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Fact check: How did Melania Trump get US citizensh
Checked on May 24, 2025
1. Summary of the results
Melania Trump's path to US citizenship followed several steps:
- Initially entered the US on a B1/B2 visitor visa in 1996 [1]
- Obtained an H-1B work visa as a fashion model [1]
- Received her green card in 2001 through the EB-1 "Einstein visa" program [2]
- Finally became a naturalized US citizen on July 28, 2006, one year after marrying Donald Trump [3]
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
Several important contextual elements need to be considered:
*Regarding the EB-1 Visa:
- She was one of only five Slovenians to receive this visa that year [4]
- While called the "Einstein Visa," immigration lawyers note it's not as restrictive as the name suggests [5]
- Her qualification was based on her modeling career, including appearances in Sports Illustrated and British GQ [5]
- She was not considered a top international model at the time [4]
Potential Controversies:
- Questions have been raised about her initial work status, with suggestions she may have worked illegally on a tourist visa before obtaining her H-1B visa [6]
- There has been speculation about how she qualified for the EB-1 visa, though no verifiable evidence suggests illegal processes [2]
**3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement**
The original question is oversimplified and doesn't account for:
- The complexity of the multi-step immigration process she underwent
- The specific requirements and nature of the EB-1 visa program
- The timeline spanning from 1996 to 2006
Beneficiaries of different narratives:*
- Trump supporters benefit from emphasizing her legal immigration process and compliance [7]
- Critics benefit from highlighting potential early visa violations and questioning EB-1 qualification [6]
- Immigration lawyers benefit from portraying the EB-1 process as more accessible than commonly believed [5]
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