The Creating Opportunities for Minor League Professionals, Entertainers, and Teams through legal Entry Act (COMPETE Act) gives minor league athletes and amateur athletes the opportunity to enter the United States legally through a P-1 visa. Before the COMPETE Act, these athletes had to seek H-2B non-immigration visas, which is more tailored to other seasonal foreign workers.
Passed in December 2006, the COMPETE Act makes it clear that the P-1 visa is meant for a more diverse collection of international athletes and coaches, not just those that are internationally known or that perform at an international level. Specifically, the COMPETE Act makes it possible for minor league baseball players, junior league hockey players, minor league soccer players, semi-professional athletes, and others to live and work in the United States while playing on a team, training, and working on their skills.
If you are an athlete who wishes to travel to the United States to participate in competition, join a team, or coach, you may have several different options when it comes to visas, including the P-1 visa.
