IN THIS GUIDE · Respond to the actual official request rather than an earlier checklist
Start with the GOLD CARD eligibility and application overview
Preserve the complete request
Hypothetical example: an update asks for clarification of a document, but a summary describes the case as nearly approved. Keep the full official message and identify the actual requested action. Do not infer a favorable decision from a request alone.
Follow the published payment sequence
Current nonrefundable processing is US$15,000 per person. The gift follows successful vetting and official instructions: US$1 million for an individual principal or US$2 million for a corporate-sponsored employee. Sending a gift on an assumed timetable does not replace the required review.
Identify individual and household requirements
EB-1 or EB-2 eligibility, admissibility and visa availability remain necessary. Intended eligible joining family should be identified in the initial application. Each eligible spouse or unmarried child under 21 adds US$1 million and US$15,000; one person’s response does not necessarily answer another’s request.
Separate corporate terms from a decision
Corporate sponsors may apply for one or more employees. Current terms include 1% annual maintenance and a 5% transfer fee with a new background check. Reuse of a prior gift for a new employee does not guarantee replacement approval. The government gift is not EB-5 capital or a promised return.
Follow the official payment sequence and individual amounts
The official FAQ recommends including the spouse and eligible unmarried children under 21 who intend to join as part of the initial application. Each adds a nonrefundable US$15,000 processing fee and a US$1,000,000 gift, including under corporate sponsorship. This recommendation does not establish that a later addition is automatically available, free or prohibited; follow the actual instructions for a changed household.
Compare the consequences with other permanent-residence routes
Successful applicants proceed through existing employment-based immigrant classifications, EB-1 or EB-2, which means the ordinary requirements of those classifications continue to matter. The relevant record is the official notice directing the payment, not an adviser’s summary or a company reimbursement promise. Retain the official payment instruction and proof that the applicant, rather than an employer or intermediary, made the gift payment. The program should be described precisely while identity records are updated: its payment is made by the applicant to the U.S. government under the official process, and it is not a conventional visa. Before payment, make a written distinction between the official government process, private advisory work, and the immigration category evidence. The gift-based route connected to EB-1 or EB-2 permanent residence remains subject to the applicable requirements, vetting, admissibility and visa availability; a new payer does not remove those conditions. If an adviser offers a private payment route, compare it against the official source before sharing money or documents. The nonrefundable processing payment, instructed gift, and any private services invoice have different purposes and should not be merged in a single description.
Match each payment to official instructions
Because official details, availability, eligibility, and processing instructions may change, applicants should keep an official dated copy and avoid treating promotional summaries as controlling. Each applicant must be eligible for lawful permanent resident status, admissible and covered by an available visa, and Executive Order 14351 directs the gift to be treated as evidence under specified EB-1 and EB-2 grounds. If the address on file is wrong or was typed by someone else, correcting it through the official channel matters more than sending repeat messages. Whether becoming a permanent resident changes taxation of worldwide income belongs to a qualified tax adviser. When an official instruction calls for payment, match the named applicant, payor, amount and recipient before funds move. The applicant makes the stated payment directly to the U.S. government, and it cannot be treated as a recoverable commercial stake. The payment framework does not waive admissibility or create eligibility for an underlying classification.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.