Prince Harry May Hold a ‘Golden Visa’ for Life, Says Immigration Expert as Trump Admin Pursues Case
Prince Harry's US visa application has recently made headlines after reports surfaced that the Donald Trump administration unearthed 1000+ documents linked to his case. The Duke of Sussex has been living in California since 2020, following his decision to step down as a senior royal. Commenting on Harry's ongoing visa drama, immigration lawyer Melissa Chavin believes that Harry may be granted an A-1 visa every year for life, typically reserved only for members of the royal family.
It’s currently unknown the type of visa Harry has entered the United States on. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Chavin explained, "I would expect that Prince Harry had an A-1 visa every year of his life. Take his age and divide by five to figure out how many applications he has filed (or were filed on his behalf when he was underage) – so about 8 applications. Each visa will have a duration of five years, good for multiple entries to the United States." She continued, "Each entry will be permitted for an indefinite period of time called ‘duration of status,’ meaning for the time that he remains close to becoming the King of England."
Last month, it was reported that the US Department of State had identified 1,007 documents linked to Harry's application. Among them were 217 files from the Office of the Secretary of State, 517 from the Bureau of Consular Affairs, 271 from the Office of the Legal Advisor, and two from the Deputy Secretary’s office. A Washington judge will now determine how much of that material will be released to the public. The case reportedly stems from a lawsuit by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which had questioned the Duke's truthfulness in his visa application, given his past use of recreational drugs.
In his memoir, Spare, Harry admitted to using drugs and marijuana, which could significantly hamper his US visa approval. Heritage lawyer Samuel Dewey told The Sun, "I think we’re going to see documents from Harry talking about the case, but other material may be withheld. Then it will be up to politicians whether that decision is overruled." As for Trump, he has alluded to leaving Harry alone in his quest to obtain residency in the US. He previously told the New York Post, "I don’t want to do that. I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible."
However, Trump's comments on the Sussexes last month have cast a shadow of doubt. While hosting UK Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort, the former President took a subtle swipe at Harry and Meghan Markle. He said, "Being with Charles, Camilla, and everybody, I’ve got to know a lot of the family members. They are great people... In that sense, I think the U.K. is very lucky; you could have people who weren’t great people. I don’t know if I can say that, but you could have people that weren’t."