Prince Harry may have a rare US visa reserved for heads of state and members of the royal family, a lawyer has suggested, amid questions about how the Duke of Sussex's past admission of drug use relates to strict rules of immigration of the United States.
The royal, who lives in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, is currently the subject of a legal battle launched by the right-wing Heritage Group to demand that the US Department of Homeland Security release his immigration record.
Former US president Donald Trump and ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley are among those who have recently commented on speculation sparked by Harry's discussion of his past illicit drug use in his January 2018 autobiography. 2023. Replacement.
A judge is currently reviewing Harry's visa application privately as part of the Heritage Foundation's attempt to make it public, and was reportedly told by US government lawyers during a hearing in Washington in February that it was “certainly plausible” that royalty could be on an A-1 diplomatic visa.
While these visas generally depend on performing official work on behalf of another state while in the United States, a US immigration expert noted this week that Harry could, in fact, be in possession of a Head of State A visa. -1 separate, which does not contain such a visa. requirements.
Melissa Chavín, a London-based American immigration lawyer, said the duke could have had an 'A-1 Head of State' visa, which is used by heads of state and members of the royal family, as he is the fifth in the line of succession to the throne.
“It's just extremely special,” said Melissa Chavín, a London-based American immigration lawyer. “And the security control is not the same. It's a lower security check.
“It is a visa especially for members of royal families. For an A-1 Head of State visa, the security and background check questions are not the same as for most visa applicants. “They are only examined for espionage, terrorism and activities contrary to the foreign policy of the United States.”
A holder of an A-1 Head of State visa can come to the US without working as a member of the royal family and can remain in the US indefinitely during each visit.
If Harry has such a visa, he could keep it as long as he remains in line for the British throne, Chavín said.
According to the U.S. Embassy in London website, applicants for a regular A-1 diplomatic visa “must travel to the United States on behalf of their national government to participate solely in official activities for that government.”
However, a 'head of state or government' will qualify for an A-1 visa “regardless of the purpose of the visit to the United States,” the Embassy states.
The independent has approached representatives of the Duke of Sussex for comment.
Last month, updated Companies House records showed the duke had changed his country of primary residence from Britain to the United States.
