IN THIS GUIDE · Calculate the actual family application before relying on a lump sum
Start with the GOLD CARD eligibility and application overview
List the applicants, not just relatives moving
Hypothetical example: a principal wants a spouse, a young child and an adult sibling to relocate. A family relationship does not make every person an eligible joining applicant. Check the actual relationships and ages and assess an independent route where needed. Gold Card still requires the relevant EB-1 or EB-2 eligibility, admissibility and visa availability.
Separate processing from the gift
The official FAQ states a US$15,000 nonrefundable processing fee per person. After successful vetting and official instructions, the gift is US$1 million for an individual principal or US$2 million for a corporate-sponsored employee. An eligible joining spouse or unmarried child under 21 has a separate US$1 million gift and US$15,000 processing fee. Follow the official sequence rather than sending an assumed combined payment. The additional family amounts also apply to corporate sponsorship. The FAQ recommends initial inclusion of eligible relatives who intend to join; additional visa-related charges may apply.
Clarify any employer involvement
Corporate sponsorship relates to the sponsored employee and includes the official 1 percent annual maintenance and 5 percent transfer fees. A replacement employee needs a new background check; the company cannot assume automatic approval or unrestricted reuse. Distinguish a company’s internal assistance policy from the government’s corporate route and continuing obligations.
Keep the nature of the payment clear
The gift is not an EB-5 equity investment with project jobs and a return entitlement. A receipt does not confer residence, work permission or a tax benefit. Use the current official FAQ and actual case notices to assess readiness before making employment or household commitments.
What the official framework actually describes
The framework is recent and its terms have been subject to change, so the only reliable description is the official government page and its published questions and answers, read at the time of the decision. Determine whether the proposed payment purchases shares, property or a loan claim, pays an adviser or makes the instructed government gift. 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. Verify the destination through the official channel itself, and keep the instruction, the confirmation and the correspondence, because a payment made to the wrong recipient is generally not recoverable. A request to wire funds to a private escrow account, a consultant's corporate account or an intermediary abroad does not match a program in which the gift is made to the U.S. government. A legitimate commercial adviser can explain a transaction, but cannot convert a private fee into the U.S. government payment described by the program. A criminal record, a prior overstay or a medical ground of inadmissibility is not cured by a gift, and no official material describes the gift as a guarantee of approval, a timeline or citizenship. The practical decision is whether a government source actually directs the next step or merely describes a prospective framework; if the direction is absent, pause rather than fill the gap with an intermediary's interpretation.
Identify the current official instructions
The framework operates in connection with existing employment-based immigrant classifications, so the applicable classification requirements, admissibility and visa availability continue to apply. The official process calls for the application and fee, further USCIS instructions and supporting documents, vetting and the subsequent gift when instructed. The first review should identify the official instructions, the applicant’s qualifying basis, the exact payee for every charge and the point at which a payment is authorized. Treat each listed family member as a separately funded commitment, and confirm the current official instructions before any payment because private summaries may omit conditions or changes.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-08. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.