Kenyans now have a new and unusual opportunity to get permanent residency in the United States—but it comes with a very heavy price tag running into hundreds of millions of shillings.
In the past week, news has spread that former U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a controversial plan offering wealthy individuals a chance to live permanently in America—often referred to as the “land of dreams.”
The program, which has been named the “Trump Card,” gives rich foreigners a fast-track route to residency in exchange for a staggering sum of USD 5 million—an amount equal to approximately Ksh647 million.
This new offer, unlike traditional immigration paths, is purely transactional. Anyone who can meet the financial demand—whether they are rich oil magnates from Asia or wealthy businessmen from Africa, including Kenya—is eligible to apply for the card, which also comes with freedom from international taxation.
Trump made the official announcement last Wednesday, sharing details about the initiative through a link to his personal website. That’s where interested applicants can register for the program and begin the process of acquiring the much-talked-about Trump Card.
Although the idea seems extravagant and out of reach for most people, Trump claimed that the response was massive. According to him, “More than fifteen thousand have signed up and joined the waiting list since we opened the site last night,” he said during the announcement.
Trump emphasized that the program would generate significant income for the country. He said the funds collected through the sale of Trump Cards would go toward balancing the national budget and boosting America’s economy.
“This is your opportunity to live in the Greatest Country in the World, with the largest Economy on the planet,” Trump declared. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime offer. The waiting list is now open.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has tried to turn U.S. citizenship into an exclusive product for the global rich. Earlier this year in February, he unveiled another premium immigration initiative called the “Gold Card,” which similarly targeted wealthy foreigners looking to skip the long and complex immigration process.
A recent visit to Trump’s official website by Newshub.co.ke revealed a detailed application process for the Trump Card. Applicants must provide their full names and state whether they are applying as individuals or businesses.
The form also asks them to identify their region of origin from a list that includes Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Despite Trump’s enthusiastic claims about the growing waiting list, many experts and critics have cast doubt on the practicality of the plan. They argue that while there are many people who can afford the hefty fee, few would be willing to hand over that kind of money without real legal assurances.
One such expert is David Lesperance, Managing Director of a Canadian firm specializing in immigration and international tax planning.
He estimates that around 37 million people globally have the financial power to purchase the Trump Card. However, he warns that very few of them would actually go through with it.
“Realistically, no one spends their entire fortune just to get a Gold Card from the U.S. government,” Lesperance explained. “In truth, someone would only commit about one-sixth of their wealth for something like this. It’s not a rational investment decision for most wealthy people.”
As it stands, Trump’s new plan has sparked both curiosity and criticism across the world. While it may seem like a dream come true for some rich individuals hoping to call the U.S. home, others view it as another attempt to turn immigration into a privilege for the ultra-rich—raising major questions about fairness, access, and legality.
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