New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan has spent the days after his team’s win over the Green Bay Packers in London dealing with a visa issue, leaving him unable to return to America.
Mr. Gillan, a native Scotsman, came to America as a teenager with his father, a member of the Royal Air Force. The two entered the U.S. on a NATO visa.
Mr. Gillan was a rugby player before coming to America, and “did not play football until midway through his senior season of high school in Maryland,” ESPN reported.
The visa was never swapped over to a work visa when Mr. Gillan entered the National Football League, according to the NFL Network. American diplomats have since helped him acquire a new passport, allowing him to return stateside.
Gillan came to the U.S. on a NATO visa with his father, and that designation never got changed to a work visa when he entered the NFL. Not Gillan’s fault – just slipped through the cracks. With help from U.S. diplomats, Gillan now has a new passport and is headed home soon. https://t.co/VrMol47fGv
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 11, 2022
Mr. Gillan is expected to fly home Thursday with the hope that he will be available for the Giants’ Sunday home game against the Baltimore Ravens.