Only one foreign applicant has been approved under the "Golden Card" visa program introduced by US President Donald Trump.
It provides for obtaining permanent residency status in exchange for investments of $ 1 million. This was announced by US Commerce Secretary Howard Latnick during a congressional hearing, writes AP.
According to Latnick, the applications of "hundreds" of foreigners are being considered. He noted that the applicants undergo "extremely thorough screening" by the Department of Homeland Security and pay a processing fee of $15,000.
Applications began in December 2025. Latnik previously said that the program should replace the EB-1 and EB-2 visa categories, intended for individuals with exceptional abilities or for those who can be of benefit to the interests of the United States.
According to published materials, the "Golden Card" grants the right to permanent residence with the possibility of subsequent citizenship. In the first weeks after its launch, the program attracted a significant number of applications, but the actual number of approvals remains minimal.
Latnik explained the delay by the fact that the verification procedure was "recently agreed" with the Department of Homeland Security and is one of the most stringent.
US President Donald Trump previously said that the funds received from the sale of "golden cards" of wealthy foreigners will be directed towards reducing the national debt.