WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Wednesday launched a Gold Card initiative that would allow foreign nationals to purchase legal status in the United States for $1 million.

President Donald Trump was among the U.S. officials who made announcements touting the opening of the trumpcard.gov site, which has the Gold Card for individuals and the Corporate Gold Card for businesses.

“THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY!” Trump posted on social media. “A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent.”

Qualified individuals and corporations, who contribute $1 million and $2 million respectively, will receive expedited EB-1 or EB-2 green cards following rigorous vetting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

The site allows people to apply to “receive U.S. residency in record time” via a $15,000 DHS processing fee, a background approval and a contribution of $1 million.

And it allows businesses to apply to receive U.S. residency “for your employees” via a $15,000 DHS processing fee, a background approval and a contribution of $2 million.

Trump signed the executive order in September establishing the Gold Card after announcing his plan for the initiative during an address to Congress at the start of the year, which has been promoted by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Back then, Trump was putting the price at $5 million.

Trump set a Dec. 18 deadline in his executive order. A draft copy of the Form I-140G, which Gold Card applicants would use to make the purchase, was published in the Federal Register last month.

The order for the Gold Card came down at the same time Trump signed the proclamation instituting a $100,000 fee to obtain an H-1B visa, which generated more attention at the time.

Lutnick has estimated the Gold Card initiative combined with the new fee on H-1B visas would amount to $100 billion in federal revenue.

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