Get in touch
949-316-0078
info@santolloydlaw.com
Are you an internationally recognized Athlete?
April Perez • Aug 04, 2022
Click here to read this article in Spanish and Portuguese
The
P-1A classification applies to individuals coming temporarily to the United States solely for the purpose of performing at a specific athletic competition as:
- An individual athlete at an internationally recognized level of performance;
- Part of a group or team at an internationally recognized level of performance;
- A professional athlete; or
- An athlete or coach, as part of a team or franchise that is located in the United States and a member of a foreign league or association.
An applicant for the P1A visa must be able to meet at least
two of the following criteria and possible types of evidence is listed under each requirement.
1.
Evidence of having participated to a significant extent in a prior season with a major United States sports league.
This could possibly be contracts or a letter.
2.
Evidence of having participated in international competition with a national team.
This could be a contract with the team, a certificate from the competition issued to the applicant, articles about the competition and the team, and photos of the competition and applicant with the national team.
3. Evidence of having participated to a significant extent in a prior season for a U.S. college or university in intercollegiate competition.
This could possibly be contracts or a letter.
4.
A written statement from an official of the governing body of the sport which details how the athlete or team is internationally recognized.
A written statement from an official.
5.
A written statement from a member of the sports media or a recognized expert in the sport which details how the athlete or team is internationally recognized.
These can be articles discussing the applicant and their success and competition in the sport. Also, if there are not enough articles it may be helpful to include letters from other experts in the field (usually other accomplished competitors in the sport). The letters should discuss the letter writers background, how and when they met the applicant and discuss the applicant's significant accomplishments.
6.
Evidence that the athlete or team is ranked, if the sport has international rankings.
Depending on the sport rankings may or may not apply. Jiu Jitsu Fighters can obtain ranking from the IBJJF website (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) or other major Jiu Jitsu organization websites. Mixed Martial Arts Fighter (MMA) Fighters can show ranking in notable organizations such as UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) that can also be used.
7.
Evidence that the athlete or team has received a significant honor or award in the sport.
This can be certificates, an awards list, articles about the award or honor discussing its significance. MMA fighters’ can provide their win/loss record and rank profile with their fight record and include information on major fights or champion title fights that you won. You can also include articles about wins, certificates, and photos. For jiu-jitsu fighters you can use printouts from the IBJJF website showing the applicant's wins, and printouts from other major jiu-jitsu organization competitions they won. You can also provide articles about the significance of the jiu-jitsu competitions won by the applicant.
In addition, the applicant must show that the competition or competitions that the athlete will compete in have a distinguished reputation and are at an internationally recognized level of performance that requires the participation of an internationally recognized athlete.
Possible evidence for this can be:
- The level of viewership, attendance, revenue, and major media coverage of the events.
- The extent of past participation by internationally recognized athletes or teams.
- The international ranking of athletes competing.
- Documented merits requirements for participants.
- Articles and background printouts about the future competitions.
If you believe you may qualify, you should contact our office.
Este blog no pretende ser un consejo legal y nada aquí debe interpretarse como el establecimiento de una relación abogado-cliente. Programe una consulta con un abogado de inmigración antes de actuar sobre cualquier información que lea aquí.
Similar Posts
An athlete visa (P1-A) allows you to come to and stay in the United States to participate in sports events. You don't necessarily need a P1-A visa to compete in most circumstances. However, if you are serious about your career and the United States plays a big role in your sport, then you should definitely consider getting a P1-A visa. Since the B1 or B2 visas (the business/tourist visas) do not allow for stays over six months and can get tricky to be renewed, that can end up causing more harm than good for your career.
Click here to read this article in Spanish
The U.S. Constitution protects all immigrants, including undocumented immigrants while participating in protests in the U.S. Here is a list of some of the rights covered in the U.S. constitution to consider when you are participating in protests: Right to free speech. The First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting your right to free speech. People have the right to participate in protests, marches, and demonstrations. Right to be free from retaliation. The First Amendment prohibits the government from retaliating against you for exercising your rights such as your right to free speech. Right to remain silent. The Fifth Amendment protects you from self-incrimination and provides the right to remain silent. Right against unreasonable search and seizure. The Fourth Amendment protects you against unreasonable searches and seizures. Right to speak to a lawyer. If you are arrested or detained, you have the right to speak to a lawyer. Keep in mind, if you are undocumented and you are participating in protests, you are at higher risk of being detained by immigration officials if they are present at the protest. If you are undocumented make sure you have a plan in place if you are arrested or detained by law enforcement or immigration officials. It is important to take precautions and if you are arrested or detained you should contact an attorney immediately. If you have questions, please schedule a consultation with one of our experienced attorneys and we will be more than happy to assist you.
The latest policy alert, PA-2024-05, issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on March 21, 2024, brings revisions to the USCIS Policy Manual, specifically focusing on expediting requests. These updates aim to simplify and elucidate the process for applicants, particularly those facing emergencies or urgent humanitarian needs. The primary goal is to make it easier for applicants to understand how to request expedited processing for their various submissions, including applications, petitions, appeals, or motions, especially in cases concerning government interests or urgent situations. While USCIS has historically permitted immigration benefit seekers to request expedited application processing in specific circumstances, the process has frequently been perceived as unclear, with decisions made arbitrarily on a case-by-case basis. The recent update seeks to rectify this by providing clarity and uniformity to the process and establishing explicit criteria and documentation standards. In order to request expedited processing, applicants need to adhere to a more defined procedure. This involves submitting thorough documentation and illustrating the urgency or government relevance of their case. The recent update also explains how USCIS reviews these requests, offering applicants a better grasp of the process. The update introduces special measures for speeding up the processing of Form I-131 (Application for Travel Document) in emergency situations. This acknowledges the urgent need for certain applicants to travel. The policy also acknowledges that expedited requests may be evaluated if there is evident USCIS error, aiming to uphold fairness and accountability within the processing system. These changes aim to make the expedited request process more transparent and understandable for applicants and their representatives. In summary, USCIS's revision regarding expedited requests signifies a notable advancement in rendering the immigration process more transparent and attentive to applicants' requirements. By comprehending these updated guidelines, applicants and their representatives can more effectively navigate the expedited request procedure, ensuring that urgent cases receive due consideration. If you believe you qualify for expedited processing under the recent USCIS policy updates, feel free to contact our office, and we will be more than happy to assist you. FONT : https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-a-chapter-5
As of April 1, 2024, USCIS has instituted an inflation adjustment to immigration application filing fees . These fee increases apply to a majority of the different application types, including family-based, non-immigrant, and immigrant petitions. As a part of these fee increases, USCIS has also instituted a new program designed to provide funding to the United States’ Asylum Program, in order to better address the massive backlog of pending asylum claims currently waiting to be adjudicated. Unfortunately, these changes have led to confusion among petitioners for when they are required to pay the Asylum Program Fee, and when they may qualify for a 50% or complete exemption from the fee. The Asylum Program Fee is required to be submitted by employers in all I-129 and I-140 petitions filed on or after April 1, 2024. The Asylum Program Fee is $600, however, certain exemptions apply . Small employers , defined as having 25 or fewer total employees, qualify for a reduction of the Asylum Program Fee, but are still required to submit a reduced fee of $300. Individual petitioners, or self-petitions, such as in the case of an EB-2 National Interest Waiver, are considered small employers for the purpose of the Asylum Program Fee and are also required to submit the reduced $300 fee. Non-profit organizations are exempted from the Asylum Program fee and are not required to submit any additional funds with the ordinary I-129 or I-140 filing fee. In addition, non-profits qualify for a 50% reduction of the ordinary filing fee in certain types of applications, bringing the overall filing fee burden down substantially for non-profit organizations. With these changes to USCIS’ filing fee schedule, USCIS is hoping for significant improvements to efficiency and processing for pending asylum applicants. If you or your petitioning organization need any assistance in preparing an application for an immigration benefit, including ensuring proper compliance with the new fee requirements, our office is ready and waiting to help!