Pince Harry may hold a rare diplomatic visa that allows him to live in the US indefinitely, according to newly uncovered records, The Daily Mail reported. One expert who spoke with the news outlet suggested the Duke of Sussex could potentially possess a special visa often referred to as a “golden ticket”.
Potential A-1 head of state visa
While the documents released were heavily redacted, new records from the Trump administration suggest Harry could hold an A-1 “Head of State” diplomatic visa, normally reserved for heads of state and foreign royals.
Holders of an A-1 visa typically work as senior diplomats, but the Head of State designation may not require the holder to act as a working royal or government representative.
The visa reportedly allows the holder to freely come and go from the US, work while remaining a foreign citizen, and undergo a lower-level security check compared with a standard non-immigrant visa. It may even exempt him from questions about past drug use.
Royal family financial privacy considerations
Experts told the news outlet that the Royal Family may prefer Harry to hold a diplomatic visa because it would prevent him from having to report the family’s finances to the US government. Obtaining a green card or US citizenship would require him to disclose worldwide income to the IRS, potentially exposing joint finances involving the rest of the Royal Family.
FOIA requests and legal challenges
The controversy stems from Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare, in which he admitted experimenting with cannabis, cocaine, and psychedelic mushrooms—behavior that can disqualify applicants from US visas.
Following the memoir’s publication, the Heritage Foundation submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Homeland Security to access Harry’s immigration records, seeking to determine whether he received preferential treatment. When the request was denied, the think tank filed a civil lawsuit.
In March, a DHS lawyer told a court that no “government misconduct” occurred and that all “applicable rules and regulations” were followed under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Drug history and controversy
The Heritage Foundation argued that Harry either provided false information on his visa application or received a waiver despite his admitted past drug use. Harry acknowledged in Spare that he tried cocaine at 17, stating: “Of course, I had been taking cocaine at that time… and since then I had consumed some more.”
President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House in early 2025, ruled out deporting him, stating, “I’ll leave him alone.”
