The U.S. “gold card” visa programme has approved just one applicant so far, despite earlier claims of strong uptake and billion-dollar interest.
President Donald Trump’s “gold card” visa programme, requiring at least $1 million for residency, has been approved for only one applicant so far, according to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The disclosure contrasts earlier claims that the initiative generated $1.3 billion shortly after launch.
Speaking at a congressional hearing, Lutnick said, “there are hundreds in the queue that they are going through,” adding, “They’ve just set it up, and they wanted to make sure they did it perfectly.” He did not address discrepancies between early revenue claims and the current approval figures.
The programme, designed to replace the EB-5 visa scheme, aims to attract wealthy investors and boost government revenue. Lutnick said application fees support “rigorous vetting,” while proceeds “will be determined by the administration, and its terms are for the betterment of the United States of America.”
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