December 2025 Global Mobility News: $1M Green Cards, €300K Italy Flat Tax, Greece Golden Visa Fix, Norway's CBI Ban
Global mobility updates you should not miss this month
Each month I track new visas, residency changes, and travel rules so you don't miss anything.
Visa launches
Rule and fee changes
Travel access changes
Citizenship & investment news
Here is what changed in the last four weeks.
Trump Gold Card Launches
The US now sells green cards for $1 million.
On December 10, the Trump administration launched the “Gold Card” program. Pay a $15,000 processing fee, pass a background check, then make a $1 million “gift” to the US government. In return, you get an expedited green card through the EB-1 or EB-2 visa categories.
Key details:
$1 million for individuals
Includes path to citizenship
Processing promised in weeks
Family members can be added to the application
$2 million for corporations sponsoring employees
The program bypasses the traditional EB-5 investor visa, which requires $800,000+ invested in job-creating projects and takes 2-12 years to process depending on your nationality.
The Gold Card doesn’t create new visa slots.
It just “jumps the queue”.
Applicants from China and India still face country-based backlogs, potentially waiting years despite the “expedited” promise.
There’s also a Trump Platinum Card on the waitlist ($5 million, 270 days/year US presence, no tax on foreign income) but it hasn’t launched and faces legal questions about whether the executive branch can create tax exemptions without Congress.
Takeaway: The US is now competing for wealthy immigrants the same way Malta and Caribbean nations have for years. Whether this survives legal challenges remains to be seen.
Travel Ban Expands to 39 Countries
The US travel ban now covers 39 countries, up from 19.
On December 16, President Trump signed a proclamation adding 20 countries to the existing travel restrictions. The expanded ban takes effect January 1, 2026.
Original 19 countries (June 2025)
Full ban: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Partial ban: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
December 2025 additions
New full ban: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and Palestinian Authority document holders. Laos and Sierra Leone upgraded from partial to full.
New partial ban: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Eased: Turkmenistan (nonimmigrant ban lifted, immigrant ban remains).
The restrictions vary by country.
Some face full immigrant visa suspensions. Others face enhanced vetting requirements or specific visa category blocks.
Why this matters for Digital Citizen readers:
If you have family members, business partners, or employees from these countries, their ability to join you in the US or obtain US visas just got harder.
Dual nationals may also face additional scrutiny.
The ban does not affect US citizens or green card holders traveling to these countries. But it does affect who can come to the US from them.
Takeaway: Check if anyone in your personal or professional network holds citizenship from these countries. Their US visa options may have just changed.
H-1B/H-4 Social Media Screening Now Required
The US now requires social media disclosure for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants.
Announced December 3 and effective December 15, 2025, applicants must provide their social media handles as part of the visa process. USCIS will screen accounts for content that could indicate security concerns.
This applies to new applications and renewals. Refusal to disclose can result in denial.
What they’re looking for:
The policy targets posts that suggest potential terrorism ties, national security risks, or immigration fraud. USCIS has not published specific screening criteria.
Why this matters:
This is the first time employment-based visa categories have required social media vetting. The change signals broader scrutiny of all visa applicants, not just those from flagged countries.
Takeaway: If you know anyone applying for or renewing an H-1B or H-4, they should review their social media presence before submitting their application.
Italy Flat Tax Window Just Closed
If you were considering Italy’s flat tax for new residents, the €200,000 rate is gone.
As of January 1, 2026, the annual flat tax on foreign income jumped from €200,000 to €300,000. The deadline to lock in the lower rate was December 31, 2025.
How it works:
Italy’s “impatriato” flat tax lets new tax residents pay a fixed annual amount on all foreign-sourced income, regardless of how much they earn abroad. No reporting, no calculations. Just one payment covers everything outside Italy.
Who qualifies:
You must not have been an Italian tax resident for at least nine of the previous ten years. Once you establish residency and elect into the regime, you’re locked in for up to 15 years.
What changed:
The €100,000 flat tax was doubled to €200,000 in 2024. Now it’s jumped again to €300,000. Each family member added costs an extra €50,000 per year (up from €25,000).
Takeaway: If you missed this deadline, Italy’s flat tax now costs 50% more than it did a week ago. For high earners, it may still make sense. For everyone else, Portugal, Greece, or other alternatives may now be more competitive.
If you’re an American between 50–75 with a meaningful retirement nest egg and you’re seriously thinking about retiring abroad in the next 0–5 years, hit reply and write “RETIRE”
Greece Golden Visa January Bill Announced
Greece plans to fix a major golden visa problem in January.