How Melania Trump Got Controversial Einstein Visa Explained; Why FLOTUS Deserved It

Melania Trump got her Einstein Visa the right way.

The first lady of the United States has been criticized for getting the “Einstein Visa,” which in theory is only given to those who are highly acclaimed in their field. Melania’s critics questioned her eligibility since for them, she didn’t excel in her niche, which was modeling. Some also slammed her for allegedly lying about having an architecture degree.

Susan McFadden, a specialist U.S. visa lawyer at the Gudeon and McFadden law firm in London explained how the FLOTUS got one. According to her, Melania still qualified for it even if she wasn’t highly acclaimed in her modeling career because testimonials are part of the application process and the more high-profile the reference, the more weight it carries.

“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,” McFadden explained.

“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.”

The expert added that the testimonials form helps, but the reference should say something significant about the applicant and his or her achievements to make it. For Melania’s part, the former model considered her career a success.

“I think people will always judge. That’s part of the job that I was doing; I was [a] very successful model. Nothing more than you see every year in Sports Illustrated,” Melania told Barbara Walters in 2015 when she was asked about her infamous nude British GQ cover in 2000.

The FLOTUS is aware that many questioned her U.S. citizenship. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar in 2016, Melania said that her naturalization process was fair because she followed the rules.

She came to the U.S. for her career and it never crossed her mind to stay without papers. Every few months she had to fly back to Europe and stamp her visa. She applied for a green card and then for a citizenship. The first lady said that it was a long process.