Trump's Gold Card Visa At $5 Million; Check Out Top 14 Countries With Best Golden Visas Program

Gold Visa Cards: US 47th President Donald Trump has yet again grabbed the headlines, however, this time the hot topic is not tariffs but instead a new immigration policy which will give immigrants with green cards in America the opportunity to upgrade for 'Gold Card' to become citizens. The cost of a Gold Card visa in the USA would be a massive $5 million. However, Trump is not the first to launch gold visa cards, there are countries especially in the EU that have the best golden visa programs. Let's check out the top 10 countries with the best golden visa programs.

US Gold Card Visas:

During his address in the Oval Office, Trump announced a new immigration 'Gold Card' that will be sold to immigrants for $5 million. As per Trump, a Gold Card would be a premium version of a Green Card, and the pathway to achieve citizenship for immigrants.

He said, "We're gonna be selling a gold card. You have a green card, this is a gold card. We're gonna be putting a price on that card of about $5 million and that's gonna give you green card privileges plus..."

Adding, Trump said, "It's gonna be a route to citizenship. And wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card," adding, "They'll be wealthy and they'll be successful and they'll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people."

Top Countries With Best Golden Visa Programs:

Data from Henley & Partners showed that there has been a significant jump in the number of Americans and Britishers who sought golden visa programs over the five years. The report pointed out that from 2019 to 2024, the firm saw its American client base skyrocketed by 1,000%, while the number of British people seeking the upgraded visas rose by 57%.

Dominic Volek, Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners, concludes: "Faced with unprecedented instability and uncertainty, investors and wealthy families are adopting a strategy of geopolitical arbitrage to acquire additional residence and citizenship options to hedge against jurisdictional risk and leverage differences in legal, economic, political, and social conditions across countries. They thereby optimize their personal, financial, and lifestyle outcomes."

Also, Henley & Partners data pointed out in the 2025 Global Residence Program Index, which ranks 26 programs, Greece's increasingly popular golden visa program secures top spot with a score of 73 out of 100, toppling Portugal, which has held or shared first place for the past nine years. Portugal now ranks joint 3rd with Italy and the UK, all scoring 70, while Switzerland, which has an option developed by Henley & Partners that combines private residence with Swiss foreign tax provisions, ranks 2nd with a score of 72.

Australia, which recently launched its National Innovation Visa (NIV) Program to attract high-level tech skills, Canada, which introduced changes to its Start-Up Visa Program to enhance its appeal and flexibility for entrepreneurs, and Spain (due to close in early 2025) is all joint 4th, each scoring 69, and the UAE, which strategically expanded its golden visa program last year to attract top talent and drive growth and innovation, rounds up the Top 5 with a score of 68, as per the data.

Furthermore, the Henley Citizenship Program Index which highlighted the most reputable citizenship by investment programs around the world, here are the top countries' golden visas:

Global Citizenship Program Index ranks 14 programs, with the strategically located European nation of Malta scoring 76 out of 100 and taking top honors for the 10th consecutive year.

Malta's Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment Regulations allow for the granting of citizenship by a certificate of naturalization to foreign individuals and their families who contribute to the country's economic development. This is possible following a 36-month residence period (or 12 months by exception). Malta's original citizenship program was designed by Henley & Partners in 2013 and went on to become one of the most successful programs in the world, it said.

In second place is Austria with a 75 score out of 100, followed by Caribbean island nations: Grenada 3rd with a score of 69, and Antigua and Barbuda 4th with 67. Other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) share the 5th spot, each scoring 66: a newcomer to the index, Nauru, along with St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia.

Lastly, Dominica, another Caribbean island nation, ranks 6th with a score of 65, and Türkiye sits in 7th place, providing investors with easy access to Asian, European, and Middle Eastern markets and offering multiple routes to citizenship, including a real estate option. Across the Mediterranean, Egypt, Africa's only citizenship program option, ranks 8th, a position it shares with Jordan and North Macedonia, all scoring 63. The last two ranks are occupied by 9th-placed Vanuatu with a score of 60, and Cambodia 10th with 53, as per Henley & Partners report.

What makes golden visas special?

They have the ability to optimize a high-net-worth portfolio owing to their features of expanding business and lifestyle opportunities, and consistency of extending market reach.