100% that was the intent of the P1 in its creation. Practically speaking that's changed though and the p1 is the cheapest, easiest way to get an athlete into the USA to train and compete with a group. Every shoe company I know uses P1 visas for foreign athletes. They'll structure the application such that the athlete is set to perform at a series of US based meets and will train in the US ahead of time to prepare.
E.g. Nike will say "Jimmy is a world class athlete here to prepare for then compete at the 2022 Nike Prefontaine Classic, the 2022 World Championships, the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, the 2024 Prefontaine Classic" when applying for an athlete's 3 year P1. New Balance say similar but will have NB indoor games listed as a sponsored event.
So it meets the criteria of the P1, and it isn't a lie, but the main benefit for both the sponsor and the athlete is in the training situation surrounding competition not the competition itself.
Pre pandemic these visas could take under 6 weeks for the big companies to procure, but have heard athletes waiting up to 6 months these days.
...aaaaaand this subtext explains why the right-wing GQP posts are still allowed on a running forum. These are visitor visas, not immigration visas they're looking for, BTW. And given how corrupt and poorly run the kenyan federation is, I would sure as hell blame their grift or mismanagement as opposed to the US authorities at first glance.
What's the issue? Anyone is allowed to enter the U.S. across the southern border; and they get a free ride to wherever they want, a free cell phone, and a free abortion, no COVID shots necessary.
Who to blame? The US Congress that does not approve increase in the State Department budget to clear the visa backlog. And the "America First" voters who think it's patriotic to cut the State Department budget. You probably know many of those people personally.
Well Rojo seeing as how you’ve been supporting Trump for 4+ years and how youve been supporting Republican polices for decades, I would say Republicans and you are to blame
Supporting Trump? I never voted for the guy.
PS. Your post should be deleted for being off topic but I'll let it stand so I can reply to it but posts like that ruin a thread.
(1) yeah right. If you didn’t vote for trump than who did you vote for
(2) my post is NOT off topic. It responds to your post and is highly factual
The US authorities look suspect in this. Maybe persuaded by USATF. Remember Omanyala beat the Fred Kerley badly in May in Nairobi. Since Fred Kerley beat everyone badly at the USA trials, it would seem the only person capable of stopping Kerley from winning gold is Omanyala.
Or maybe Omanyala is being targeted for his past "sins"(failed drug test in 2018).
Your conspiracy theory quickly falls apart by assuming USATF has the assertiveness and competency to do this, let alone anything.
I am not sure of the specifics of these cases, but lately it is taking very long to get a visa to get in the US. If the teams were decided a couple of months ago, I am not surprised at all that this is happening.
The reasons I have been given are several: underfunding, covid, increased security checks that require coordination of multiple agencies etc.. In reality, the immigration system will always be the least funded and worst organized area of the government because immigrants do not vote and, in most cases, they do not complain, because their application can be pretty much arbitrarily rejected at any step of the process, so they better keep a low profile. Treating immigrants like crap actually seems to pay politically.
But elite athletes coming to the US to compete at an event like the Worlds would not be applying for immigration visas allowing them to take up residence in the USA. They'd be applying for temporary visas allowing them to visit the USA for a period. In other words, they'd be seeking visitor visas, not immigration visas. From the relevant US gov websites:
Visitor Visa Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).
In addition to the B visa category, there's the P-1 visa:
P-1: Individual or Team Athlete, or Member of an Entertainment Group
To perform at a specific athletic competition as an athlete or as a member of an entertainment group. Requires an internationally recognized level of sustained performance. Includes persons providing essential services in support of the above individual.
An athlete of Omanyala's stature should be able to get an O visa too. I believe an O visa remains valid for a number of years, so people with O visas can enter and leave the US as it suits them.
O: Individual with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
For persons with extraordinary ability or achievement in the sciences, arts, education, business, athletics, or extraordinary recognized achievements in the motion picture and television fields, demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim, to work in their field of expertise. Includes persons providing essential services in support of the above individual.
You don't know what you are talking about. It can take a year, thousands of dollars and hundreds of pages of documentation to get a O1 visa. P-1 and Visitor visa are easier to obtain, but until you do not get an appointment to the local consulate you are out of luck, and the waiting list is often a month or more, just to get the appointment. Then you'll need to bring a ton of paperwork and then, assuming the officer examining your case is happy with the documentation and does not ask for some supplementary information, it can easily be another month (or more, sometimes much more) to get the visa approved.
This is what you need to do, if you want your visa application process to be expedited. WA and Oregon 22 organizing committee have to convince the US government that brining in international athletes furthers the cultural or social interests of the United States.
Nonprofit organization (as designated by the Internal Revenue Service) whose request is in furtherance of the cultural or social interests of the United States;
A nonprofit organization seeking to expedite a beneficiary’s benefit request must demonstrate an urgent need to expedite the case based on the beneficiary’s specific role within the nonprofit in furthering cultural or social interests (as opposed to the organization’s role in furthering social or cultural interests). Examples may include a medical professional urgently needed for medical research related to a specific social U.S. interest (such as the COVID-19 pandemic or other socially impactful research or project) or a university professor urgently needed to participate in a specific and imminent cultural program. Another example is a religious organization that urgently needs a beneficiary’s specific services and skill set to continue a vital social outreach program. In such instances, the religious organization must articulate why the respective beneficiary is specifically needed, as opposed to pointing to a general shortage alone.