No. The official route still depends on an appropriate EB-1 or EB-2 eligibility determination, admissibility and visa availability.
Assess the category before treating retirement as approved
Savings and a retirement plan do not independently establish those conditions. Do not conclude that retirement alone either guarantees or defeats an application; obtain an assessment based on the real circumstances and current instructions.
The framework uses the existing EB-1 and EB-2 immigrant classifications, which is the single most important point for anyone comparing it with an employment route. The applicant must still be admissible under ordinary immigration law, must be eligible for the classification the authorities assign, and must wait for a visa number if the category is backlogged. The applicant, not an employer or intermediary, must make the payment to the U.S. government under official instructions; Gold Card is not a conventional visa. The program runs through EB-1 or EB-2 classification, so keep each person’s supporting eligibility and admissibility records separate as well. A successful applicant receives lawful permanent resident status through an EB-1 or EB-2 classification, as DHS determines and subject to eligibility, admissibility and visa availability; the result is permanent residence, not citizenship.