CORONA VIRUS / COVID-19 ADVISORY

Due to the health risks posed by the Corona Virus tragedy, our office is following the directives of the governor of California in order to minimize the risks to our staff, our clients and our community. Our office will continue to operate fully, as it has thus far, observing our normal schedule, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. We will continue to schedule appointments to meet with clients and will do this via ZOOM or Telephone only.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with any of our lawyers or staff members, please do so by calling our office at 619-291-1112. You can also contact us via e-mail at [email protected]janbejar.com

Thank you for your understanding.

AVISO DE CORONA VIRUS / COVID-19

Debido a los riesgos para la salud planteados por la tragedia del Virus Corona, nuestra oficina está siguiendo las directivas del gobernador de California para minimizar los riesgos para nuestro personal, nuestros clientes y nuestra comunidad. Nuestra oficina seguirá funcionando a pleno, como lo ha hecho hasta ahora, cumpliendo con nuestro horario habitual, de lunes a viernes de 8:30 a.m. a 5:30 p.m. Continuaremos programando citas para reunirnos con los clientes y lo haremos solo a través de ZOOM o por teléfono.

Si desea programar una cita con alguno de nuestros abogados o miembros del personal, hágalo llamando a nuestra oficina al 619-291-1112. También puede contactarnos por correo electrónico a [email protected]

Gracias por su comprensión.

Resolving Immigration ProblemsIn An Honest & Responsible Manner

The P-1A visa: Specifically for gifted athletes

The P-1A visa is designed specifically for athletes who are planning on being in the United States for a sporting event. It is available only to those who are at the internationally-recognized level of skill.

In other words, you have to be exceptional at your sport to qualify for this visa. Anyone other than a top-notch performer won’t qualify. This visa is primarily used for athletes with some measure of international fame, whether they’re solo performers or team members. It allows them the ability to take place in international sporting events without restrictions due to nationality.

However, there are a few quirks about this visa that make it interesting. For example, if the visa is being requested on behalf of a group of athletes, it grants them however long it takes them to finish the event or competition — up to a year. Groups are eligible for extensions of their stay an additional year at a time.

If the visa is being used by an individual, it grants the athlete similar leeway — only the athlete has five years to complete his or her performance or competition. An additional extension is available for up to five years — but the total stay cannot exceed ten.

An additional provision is made for support personnel who are deemed “essential” to the team or individual athlete. Those people also have an initial year to finish but can renew the visa a year at a time until the competition is finished.

This may not provide a lot of people a doorway into the United States, but for gifted athletes and their support system, it’s a way to get here to engage in training while other avenues can be pursued.

Employment immigration is always a complex issue — even when things seem clear enough on paper. If you have questions, make sure that you get answers before you start the application process.

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “P-1A Internationally Recognized Athlete,” accessed April 06, 2018

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We are open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

For our clients’ convenience we offer English and Spanish speaking services.