P-1 ATHLETES & ENTERTAINERS VISA INFO

The P visa is a temporary employment visa that applies to foreign athletes and entertainment groups who do not meet the extraordinary ability standard under the O-visa classification. Like the O-1 visa (Extraordinary Ability), there is no numerical quota for the P visa. There are four classifications under the P visa:

• P-1 Individual or Team Athletes
• P-2 Artists or Entertainers under a reciprocal exchange program
• P-3 Artists or Entertainers under a program that is culturally unique
• P-4 Dependents of P-1, P-2, or P-3, who would be accompanying or would later on join the principal P visa holder

The P visa covers foreign athletes who compete individually or as part of a team at an internationally recognized level and entertainers who perform with or are an essential part of a performance of an entertainment group that has received international recognition as "outstanding" for a sustained and substantial period of time.

In 2006, the law has expanded the P visa category allowing minor league teams, athletes, and coaches to enter the U.S. under a P visa, instead of the H-2B visa for temporary workers.

The P visa status is limited initially to five years, with a possible extension of another five years, for a maximum period of ten years, for an individual athlete. Athletic teams could be granted an unlimited number of one-year extensions, after the initial 5-year P visa validity. A U.S. employer or agent should file the petition for the P visa. An athlete may not self-apply for a P visa.