PRINCE Harry could use a visa designed for people with “extraordinary ability” when working in the US, experts said yesterday.
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber, 27, and Australian actor Hugh Jackman, 52, have both used the special O-1 visa which can last up to three years, reports the Daily Mail.
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The Duke of Sussex, 36, has a number of TV and radio projects in America, as well as two new jobs.
This prompted people to question how he obtained a visa because as a British citizen he was not entitled to seek employment after moving to California with Meghan Markle last year.
Harry could have applied for a green card but this can take up to 21 months to process and comes with large income tax implications.
According to the O-1 visa website, it says the document is specially for an “individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics.
SPECIAL VISA
“Or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognised nationally or internationally.”
Harry’s work with Invictus Games could therefore potentially make him eligible and his bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey earned millions for the TV industry.
The approval for the visa can take just a few weeks with applicants needing to find a US to be a referee.
But Harry has a long list of American friends who could vouch for him, including former President Barack Obama.
The visa can be extended for one year at a time and there is no limit to the number of extensions that may be granted.
Immigration expert Doug Lightman, from Lightman Law in New York, said: “Harry would have no problem getting the O-1 because he’s a prince.
“He’s travelled all over the world… and there is his work with Invictus. It’s going to be enough to qualify him.”
Although he could be in line for the O-1 visa it is not yet known which one he is on.
WORK FROM HOME
It comes as Harry looks to set to start his new career confined to his sprawling US mansion.
He will initially work from home as “chief impact officer” at mental health firm BetterUp.
He will also be spared a daily commute for his other new role, a part-time position probing fake news.
There should be space in the 14,500 sq ft, nine-bed house in Montecito, California, he shares with pregnant wife Meghan, 39, and 22-month-old son Archie.
The Celeb Report told on Wednesday of his job promoting BetterUp’s mental health app.
Harry began that day with an Instagram message saying: “Self-optimisation is not about fixing something that’s broken.
“It’s about becoming the best version of ourselves, with whatever life throws at us — someone who is ready for the next challenge and can meet setbacks with courage, confidence, and self-awareness.”
The Celeb Report Online has contacted his representatives for comment.
