Prince Harry Will Not Seek U.S. Permanent Residency or U.S. Citizenship
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is currently residing in Los Angeles, with his wife, Meghan Markle, and son, Archie. The British-born Prince Harry’s U.S. immigration status is surrounded by speculation. This does not affect Meghan or Archie as they are U.S citizens. Also, Prince Harry is no longer a member of the British royal family. A new report to The Times noted that though Prince Harry is eligible to immediately become a U.S. permanent resident and subsequently a U.S. citizen, he will not pursue permanent residency and citizenship in the United States. A royal source told The Times that “the Duke has not made an application for dual citizenship, and I don’t think he will apply for a green card at any point."
Potential Visa Option
Among the many other ways in which Prince Harry can get a visa to live and work in the U.S., one lucrative option would be to have an O-1 visa. A non-immigrant visa for people with “extraordinary ability or achievement.” The O-1 is often applied for by individuals who can showcase a very high level of accomplishment in their field.
For Prince Harry to seek an O-1 visa, he must be sponsored by an organization that plans to work with him and identify the fields where he excels. Initially, an O-1 visa is approved for three years; thereafter it must be renewed every year. It will not be hard for Prince Harry to prove extraordinary ability given his philanthropic activities -- the founding of the Invictus Games can certainly get him an O-1 visa.
Prince Harry’s Immigration Status
There is a lot of speculation surrounding Prince Harry’s current immigration status. He has stayed too long to be on a B-2 visitor’s visa or through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), through which a traveler cannot stay in the U.S. for more than 90 days. Additionally, there was speculation that Prince Harry would be issued a diplomatic visa, Although, there are no confirmed sources on this speculation.
U.S. Citizenship in Question
If Prince Harry decides to become a U.S. citizen, he will be forced to expressly renounce any title or order of nobility he holds before he acquires U.S. citizenship, according to the Immigration and Nationalization Act. But although the Queen has stripped Prince Harry and Meghan of many honorary military appointments and royal patronages, they remain the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, at the least. In addition, acquiring U.S. citizenship could potentially lead to Prince Harry having to pay worldwide taxes.
To learn more about this blog post or if you have any other immigration concerns, please feel free to contact me at info@norris-law.com or (484) 544-0022.