Trump 'gold card' visa granted to one person so far: US commerce chief

Deutsche Tageszeitung - Trump 'gold card' visa granted to one person so far: US commerce chief

Trump 'gold card' visa granted to one person so far: US commerce chief / Photo: © AFP

Only one person has been approved for US President Donald Trump's "gold card" visa program so far, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Thursday, referring to a million-dollar residency card unveiled last year.

Change text size:

The US leader signed an order last September to create the program offering residency for a fee of $1 million. It started accepting applications in December.

US officials have recently approved one person, Lutnick told a US House committee on Thursday.

"And there are hundreds in the queue" who are going through the process, he added.

Applicants also have to pay a $15,000 Department of Homeland Security processing fee, and Lutnick said they would go through a "most serious vetting and analysis."

The "gold card" residency program charges a $1 million fee for individuals and $2 million for sponsorships by corporations.

Its creation came at the same time that Trump ordered an annual $100,000 fee be added to H-1B skilled worker visas.

Trump initially said the new visa would bring in job creators and could be used to reduce the national deficit.

Since returning to the presidency in 2025, Trump has tightened immigration and his administration has conducted harsh deportation raids.

(M.Dorokhin--DTZ)

MLA seeks inquiry into reported sectarian gestures on Ormeau Road

A SINN FÉIN MLA has condemned reports that loyalist band members made sectarian gestures at the scene of a Troubles massacre where five Catholic civilians were murdered. Deirdre Hargey has now called on police and transport authorities to investigate the claims following Saturday's Belfast Walker Club parade on the Ormeau Road.

Louise O’Reilly attacks Simon Harris over unemployment remarks

Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly has dubbed Fine Gael leader Simon Harris a “Thatcherite” after the Tánaiste claimed that long-term unemployment is “not a way of life. ” The Sinn Féin social protection spokesperson stated that the Tánaiste has chosen to “stigmatise individuals on the margins of society and cast them as work-shy, rather than answer for his Government’s failures and the serious problems within his own party.

China confirms talks over possible Xi-Putin-Trump summit

A trilateral summit could take place this month in Shenzhen China has confirmed that it is discussing a historic meeting of Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a press briefing this week that Beijing was “in communication with relevant parties regarding a meeting between the three heads of state”.

Deutsche Tageszeitung - Trump 'gold card' visa granted to one person so far: US commerce chief