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USCIS Clarifies Requirements for Professional Athletes

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Informational only, not legal advice. Confirm deadlines on the official notice or with a qualified professional.

USCIS updated its policy manual to clarify visa requirements for professional athletes in response to the Department of Labor's adoption of the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system. The guidance addresses how the new FLAG system affects immigrant visa petitions filed for athletes seeking work authorization in the United States.
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today issued policy guidance in Volume 6 of the USCIS Policy Manual to address the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) adoption of the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system, and its effect on certain immigrant visa petitions filed on behalf of professional athletes.

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May 2026

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