Athletes from foreign countries in the U.S. need visas. Here's how the process works
Fans coming from foreign nations to attend sporting events in the U.S. aren’t the only ones who need visas to enter the country. Athletes need immigration documents as well, and the procedure to get one isn’t always simple.
What kind of visas do athletes need to enter the U.S.?
There are five types of commonly used travel documents for athletes entering the U.S. — B1/B2, F1, P-1A and O-1A visas as well as the visa waiver program through ESTA. Which one an athlete applies for depends on the type of event he or she is competing in and whether they are receiving payment. These visa categories generally do not have a cap, meaning an unlimited number can be issued annually, although the application and approval process for each class differs widely.
A B1/B2 visa — also known as a tourist visitor visa — is commonly used for professional or amateur athletes competing in a tournament or sporting event in which they are not receiving a salary or payment from a U.S.-based entity beyond incidental expenses. This visa is commonly used by athletes trying out for a team or participating in a national team competition or a friendly soccer match. B1/B2 visa typically permit an individual to stay in the U.S. for up to six months.
Separately athletes from the 42 countries covered by the U.S. Visa Waiver Program can enroll in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which generally allows athletes to participate in qualifying activities for up to 90 days without needing to apply for B1/B2 visas. Most of the athletes participating in the FIFA World Cup and the Leagues Cup this summer, the men’s World Cup next summer and the L.A. Olympics in 2028 will do so under a B1/B2 visa or ESTA, depending on their country or the passport they carry.
An F1 visa is the most common form of visa used for international student-athletes to attend school and participate in sports for a qualifying U.S. high school, college or university. Student-athletes on an F1 visa are limited in how many hours a week and for whom they are allowed to work outside of school.
A P-1A visa is a non-immigrant visa for internationally recognized athletes to receive compensation to compete, perform and tour in the U.S. These are the visas international baseball players such as the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (Japan) or soccer players such as Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi (Argentina) are required to obtain to play under contract.
An O-1A visa is a non-immigrant work visa for people who have achieved extraordinary ability in a specific field. In order to qualify, applicants must be able to show evidence that they have been nationally or internationally recognized for their achievements and that they intend to travel to the U.S. to participate in a specific competition or event. This is the class of visa commonly used by international actors and musicians performing in the U.S. Applying for this class of visa, as well as the B1/B2 and P-1A visas, requires a visit to a U.S. embassy or consulate for an interview before being approved.
Who is eligible for a P-1A visa?
The “A” in a P-1A visa indicates it is for athletes, which differentiates it from a P-1B visa, which is used for actors, musicians, circus performers and other entertainers. A P-1A visa is a temporary, employment-based visa that can be issued for up to five years for individual athletes and one year for entire teams. This visa is intended for elite athletes who are competing at an “internationally recognized level of performance.” It also may be used for coaches.
How does the application progress work?
For an athlete to qualify for a P-1 visa under the P-1A category, they must submit form I-129 to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) along with supporting documents showing that they meet at least two of the following conditions:
Have participated in a major U.S. sports league;
Have participated in a U.S college, university, or intercollegiate sports league;
Have participated in a national- or international-level competition or event;
Have been nationally or internationally ranked in a high position;
Have obtained a national or international award for their excellence
Once form I-129 has been accepted by USCIS, the visa applicant must present himself or herself at the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy outside the U.S. for an interview.
Additionally, P-1 visa applicants need to be sponsored by a U.S. employer or organization such as a team or league. There is no fixed authorized stay with a P-1 visa and while most visa-holders must reapply for a new visa every five years, that limit isn’t uniform.
“It depends on the country where they’re from,” said Travis Murphy, a former U.S. diplomat who is the founder and chief executive of Jetr Global Partners, a Washington-based firm that works to solve visa and immigrant issues for athletes and sports franchises. “For a country like Brazil, our reciprocity is only three months so the visa might only be good for a couple of months. However, the duration of the underlying petition from USCIS is tied to the duration of the contract.”
Can P-1A visa-holders apply for a green card?
Yes. They may apply for EB-1 or EB-2 employment-based immigrant visas based on their professional accomplishments. However the number of employment-based green cards awarded is set annually; for fiscal year 2024, that number was 160,791.
P-1A visa-holders also can apply for a green card through their spouse or child, if those relatives are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or through their teams or leagues.
Many foreign athletes in the U.S. seek permanent residence or citizenship, especially those competing in leagues such as MLS and the NWSL, which limits the number of international players. Acquiring a green card or U.S. citizenship frees a player from needing an international roster spot.
Do P-1A visas allow family members to enter the U.S.?
Yes. P-1A visa-holders can bring their spouses and unmarried children under 21 to the U.S. on P-4 visas.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
