A US judge has released documents relating to Prince Harry’s US visa application – but with key redactions.
Conservative US think tank the Heritage Foundation launched their legal case to have the application made public after questioning why his visa was granted after he admitted in his book Spare taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. The think tank has argued that Harry either received special treatment from the previous Biden administration or had lied on his immigration forms. The conservative organisation had argued his automatic right to privacy was outweighed by “intense public interest” in whether he received special treatment while filing his application when he and Meghan Markle moved to the US in 2020.
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In a new ruling issued today, a federal judge ruled in the foundation’s favour and said documents related to his Visa application could be unsealed, allowing a host of heavily redacted files from the case to be immediately revealed on Tuesday. But, critically, they do not include the application itself.
US visa applications specifically ask the individual about current and past drug use, which can have a detrimental impact on the progress of the application. Prolific drug use can lead to applications being rejected, however, immigration officers use their discretion against a range of factors.
A September 2024 ruling from the same judge that the public did not have a strong interest in the disclosure of Harryâs immigration records, but the Heritage Foundation wanted the judgment to be changed. Despite previously refusing the FOI request, lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security in February agreed to release redacted versions of the forms.
The Heritage Foundation alleged the duke may have concealed past illegal drug use that should have disqualified him from obtaining a US visa. They previously argued answers on Harryâs prior drug use in his visa application should have been disclosed as they could raise questions over the US governmentâs integrity.
In February, President Donald Trump ruled out deporting Harry from the US, telling The New York Post: âIâll leave him alone.â He added: âHeâs got enough problems with his wife. Sheâs terrible.â The Duchess of Sussex has previously been a vocal critic of former reality star Mr Trump and called him âdivisiveâ and a âmisogynistâ.
Meghan said she was backing his rival Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US presidential election and suggested she would leave the US if he won. In his controversial memoir, Harry said cocaine âdidnât do anything for meâ, adding: âMarijuana is different, that actually really did help me.â
Mr Trump said in a GB News interview with Nigel Farage in March last year that Harry should not receive preferential treatment. Asked if the duke should have âspecial privilegesâ if he was found to have lied on his application, Mr Trump had said: âNo. Weâll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied theyâll have to take appropriate action.â
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