Concern was raised worldwide after publication of a summary of new rules for use of visa free travel to the United States. The worries are over the US monitoring anonymous speech of foreign nationals around the world via their social media identifiers. Certainly frightening people and threatening them with loss of ability to travel to the US will chill speech.
Updated 1 February 2026.
Often government witnesses to criminal or terrorist acts have a taint on them that makes them ineligible to travel to the United States. How then do government witnesses travel to the United States to appear in court or to help an investigation? Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's renewed summons to be a witness for the US Congress provides a case to talk about a rare travel document - the government witness parole. A diplomatic visa is no longer likely possible for him, after the February 2022 settlement with a Jeffrey Epstein victim, Virginia Guiffre.
On 7 November, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) was summoned to the US Congress with a formal letter asking that he respond by 20 November 2025. He has thus far ignored the summons, but a member of Congress warned that the issue will not “just go away.”
Interview with Clayton Cartwright, expert on US tax and expatriates
Given the public curiosity surrounding Prince Harry’s visa status in the United States, we have asked Clayton Cartwright, expert on US tax and expatriates, to help us learn more about why Prince Harry may have opted to live on a diplomatic visa used for royal families - from a US tax perspective.
Since the publication of his memoir, Spare, many have speculated about whether Prince Harry was properly vetted for drug addiction or illegal possession of controlled substances when applying for a US visa. According to the memoir, prior to his marriage to his American wife Meghan Markle, with whom he now resides in California, he used cannabis in the UK and California and cocaine in the UK. When a foreign national seeking entry to the United States admits to using controlled substances, this can trigger criminal and mental health related grounds for inadmissibility. Prince Harry, however, is likely not subject to the standard security and background check measures because, we theorize, he is traveling on an A-1 Head of State visa.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced the launch of The Welcome Corps on 19 January 2023. This is a large scale initiative to harness the volunteer spirit surrounding the welcoming of refugees to the United States, inspired in part by the Canadian private groups in support of refugees program.
Many Ukrainians have crossed into Germany since 24 February 2022 when Russia invaded. Some may want passage to the United States. Those fearing return to Ukraine need to ask for asylum with the German Government. The US Embassy only offers assistance to those desiring non-immigrant visas, usually for visitors and students, and to those eligible for immigrant visas, usually relatives of US citizens and lawful permanent residents. The US Mission in Germany has posted information to help Ukrainians applying for non-immigrant and immigrant visas in Germany.
Many Ukrainians have crossed into Poland since 24 February 2022 when Russia invaded. Some may want passage to the United States. Those fearing return to Ukraine need to ask for asylum with the Polish Government. The US Embassy only offers assistance to those desiring non-immigrant visas, usually for visitors and students, and to those eligible for immigrant visas, usually relatives of US citizens and lawful permanent residents. The US Mission in Poland has posted information to help Ukrainians applying for non-immigrant and immigrant visas in Poland.
(Updated 9 November 2021) This article is now out of date. You no longer need a national interest exception to visit the United States. All NIEs granted before November 8 are now invalid!!! With the onset of middle summer 2021 in the United Kingdom, the need to travel to the United States grew dramatically. Announcements were made about loosening of quarantine restrictions upon return from the US as an amber country. Even with a valid ESTA or non-immigrant visa however, if you need to travel to the United States and are a foreign national coming from the United Kingdom, most likely you will have to either (1) make time to be in Mexico, or another non Schengen, UK or Ireland country for a full 14 days before entering the US, or (2) obtain a national interest exception (NIE). The US Embassy in London can take 3-4 weeks to grant a national interest exception to travel directly to the US despite the travel ban. Urgent exceptions for humanitarian travel reasons may be granted for emergencies more quickly - like to see a dying parent or sibling. Please consider making the request yourself by following these directions:
(Updated November 10, 2021). This article contains concepts useful to request a visa interview during a time of scarce visitor visa interviews. National interest exceptions are no longer needed to travel to the United States. Consular officers from Berlin and Frankfurt presented via Zoom at an event sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany (“AmCham Germany”) March 22, 2021, to explain the national interest exception guidance published by the US Department of State on March 2, 2021.
(Updated 14 May 2023)
As of 11 May 2023, the requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 ended for all air travelers to the US. This requirement expired on the same date for US Federal employees and Federal contractors, as well.