IN THIS GUIDE · Review a proposed corporate replacement as a new person’s eligibility case
Start with the GOLD CARD eligibility and application overview
Confirm the proposal and the published payment structure
The individual principal terms are US$15,000 nonrefundable processing and a US$1 million gift after vetting when instructed. Corporate sponsorship instead calls for a US$2 million gift per employee and the per-person processing fee. Published corporate terms include 1% annual maintenance and a 5% transfer fee with a new background check. Identify whether the company proposes a first sponsorship or a transfer under existing terms rather than adding or subtracting charges from an informal email.
Treat the replacement employee as an individual applicant
The official FAQ describes using the gift contribution tied to a prior application for a replacement without another US$2 million gift, subject to the programme’s process. It does not approve the new employee automatically. EB-1 or EB-2 eligibility, admissibility and visa availability remain requirements. Follow the current instructions for the particular transfer, required submissions and vetting; an employer’s willingness to sponsor is not a substitute for those legal conditions.
Budget the replacement household separately
Each eligible included spouse or unmarried child under 21 adds US$1 million and US$15,000 nonrefundable processing, including corporate cases. Do not assume family benefits or payments from the prior employee’s case transfer to a different household. The FAQ recommends initial inclusion of eligible relatives who intend to join. Check relationship and age facts, including applicable CSPA questions, rather than treating the company’s transfer date as freezing eligibility.
Separate the employer contract from immigration status
Read any employment, repayment or termination terms as private obligations requiring their own review. Gold Card is a gift-based EB-1 or EB-2 residence framework, not EB-5 commercial equity or a guaranteed financial return. Payment, a transfer agreement or an internal approval does not guarantee citizenship or a processing date. Additional visa-related charges may apply. Plan work and travel around the actual immigration steps and the principal-before-or-with derivative entry rule, not only the employer’s target appointment date.
Retain the government decision and financial distinctions
The program's terms, fees and procedures may be adjusted, and the operative version is whatever the official government source says at the moment of the decision. If an applicant researches the programme, retain the date-stamped official page, FAQ, correspondence from an authorized government channel, payment confirmation if one is made, and records showing the lawful origin of any funds. The gift, made when instructed after successful vetting, serves as evidence of the specified benefit the program relies on. The program does not waive inadmissibility, so a prior refusal, a criminal matter, a misrepresentation finding, or an immigration violation remains what it was before any fee was paid. A financial commitment under either framework does not waive a known ground of inadmissibility, so any such concern should be assessed before either path is finalized. Create a payment-control sheet that identifies the official page, the receiving government account, the applicant named on the instruction, and the date it was checked. No private adviser, broker, or business opportunity can convert a payment discussion into a conventional visa application. If the instruction, identity details, and case record do not match, pause the transaction and obtain clarification through the official process; changing a payment reference after sending funds may not cure an incorrect payment.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-08. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.