Nicki Minaj says she received a ‘Gold Card’ from Trump. Here’s what it offers
Nicki Minaj brought attention to a recent immigration policy this week after posting a photo of a “Gold Card” she said she received from President Donald Trump.
She shared the card in a thread on X with the caption “Welp,” followed by, “Finalizing that citizenship paperwork as we speak as per MY wonderful, gracious, charming President,” and “Gold Trump card free of charge.”
Minaj posted her remarks about citizenship after a Facebook post where she said she was in the country illegally resurfaced, and a petition calling for her deportation gained traction.
It quickly raised new questions about what the Gold Card actually is, especially as ICE has increased enforcement nationwide.
A White House official later told the New York Times the card Minaj received was only a memento and not a visa document.
Even so, her post pushed many to look more closely at the real Gold Card program and who it applies to.
Here’s what to know.
What is a Trump Gold Card?
The Trump Gold Card is part of a new immigration program the administration launched in 2025.
It’s not a visa, and it doesn’t create a new immigration category. Instead, it’s a fast track option for people who already qualify for certain employment-based visas but want to move through the process more quickly.
In a White House statement announcing the program, Trump said his administration wants to “prioritize the admission of aliens who will affirmatively benefit the Nation, including successful entrepreneurs, investors, and businessmen and women.”
He also described the Gold Card as a tool that will “facilitate the entry of aliens who have demonstrated their ability and desire to advance the interests of the United States by voluntarily providing a significant financial gift to the Nation.”
Who qualifies for the Trump Gold Card?
The Gold Card is only available to individuals and businesses who meet certain financial requirements.
According to the program’s website, individuals have to make a $1 million contribution to the federal government to qualify.
Companies can sponsor someone too, but the contribution on their behalf must be $2 million. Everyone who applies also has to pay a $15,000 processing fee to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Commerce Department oversees the program and manages the money collected through it.
Trump’s order told the Commerce, Homeland Security, and the State departments to get the program up and running within 90 days, and the Gold Card program officially went live on Dec. 18, 2025.
The administration has also floated a Platinum Card that hasn’t rolled out yet. That version would require a $5 million contribution and the same DHS fee.
It would also give recipients more time in the United States each year without being taxed on income earned abroad.
Does the Trump Gold Card grant residency or citizenship?
The Gold Card doesn’t give anyone legal status on its own.
Applicants still have to meet all the requirements for employment based visas that lead to permanent residency, like EB 1 or EB 2, pass federal vetting, and complete the immigration steps tied to them.
Receiving a Gold Card also doesn’t create a separate path to citizenship. To become a U S citizen, someone still needs to hold permanent resident status for at least five years before applying for naturalization.
The Gold Card doesn’t change that timeline or replace any of the steps.
Can the Trump Gold Card be revoked or ended?
Yes. Because the Gold Card was created through an executive order rather than an act of Congress, it can be changed or eliminated by any future administration.
Immigration attorneys at worldwide law firm Greenberg Traurig say the program doesn’t include any statutory protections for people who enter the process early, which means applicants aren’t grandfathered in if the program is withdrawn or struck down in court.
The firm also notes that the lack of congressional approval creates legal uncertainty.
Without a law backing it, the program has no guaranteed durability, and applicants don’t have the same long term stability they’d find in established programs like EB 5, which allows investors to apply for a Green Card if they invest in a commercial enterprise in the U.S. and plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.
Can I apply for a Gold Card from inside the United States?
No. The program explicitly bars Adjustment of Status, which is the process people normally use to apply for a Green Card from inside the country.
That means applicants have to go to a U.S. embassy or consulate in another country to complete the application, even if they already live here.
The Gold Card program is active, and the online application portal is currently live.
Even though the process starts through the portal, applicants are directed to complete the formal steps through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, and the program requires an in person interview at a consular post before a visa can be issued.
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 11:58 AM.
