IN THIS GUIDE · Confirm a common-law partner's actual eligibility instead of assuming spouse terms apply
Start with the GOLD CARD eligibility and application overview
Confirm what the current terms say about a partner who is not a legal spouse
Published Gold Card family terms cover a spouse and eligible unmarried children under 21; they do not create an unmarried-partner category. A legally valid common-law marriage can be recognized when the applicable law gives it the requisite marital status. Mere cohabitation or recognition for a different purpose does not establish that marriage. Identify where and when the relationship was formed and obtain an assessment of its legal validity before describing the partner as a spouse.
Separate the individual and corporate proposal terms
First establish who can actually be included. The principal’s individual terms are US$15,000 nonrefundable processing and a US$1 million gift after vetting when instructed. A corporately sponsored employee instead requires a US$2 million gift and the processing fee. Each eligible included spouse or unmarried child under 21 adds US$1 million and US$15,000, including corporate cases. Corporate terms also include 1% annual maintenance and a 5% transfer fee with a fresh background check, not automatic replacement approval. Additional visa-related charges may apply; a relationship label does not establish which family charges are due.
Keep eligibility and vetting separate from the payment
The applicant still needs to be eligible for lawful permanent residence, admissible, and have an available visa under EB-1 or EB-2. A financial commitment does not itself resolve those questions for either the principal or the partner.
Compare the gift framework against other routes on their own terms
Weigh the Gold Card's gift-and-fee structure against an E-2 or EB-5 route the household might also be considering, since the legal evidence, family treatment, and financial exposure differ meaningfully between them.
Re-verify the official terms immediately before any money moves
The official process describes an initial application and fee, followed by further USCIS instructions and supporting documentation, a vetting stage, and the gift once instructed. After vetting and the gift, the case proceeds to an EB-1 or EB-2 determination, subject to visa availability, and may involve an interview or further documents. Confirm the actual official stage and recipient before sending money; a forwarded message or private invoice should not be treated as proof that government vetting has succeeded. The official program page sets out how applications and payments are made; verify it on the day of payment, because terms, amounts and procedures should be re-verified before any money moves. A first review should produce an identity timeline, the exact eligibility record, and a payment checklist that separates government instructions from private services. Before any later transfer, build a person-by-person payment ledger that identifies the applicant, charge type, official instruction, recipient, date, and receipt. The instructions describe a payment the applicant makes to the U.S. government after successful vetting; they are not a description of what a bank's app happens to permit on a Tuesday. Any payment described by the official framework is made by the applicant and directed to the U.S. government; it is not a conventional visa classification or a business investment.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.