U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will begin selling “golden tickets” worth five million dollars to foreigners who want to immigrate to the U.S. and create jobs.
Trump stated that the U.S. will soon start selling permanent residency documents for “almost five million dollars.” This document will be called “Trump Golden Cards,” modeled after the former, simpler, and cheaper “green card,” reports Al Jazeera.
“Rich people will come to this country by purchasing this ticket. They will be rich, they will be successful, they will spend a lot of money, they will pay a lot of taxes, and they will employ many people,” the American president told reporters at the White House.
“It’s somewhat like a green card” for permanent residency in the United States, “but at a higher level of sophistication,” Trump said, adding that the “Golden Card” would give its holders access to “citizenship” in the long run.
Russian oligarchs, most of whom are under U.S. sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, could potentially apply for the program.
New immigration program to be operational in two weeks
“I know some Russian oligarchs who are very good people,” Trump said. “It’s possible” that they would be eligible for the program, he added.
Trump stated that the new immigration program could start functioning in about two weeks.
The “Golden Cards” will replace the “EB-5” immigration program, which allowed wealthy foreign investors to create jobs in the U.S. and obtain permanent residency.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the existing program was prone to fraud and was “a way to get a green card at a low cost.”
