P1 Visa

As for the P1B Visa requirements (for an Irish entertainer or entertainment group), you must meet at least two of the visa requirements:

• You must have had major success as demonstrated by records, box office sales, video sales or ratings
• You must have had achievements that have been reported about by major news outlets for trade journals
• You must have had recognition from government agencies, critics, or other experts in the field, who can testify to your individual or group achievements
• You must be able to demonstrate you obtain a high salary and significant compensation from the activity that you partake in, and be able to provide evidence of this remuneration

Whichever category you are applying for within the P1 visa, if you come to the US with your entertainment group or your sports team, they must have been formed at least one year before the application was submitted.

Alongside Form I-129, the employers will need to provide supporting documents. For the P1A visa, the required documentation is as follows:

• Proof of consultation with a labour organization
• The itinerary of events or performances with dates and durations for each event
• Official employment contracts with U.S sports leagues or teams
• Evidence of eligibility that the individual athlete or the team is nationally or internationally recognized

For a P1B visa, the documents required are:

• Consultation with an appropriate labour organization
• Contracts for with the sponsors and/or oral agreement summaries
• Itinerary with events and performances including dates and durations of each event
• Proof of the group’s time together and when they were established (need to be at least 1 year since it was established) and each person’s membership or employment in the group
• Proof that the individual or group of entertainers is eligible for the visa and has achieved national or international recognition as outlined in the requirements section

The processing time is generally 2-8 weeks. If/when the petition is approved, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will send a form I-797 (Notice of action). Then, the athlete(s) or entertainer(s) can make their visa application at the US embassy in Dublin.

The athlete or entertainers will need to submit a completed application form DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application) and pay the visa fee of USD 190, which is approximately 167.84 Euros.

The next step will be booking a visa interview at the US embassy in Dublin, Ireland which is necessary for anyone applying aged 14-79 years old. The immigration officer will ask questions about your background, supporting documentation, intention for applying for the visa, and why you want to go to the US. You may be asked for any further information during an interview.

The documents that are needed for the P1 visa application are as follows:

• Your approved petition with the Form I-797
• Valid passport/travel document
• Photographs according to US standards
• Confirmation letter from your employer outlining the details of your performance and events
• Contract with your employer or sponsor
• Proof that you as an individual or member of a team of athletes or entertainers are nationally or internationally recognized
• If you are bringing your family members with you on a P-4 visa, you must have a valid marriage certificate or civil partnership for your spouse or birth certificates for your children

The process of getting a P1 visa can take between three to six months. To avoid delays in processing from the visa office, it is vital to gather all of the required documents and supporting files as missing or forgetting anything can cause delays or result in a rejected application.

Processing of Form I-129 may take between two to eight weeks to start the application process. This timeframe depends on how busy the USCIS are, and if they have a backlog. Once this has been approved, the athlete/entertainment can immediately submit Form DS-160, and schedule your interview, which usually is available to be booked for a few weeks in advance.

Premium Processing is available for an option, an additional fee of USD 2,500, which will allow you to receive a decision within 15 days.

This P1 visa allows for a maximum initial stay in the US of up to 5 years. You will not be permitted to remain in the US for more than five years on the P1 Visa unless an extension is applied for.

If approved, the extension may grant you up to 5 additional years. This additional time is in addition to the original five years, for a total of 10 years in the US on the one visa. Should you wish to extend your stay in the US beyond your allocated 10-year timeframe, you will need to look at applying under a different visa status.

Individual athletes can be granted a visa for a maximum of five years. However, if the application is done as a group the maximum time that you can initially stay is for a year, which can then be extended in one-year increments.

Individual entertainers or groups will also be granted a P1 Visa for a maximum of a one-year initial stay period and can be extended in one-year increments if required. Finally, the essential personnel for both athletes and entertainers will have an initial stay of one year, but they are also permitted to extend it by up to 5 years, to reach a maximum stay time of 10 years.

The P1 visa is considered a nonimmigrant visa, so it does not automatically lead to a permanent residency in the US but has an authorized period of stay.

During the application process, one must declare the intention to enter Ireland once the P1 visa expires.

However, there are certain circumstances where it is possible to obtain a change of status.

This change of status could be achieved by marrying a US citizen or by being sponsored by another immediate family member in the US or changing your status to an H-1B visa. If you are an athlete with extraordinary or exceptional abilities, you may consider an EB-1 or EB-2 permanent residence card.

It is important to note that essential supporting personnel( coaches etc) are not permitted to apply for permanent residency.

Yes, the family members of a P1 visa holder can come to the US. Family members or dependents are defined as the legal spouse and the unmarried children(s) who are under the age of 21. The privilege of applying as dependents does not extend to other family members such as parents, grandparents, or cousins.

Dependents may apply in tandem with the P1 visa holder’s application, or they can apply at a later time. Regardless of when they apply, they will need to provide evidence of the relationship between them and the P1 holder with a marriage certificate or birth certificate.

With the visa issued, the P1 dependents will be eligible to leave Ireland, pass border control into the US on a P4 dependent visa. On the P4 dependent visa, they are permitted to study and live in the US, but they are not permitted to gain employment.