USCIS Issues Policy Guidance on P-1A Internationally Recognized Athletes - Comments Due April 26

USCIS issued guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to update and clarify guidance for P-1A internationally recognized athletes. The update provides guidance regarding the required prospective level of performance and USCIS’s interpretation of the phrase “major United States sports league or team.” The guidance is effective immediately and applies prospectively to P-1A petitions filed on or after March 26, 2021. Comments are due April 26, 2021.

Policy Highlights

• Clarifies that the regulatory phrase “major United States sports league” at 8 CFR 214.2(p)(4)(ii)(B) 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.
• 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.
• Explains how to evaluate whether events or competitions have a distinguished reputation and are at an internationally recognized level of performance.

Related Resources

• USCIS Press Release: Updated Guidance on P-1A Internationally Recognized Athletes – March 26, 2021