The US State Department has reportedly declined to release documents connected to Prince Harry’s US visa application, according to court filings from an ongoing Freedom of Information Act dispute.
The case has attracted attention because the records concern the Duke of Sussex’s immigration status and questions surrounding information about his past drug use.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking government records related to Harry’s visa status. The organization has argued that there is a public interest in determining whether the royal disclosed his previous drug use when applying for permission to live in the United States.
Harry discussed his past use of substances including cocaine and marijuana in his 2023 memoir, Spare. That disclosure later became part of the wider debate surrounding his immigration records.
According to a report by Newsweek, an initial batch of 18 documents was identified during the government’s review, but all of those records were withheld. Officials are also continuing to examine another 289 documents connected to the matter.
The legal dispute is expected to continue, with the next joint status report scheduled for October 13.
The Heritage Foundation has maintained that Harry’s previous drug use could have been relevant to his visa application. The organization has argued that immigration officials would normally have questions about such information and has raised the possibility that special permission may have been required if the information affected his eligibility.
However, US officials have previously rejected the suggestion that the available evidence demonstrates that Harry received preferential treatment.
Last year, the US government released material connected to the legal battle over Harry’s 2020 visa application. Much of the material was heavily redacted, with officials citing privacy protections and arguing that there was no evidence showing that the Duke of Sussex had been given special treatment.
More than 80 pages of court filings and transcripts were reportedly made public, although substantial sections were covered by redactions.
Immigration officials also argued that the Heritage Foundation had not demonstrated that the public interest in the records outweighed Harry’s privacy rights.
In court filings, Jarrod Panter, an official with US Citizenship and Immigration Services, argued that claims about possible government misconduct were speculative and were not supported by evidence showing that the government had acted improperly.
The dispute therefore remains focused on whether the requested records should become public and whether the circumstances surrounding Harry’s US immigration status justify releasing information that officials say is protected by privacy rules.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the United States in 2020 after stepping back from their roles as working members of the British royal family. Since then, the couple have established their lives in California while continuing to attract significant media attention on both sides of the Atlantic.
For now, the State Department’s decision to withhold the latest group of documents means the question surrounding Prince Harry’s visa records remains unresolved. Further developments could come as the government continues reviewing the outstanding documents ahead of the next court update.
Key Takeaways:
- The US State Department has reportedly withheld 18 documents linked to Prince Harry’s visa records.
- The documents are part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act case involving the Heritage Foundation.
- The dispute centers partly on Harry’s disclosure of past drug use in his 2023 memoir, Spare.
- A further 289 documents are reportedly still under review.
- The next joint status report in the case is scheduled for October 13.
