MLB teams 'proactive' in rushing Venezuelan players back to U.S.

"Those early arrivals quelled a lot of teams' fears about the players' safety and, ultimately, their ability to report on time for spring training, which began in camps throughout Florida and Arizona this week. Most of those who stayed behind have since been able to secure visas without navigating tougher-than-usual logistical hurdles, according to several front-office executives and agents who spoke to ESPN this week."

"Venezuelan players who are not citizens or residents -- and thus don't possess U.S. passports -- must secure P-1A visas to travel to the U.S. and play out their baseball seasons. Since the U.S. embassy in Venezuela's capital city of Caracas has been closed since 2019, Venezuelan players travel to either Colombia or the Dominican Republic to secure their visas before flying to the U.S."

"Two agents told ESPN their clients have had to endure exceedingly long waits while getting their visas processed in Colombia, with one in particular spending more than three weeks in limbo before finally being able to travel to Arizona for spring training. With the U.S. making a concerted effort to crack down on immigration, others have pointed to longer-than-usual delays to obtain visas and green cards for players from both Venezuela and the Dominican Republic."

Major League Baseball executives moved quickly to bring Venezuelan players to the United States after a U.S. military strike on Jan. 3. Early arrivals eased team concerns about player safety and ensured timely reporting for spring training in Florida and Arizona. Noncitizen Venezuelan players require P-1A visas to play in the U.S., and the U.S. embassy in Caracas has been closed since 2019, forcing players to seek visas in Colombia or the Dominican Republic. Some players endured long processing waits in Colombia, including one who spent more than three weeks in limbo. U.S. immigration enforcement contributed to longer visa and green-card delays for Venezuelan and Dominican players, so teams started visa processes earlier than usual.

Read at ESPN.com