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Prince Harry could be barred from the US and has put his visa “at risk” after admitting to his use of illicit drugs, immigration experts have warned.
The 38-year-old Duke of Sussex has confessed to using cocaine, smoking cannabis and taking hallucinogenic mushrooms in his next memoir.
Typical applicants would be denied a visa because of their history with illegal substances, but US authorities say entry into the country is granted “on a case-by-case basis.”
It is unclear if Harry, who moved to California with his wife Meghan Markle in 2020, detailed his drug use on his visa application. Immigration experts warn that if he ‘lies’ about his past, the duke could see his visa revoked.
Prince Harry could be barred from the US and has put his visa “at risk” after admitting to his use of illicit drugs, immigration experts have warned. The Duke of Sussex is shown drinking in Belize in March 2012.
Harry (pictured with his wife) moved to California with Meghan Markle in 2020. Most applicants with a history of drug use would be denied US visas, however immigration decisions are made “case by case.” case”.
In his new autobiography ‘Spare’, Harry has revealed that he took cocaine for the first time at a shooting weekend at the age of 17. He did ‘a few more lines’ on other occasions.
The partier also admitted hallucinating during a celebrity-studded event in California and smoking cannabis after his first date with Meghan.
Most applicants with a history of drug use would be denied US visas, however immigration decisions are made on a “case by case” basis. sunday times informed.
US immigration rules address an individual’s current and/or past actions, such as criminal or drug-related activities. . . may render the applicant ineligible for a visa’.
It’s not clear what type of US visa Harry has, but analysts speculate that he has a spousal visa, sponsored by his US wife, or an O-1 visa which is given to people with “extraordinary abilities”.
If Harry has an O-1 visa, which is often given to celebrities and athletes, he would need to renew it after three years.
The Sussexes moved to California in 2020, which means their visa could expire this year. Your renewal application could be affected by your newly entered drug history.
It is not clear what type of US visa Harry has, but analysts speculate that he has a spousal visa, sponsored by his US wife, or an O-1 visa which is granted to people with “extraordinary abilities”.
US State Department officials declined to answer questions about Harry’s immigration status.
Immigration experts, however, point out that Harry should have been denied US residency if he did not disclose his drug use during the application process.
Anyone seeking temporary or permanent residence in the US must answer a series of questions about their drug and criminal history at the time of application.
‘They would have asked [about drug use]. If he was sincere in his answers, he should have been denied,’ said Professor Alberto Benítez, director of the George Washington University Immigration Clinic. The Telegraph.
The professor argued that if Harry did not detail his drug use, he would have been ‘perjuring an official United States government document’.
He stated that honesty would have been in the duke’s best interests, noting that he may have received discretion from immigration officials due to his royal status.
“If he wasn’t Prince Harry, if he was ‘Fred Jones’ and he had this kind of record, he would have a lot more scrutiny and he could certainly see his green card denied,” Professor Benitez added.
Immigration experts say Harry may have been given discretion during his visa application process due to his royal status. He is pictured leaving Public Nightclub in London in December 2010 after partying with Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.
US State Department officials declined to answer the newspaper’s question about whether his admission of drug use “will cause difficulties” with his immigration status.
‘Visa records are confidential under US law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases. We cannot speculate on whether or not someone may be eligible for a visa,” a spokesperson told the Times.
“Every time a person applies for a US visa, a consular officer reviews the facts of the case and determines if the applicant is eligible for that visa under US law.”
The spokesperson added: “All visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis.”
MailOnline has reached out to representatives for Harry and the US State Department for comment.