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Prince Harry’s visa ‘very uncommon,’ here are 3 key areas covered in security check

An immigration lawyer has said Prince Harry’s visa allowing him to live in the US is “very uncommon and rare.”

Published on: Jun 6, 2024, 13:56:53 IST
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An immigration lawyer has said Prince Harry’s visa allowing him to live in the US is “very uncommon and rare.” She also spoke about the three key areas that are covered in the security check for such a visa.

Prince Harry’s visa ‘very uncommon,’ here are 3 key areas covered in security check (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) (AP)
Prince Harry’s visa ‘very uncommon,’ here are 3 key areas covered in security check (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) (AP)

The remarks were made by Melissa Chavin, who works for the Chapman Immigration Law Office, in a conversation with GB News’ Digital Royal Editor Svar Nanan-Sen and Royal Correspondent Cameron Walker on an episode of The Royal Record podcast.

Harry’s likely A1 visa is generally given to ambassadors, heads of states and members of the royal family. “I think that the visa Prince Harry is on is something that none of us see, and for me it is very uncommon and rare,” Chavin said. However, Chavin added that it is the “most common” type of visa for the royal family that they think about.

“Do we need a visa to go to the United States? Yes of course. Which one? Oh, it's the A1, of course,” she said.

What are the three key areas that are covered in the security check?

Svar went on to ask, “In terms of a security check, how does that differ to the everyday visa that most normal citizens would get to enter the US?”

Chavin responded, “I think there's a focus on only three areas: terrorism, contrary to foreign policy, and espionage. Just on the big headline level of what those ineligibilities might be. But yes, everyone else has a look at whether you violated a controlled substance or statute.”

Harry admitted in his memoir, Spare, that he took illegal drugs in the UK and America. Subsequently, his visa documents became the centre of a court battle.

A conservative think tank named the Heritage Foundation is now taking legal action against the Department of Homeland Security to ensure officials release the Duke of Sussex’s visa documents. Their aim is to check if Harry confessed to using these drugs before he obtained a US visa.

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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