A shocking twist in Prince Harry‘s immigration drama came to light this week as his visa status and US residency continue to be under enhanced scrutiny. A new report suggested that the Duke of Sussex could have in possession what is being called a “golden ticket” visa, and it may just be the answer to all his problems related to this case.
The exiled royal family member’s American visa has been the focus of a lot of drama and controversy ever since he moved to the United States in 2020. However, a recent reported revelation may hold the power to flip the case around and potentially allow Harry to harness the possibility of staying in the country for as long as he wants. The Trump administration recently unearthed a set of new documents that suggest that the prince possibly has in possession a so-called rare “golden ticket” visa that may allow the duke to stay in the US without any limits.
Prince Harry’s immigration status: What is the ‘golden ticket’ visa?
The visa in question is believed to be in the form of a special A-1 Head of State document, which is reserved for foreign royals and Heads of State, according to the Daily Mail. An immigration expert, Melissa Chavin, told the British outlet that the A-1 visa is vetted by the American Department of State, who then issues it “with little input from the Department of Homeland Security.” Those having this particular visa are then granted lower security checks.
The immigration lawyer suspected that Prince Harry may have had the A-1 visa, aka the “golden ticket” visa, all 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 eight applications,” she added. Chavin further noted that since each visa will have a five-year duration, it would allow a foreign national multiple entries to America.
Although both Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, quit the royal life before moving to the US, experts claimed that that the Invictus Games founder’s ties to the crown inevitably linked him to such a visa. “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. For him, that is all of his life,” Chavin explained.
Yet another immigration expert labelled the A-1 visa a “golden ticket” granting Harry the opportunity to sit in the US “forever.”
US government’s description of the A-1 visa
According to the Department of State’s website, the A-type visas are nonimmigrant visas for diplomats and foreign government officials.
“To qualify for an A-1 or A-2 visa, you must be traveling to the United States on behalf of your national government to engage solely in official activities for that government,” the website states. “The specific duties or services that will be performed must be governmental in character or nature, as determined by the U.S. Department of State, in accordance with U.S. immigration laws. Government officials traveling to the United States to perform non-governmental functions of a commercial nature, or traveling as tourists, require the appropriate visas and do not qualify for A visas.”
The A-1 visas are designated for the Head of State or Government, regardless of their purpose of travel. Immediate family members of an A-1 visa holder are also listed in this category among others like ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer coming to serve at a foreign embassy or consulate in the US.
What is Prince Harry’s visa drama all about?
As of now, Prince Harry’s visa type remains a mystery. In March, the Homeland Security released a bunch of redacted immigration documents linked to the duke’s immigration case, as particularly challenged by the conservative American think tank the Heritage Foundation.
The case has long stretched-out since the Washington-based organisation sued the government department in 2023, demanding the DHS to release the Duke of Sussex’s visa documents. Having accused Prince Harry of falsifying information about his supposed drug history on application forms, the foundation even pressured US President Donald Trump to take necessary action and intervene. The MAGA leader, however, ultimately told the New York Post earlier this year that he was going to leave Harry alone, ruling out the possibility of deporting him at the time.
The Heritage Foundation’s targeted legal attacks against Harry commenced months after his unconventional memoir ‘Spare’ hit the bookshelves. In the book, the duke confessed that he consumed cocaine, cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms at one point. During a ’60 Minutes’ interview, the Brit even opened up about falling back on such substances after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, to cope with the devastating loss.
While the mere admission of experimenting with such substances in his book may not necessarily have been cause for trouble, falsifying facts related to the matter most certainly have been red-flagged as violations by the US government. Just weeks ago, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) pushed out a scathing reminder after certain policy revisions.
“Immigration fraud is a crime we take seriously. Aliens who use false information or deceitful practices to unfairly obtain immigration advantages will face serious consequences,” wrote the official USCIS account on X.