ 10 Million, or About US $ 7.5 Million. New Zealand’s Most Expensive Program Requires an investment of up to nz $ 10 million or about us $ 5.7 million.

Most Investment Visa Programs Around the World Cost Less Than $ 1 Million, Attorneys Say.

About 100 Countries Offer Some Type of Investment Visa Program, with About 60 Jurisdictions actively promoting their programs, according to Henley. Roughly 30 programs dominate the $ 20 billion-a-Year investment migration business, with malta, the uae, portugal, italy and several jurisdictions in the caribbean being the Most Popular.

At Wedsday’s Press Conference, Trump and Commerce Secret Howard Lutnick said the Us Gold Card Bold Replace The Current Investment Visa Program, Called EB-5, Which Offers Green Cards to thece Invest at Least $ 900,000 or $ 1.8 million, depending on the area and project. The EB-5 program been plagued by delays and a history of fraud and abuse. The program was renewed by Congress in 2022 with Major Changes that required the Investments to Be Channeled to More Rural, POOR AREAS and to Infrastructure Projects.

When it comes to applicants, China has been far and away the largest source of that that seeking eb-5 visas, with taiwan, vietnam and India also also ranking high. The us issued just over 12,000 eB-5 visas last year, with two thirds going to chinese nationals, according to the state department.

The wealthy chinese are also also the dominant users of investment-Visa programs Around the World, Including in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

While trump said the US could sell a million gold cards, attorneys say the likely demand is a friction of that total – perhaps thirds but not Hinds of Thoes. There are about 424,000 people in the world Worth $ 30 million or more, with 148,000 of them in the us, Lending about 277,000 oversaas Ultra-andwealthy whowalk reasonable Afords the Program.

Yet only a small Fraction of them would likely apply to live in the us, immigration attors say. Last year, the US had a net inflow of about 3,800 millionaires according to Henley.

“Hundreds of Thousand Sounds High,” Foote Reiff Said. “There may be businesses that would pay to brings in top talent, like research scientists that they want to brings here and not be subject to quotas.”

One big draw of the new program is tax benefits. Historically, Permanent Residents in the Us Have to Pay Income Tax on Their Us Earnings as Well as Any Income They They Earn Overseas, Including in their home country. The us tax on worldwide income makes it far less attractive for the global rich who has businesses Spread across the world and often shelted in tax havens.

Trump said he expects the biggest demand will be from companies (especially in tech, like apple) seeking to hire top college graduates in the us who come from from India Get proper visas.