US introduces ‘platinum card’ visa permitting 270-day stay with no foreign income tax

The Trump Platinum Card will allow individual applicants to reside in the US for up to 270 days per year without being subject to tax on non-US income.

The US has unveiled plans for a “Platinum Card” that would enable foreign nationals to stay in the country for up to 270 days without being taxed on income earned outside the US.

To qualify, applicants will need to pay USD 5 million, a processing fee, and pass Department of Homeland Security screening. However, according to US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the “Platinum Card” programme will require approval from Congress before it can be implemented.

The US also introduced a new “Gold Card” visa programme through an Executive Order on 19 September 2025, offering a streamlined path to US citizenship. This programme requires individuals to pay a USD  1 million contribution and a processing fee, while companies sponsoring non-residents must pay USD 2 million.

The newly launched website for the “Gold Card” or “Trump Gold Card” programme also teases the introduction of a “Platinum Card” program, described as “coming soon.”

The Trump Gold Card is a visa based on an individual’s ability to provide a substantial benefit to the US. To apply, an applicant must pay a nonrefundable processing fee. Once an applicant’s processing fee is received, the process for visa adjudication will take place, assuming applicants submit additional documents. If approved, an individual must make a gift of USD 1 million, which has been determined to provide sufficient evidence that the individual will substantially benefit the US.

During a press conference on 19 September, Secretary Lutnick projected that the combined revenue from the “Gold Card,” the proposed “Platinum Card,” and a USD 100,000 application fee for the H1B visa program could generate over USD 100 billion.

The “Platinum Card” seems to align with a concept previously promoted by the Trump administration under the name “Gold Card,” which similarly offered US residency with tax exemptions on foreign income for a USD 5 million payment.