Gold Card: USCIS drafts Form I-140G as launch nears in 2025

U.S. immigration officials have taken the first formal step toward launching the much-watched Gold Card program, with a draft of new Form I-140G sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review on November 19, 2025. The move signals that the program, ordered by the White House earlier this year, is on track for a planned start around December 18, 2025, and aims to draw some of the world’s wealthiest business leaders to the United States 🇺🇸.

What the Gold Card would do

According to documents shared with federal reviewers, the Gold Card program will offer a fast track to permanent residence for people who can show extraordinary business ability or national benefit, and who are ready to make very large financial gifts to the U.S. government.

The program effectively blends parts of the existing EB‑1 Extraordinary Ability and EB‑2 National Interest Waiver categories with a new, very high dollar contribution requirement. The draft Form I-140G is the core of the system — a new petition that mirrors the layout and purpose of current employment-based forms like Form I-140, but is designed only for Gold Card applicants.

While the form is not yet posted to the public, it is expected to appear on the USCIS forms page after the OMB review is complete. Officials say this review is needed before any new federal form can be approved and used.

Key financial requirements

What makes the Gold Card program stand out is its steep financial requirement.

• Individuals applying on their own must make a non‑refundable gift of $1 million to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
• When a corporation or similar entity sponsors the case, the required gift rises to $2 million, also non‑refundable.
• These funds are gifts, not investments — they do not buy equity, do not earn returns, and are not withdrawable later.

In addition to the gift, each applicant will have to pay a USCIS processing fee of $15,000, which is also non‑refundable. The agency plans to collect this fee through the federal pay.gov system, a standard payment portal for U.S. government services.

The high fee level sets the Gold Card well above most other immigrant categories on cost alone, suggesting that USCIS expects a high-intensity review process and a relatively small pool of applicants.

Fees and payments (summary table)

Review and vetting process

Under the plan, the Department of Commerce will sit at the center of the money review for every case.

1. Applicant sends the $1M or $2M gift to Commerce together with initial paperwork.
2. Commerce checks that the source of funds is lawful and that the gift aligns with a broad national interest.
3. Only after Commerce clears the funds will the case move to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for the full immigration decision.

This is a sharp contrast to other employment-based visas, where USCIS or the State Department usually lead from the start.

Officials also plan a strict check on the origin of every dollar sent under the Gold Card program. Documentation will have to prove that the money came from lawful sources and complied with anti–money laundering rules and financial transparency standards.

• Cryptocurrency-based gifts will be allowed only if they are fully traceable on the blockchain and moved through regulated exchanges.
• That requirement is intended to reduce the risk that anonymous or lightly supervised crypto transfers could be used to buy immigration benefits.

After Commerce completes its initial check, USCIS will handle security and background reviews, along with the main legal decision on the Form I-140G petition. If approved, the applicant can seek permanent residence either:

• through a U.S. consulate abroad (consular processing), or
• by filing for adjustment of status from inside the United States, if eligible.

Oversight and interagency roles

Oversight for the Gold Card program is set to be shared at the highest levels of government.

• The Secretary of Commerce will oversee main operations.
• This will be done in coordination with the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security.

That three-way structure suggests the program aims to move immigrant visa issuance quickly while staying within public safety and national security policies.

• The Department of State will likely handle consular processing abroad.
• The Department of Homeland Security, through USCIS, will remain in charge of legal standards for immigrant classification.

Target beneficiaries and policy rationale

The White House hopes the program will attract wealthy entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders who can show a track record of success and who are ready to tie that success to U.S. interests.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, basing the new path on existing EB‑1 and EB‑2 National Interest Waiver rules is meant to ensure that only applicants with strong records in business, science, technology, or related fields can qualify. The added gift requirement serves as proof of both capacity and commitment.

Comparisons to other investor programs

Policy observers are drawing comparisons to older investor pathways like the EB‑5 Immigrant Investor Program, but there are clear differences:

• EB‑5 normally requires an investment in a specific job-creating project and may offer a return if the project performs well.
• The Gold Card requires a non‑refundable gift, with no payback and no direct job count tied to the contribution.

Supporters argue this may give the government more freedom to direct funds toward national projects or strategic programs.

Paperwork Reduction Act and OMB review

Immigration lawyers note the OMB review of Form I-140G is a standard but crucial step. Under federal rules, any new form that collects information from the public must receive Paperwork Reduction Act clearance from the Office of Management and Budget.

During OMB review, officials:

• Check that the form is necessary.
• Ensure it does not ask for more information than needed.
• Verify that the estimated time burden on applicants is reasonable.

Public comments are often collected during this stage, giving business groups and advocacy organizations a chance to raise concerns before the final design is locked in.

The “Platinum Card” proposal (separate)

There is early talk of a related but separate “Platinum Card” concept. Under that proposal:

• Wealthy individuals could make a $5 million gift.
• In exchange, they would gain the right to spend up to 270 days a year in the United States while keeping non‑U.S. income outside the U.S. tax net.

Officials stress this is not part of the Gold Card program and remains only a proposal with no formal form or OMB filing yet.

Timing and logistical challenges

The official launch timetable is tight.

• Draft Gold Card paperwork arrived at OMB on November 19.
• The program is expected to be ready by about December 18.

That gives agencies less than a month to finalize the form, set up payment channels, train officers, and post instructions on USCIS’s main site. Any delays in OMB clearance or late changes ordered by the White House could push the launch back, though there has been no public hint of a revised schedule so far.

For now, would‑be applicants and advisers can prepare only based on the broad public features:

• $1 million or $2 million gift to Commerce
• $15,000 USCIS fee (via pay.gov)
• EB‑1 or National Interest Waiver-style standards
• Demanding source-of-funds checks

Many are watching how consular posts will handle the first wave of Gold Card visa interviews and how quickly cases will move once the system opens.

Key takeaway: The success or failure of the Gold Card program will hinge on whether agencies can turn a tight timeline and heavy vetting requirements into a clear, predictable system attractive to top business talent — without opening new avenues for abuse.

As the countdown to the planned December launch continues, all eyes remain on the fate of Form I-140G inside the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and on how quickly agencies can turn a presidential order into a working path to a green card for some of the world’s richest and most mobile business figures.