Harry's US visa records unsealed after drug claims

Documents related to the Duke of Sussex's U.S. visa application have been unsealed in court. However, they are heavily redacted, and no details have been released regarding what Prince Harry included on his immigration form.

A U.S. court ordered the release of these documents based on a freedom of information request from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. The foundation alleges that the prince concealed his past drug use, which could have disqualified him from obtaining a U.S. visa.

The allegations focus on claims made in his memoir, *Spare*, where he discusses using cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms. U.S. visa application forms explicitly ask about current and past drug use. Admissions of drug use can lead to rejections of both non-immigrant and immigrant visa applications, although immigration officers have the discretion to make decisions based on a variety of factors.

In the release that occurred on Tuesday, very little new information was shared. The prince's visa application form was not among the documents provided. Instead, the released documents consist of supporting declarations and court transcripts created during the Heritage Foundation's case. 

These documents indicate that the U.S. government previously informed a court that the duke could face harassment if his visa records were made public. A chief freedom of information officer within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) argued that releasing the information "could potentially expose the individual to harm from members of the public."

In a declaration submitted to the court in April of the previous year, Jarrod Panter stated, "The USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) routinely protects non-immigrant/immigrant status information from disclosure if the beneficiary has not granted permission for that information to be released. Disclosing such information could expose the individual to harm, including harassment or unwanted contact from the media and others." 

Sam Dewey from the Heritage Foundation expressed frustration, claiming that the DHS had not released all relevant documents. He indicated that this is "not the end of the road," and that further legal action against the DHS is possible.

Dewey accused the prince of leveraging his "wealth and status" to benefit from living in the U.S.

In his controversial memoir, published in January 2023, Prince Harry stated that he first tried cocaine at the age of 17. He noted, "It wasn't much fun, and it didn't make me particularly happy, as it seemed to make everyone around me, but it did make me feel different, and that was the main goal." He further described his experience with marijuana, saying, "Cocaine didn't do anything for me, but marijuana is different; that actually really did help me."

The court's decision to release the files came after a ruling in 2024 which stated there was insufficient public interest in disclosing Prince Harry's immigration records. The Heritage Foundation contested that ruling, advocating for a change in judgement.

Prince Harry relocated to the U.S. with his wife, Meghan, in 2020 after stepping down as a working royal. It remains unclear which visa he used to enter the country, while the duchess is a U.S. citizen. 

In February, former President Donald Trump ruled out the possibility of deporting Prince Harry, telling the *New York Post*, "I'll leave him alone... He's got enough problems with his wife. She's terrible." Meghan has been an outspoken critic of Trump, calling him a "misogynist."

The BBC has reached out to the duke's office for comment.