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Topics: Melania Trump, Donald Trump, US News, World News, News, Politics, Explained
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Melania Trump, Donald Trump, US News, World News, News, Politics, Explained
Some people are convinced they’ve spotted major issues with United States First Lady Melania Trump's 'Einstein visa' - but what does such a document entail and why are so many pointing issue with it?
Well, before becoming Mrs Trump, Melania, 55, was known as Melania Knauss, a model from Slovenia who was granted the visa in 2001, before becoming a US citizen in July 2006 - months after she and 79-year-old Donald Trump welcomed their son Barron together.
Now, an investigation launched by the Washington Post, found that Melania's US citizenship came about via a visa reserved for immigrants with 'extraordinary ability' and 'sustained national and international acclaim' citing Pulitzer Prize, Academy Award and Olympic winners as examples of those who are eligible for such a visa.
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The investigation has prompted social media users to ask questions about the First Lady's eligibility and whether she meets such a high threshold.
In 2001, only one percent of green cards went to people of 'extraordinary ability', around 3,300.
It comes at a time when her husband Donald Trump - the first convicted felon to assume the presidency - is focusing on deportations, in a promise he's hailed as the 'largest deportation program of criminals in the history of America'.
One X user penned: "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 last Wednesday (2 June).
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 said in the video.
"It doesn’t take an Einstein to see that the math ain’t mathin’ here."
The user went on to 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 comes 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 also said testimonials from high profile figures explaining why the applicant deserves the visa can go a long way.
She said: "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."
Michael Wildes, an attorney for Melania, has insisted that she was in fact eligible for the Einstein visa, but declined to share further details of her qualifications.
He said: "Mrs Trump was more than amply qualified and solidly eligible. There is no reason to adjudicate her petition publicly when her privacy is so important to her."