USCIS has issued a policy guidance relating to P-1A Internationally Recognized Athletes, providing interpretation of the phrase “major United States sports league or team” as it relates to internationally recognized P-1A athletes.
The guidance clarifies that the phrase “major United States sports league” is interpreted to mean one that has a distinguished reputation commensurate with an internationally recognized level of performance, and “major United States sports team” means a team that participates in such a league. The guidance also explains how to evaluate whether events or competitions have a distinguished reputation and are at an internationally recognized level of performance, and describes non-exhaustive examples of information and evidence relevant to evaluating whether an entity is a “major United States sports league or team” for the purpose of adjudicating P-1A petitions for internationally recognized athletes or teams. The guidance describes relevant considerations for determining whether events and competitions are at an internationally recognized level of performance such that they require the participation of an internationally recognized athlete or team.
The guidance is effective immediately and applies prospectively to P-1A petitions filed on or after March 26, 2021.
If you have any questions regarding U.S. visas for athletes, or need help filing for a P-1 visa, contact VisaPro Law Firm today. Our experienced immigration attorneys will be happy to assist you.
Sandy Piazza, HR Manager, Piller USA, Inc
