Melania Trump’s ‘Einstein visa’ raises questions after people think they’ve spotted issue with it

Critics are questioning the validity of First Lady Melania Trump, after looking into a so-called 'Einstein visa' which she holds.

According to an investigation by the Washington Post, Melania Trump's US citizenship came about via a visa reserved for immigrants with 'extraordinary ability' and 'sustained national and international acclaim'.

The government cites Pulitzer Prize, Academy Award and Olympic winners as examples of those who are eligible for such a visa.

Social media users have been asking questions about the First Lady's eligibility and whether she meets such a high threshold, at a time when her husband Donald Trump is focusing on deportations.

One poster on X wrote: "Melania Trump qualified for a visa that’s typically reserved for individual with extraordinary ability while Trump targets student visas at Harvard."

They alleged: "Melania did not qualify for Einstein Visa, but she got one."

Another shared a video of Texas Democratic representative Jasmine Crockett, as she argued about why Melania had the visa during the 'Restoring Integrity and Security to the Visa Process' hearing on Wednesday.

Sharing her video, the user praised her line of questioning: "Why did Melania Trump get an Einstein visa? Great question Rep Crockett."

“Melania, the first lady, a model – and when I say model, I’m not talking about Tyra Banks, Cindy Crawford or Naomi Campbell-level – applied for and was given an EB1 visa,” Crockett continued.

“It doesn’t take an Einstein to see that the math ain’t mathin’ here."

The user went on the attack: "While Trump is revoking visas, targeting international students, remember that his wife, Melania, came to America on the Einstein visa, a pathway to US permanent residency for individuals with 'extraordinary ability' in their field."

Susan McFadden, a specialist US visa lawyer at the Gudeon and McFadden law firm in London, told the BBC: "You do not have to be a Nobel prize winner to get the extraordinary ability visa.

"I've gotten EB-1 visas for people you've never heard of and never will."

She said it all come down to the lawyer's experience, and how to highlight parts of the client's history and experience to make them an attractive prospect.

McFadden added it is all in the framing, and who else works in their field.

She has obtained the 'Einstein visa' for football coaches to people who excel in scientific ballooning, for instance.

Before becoming Mrs Trump, Melania was known as Melania Knauss, a model from Slovenia. She was granted the visa in 2001, before becoming a US citizen in 2006.

Gaining citizenship allowed her to sponsor her parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, who are now in the US.

Her family members are in the process of applying for citizenship.

It's worth noting that Mrs Trump originally arrived on a tourist visa in 1996, before she worked under visas for skilled immigrants, says her lawyer.

She was working as a model in New York when she met Mr Trump at a party in 1998, a relationship that considerably raised her celebrity profile.

In order to be granted an an EB-1 for extraordinary ability, the applicant has to be the recipient of a major award or meet three out of 10 criteria which prove excellence in their field.

These possible criteria include extensive media coverage of the applicant in major publications, and work displayed at artistic exhibitions.

Nita Upadhye, a US immigration specialist at NNU Immigration Law, told the BBC that high-profile testimonies can be very beneficial, and dating Mr Trump and having access to his many contacts could have helped.

"If you're in the acting world, and Quentin Tarantino or Steven Spielberg writes a letter saying you're the next best thing, that can be very persuasive," she said.

"It's about getting testimonials from someone who is extraordinary in their own right and has some name recognition, but who can also attest to specific achievements of the applicant. And I'm sure she probably had some pretty significant letters, maybe from Donald Trump."

"You could get a letter from President Obama, and that certainly would look impressive with his letterhead. But if he can't say something significant about your achievements, it won't cut it."

Ultimately, it comes down to their experience and background.