Alisa Efimova’s Olympic Eligibility and Team USA Figure Skating 2026: What to Know and Why It Matters

Alisa Efimova awaits a decision on her U.S. citizenship application as of Jan. 10, 2026, a ruling that will determine whether she can compete for Team USA at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Efimova’s citizenship status carries immediate Olympic implications. International Olympic Committee rules require athletes to hold citizenship of the country they represent, and U.S. Figure Skating must finalize its Olympic roster weeks before the Games.

Without approval by the selection deadline, Efimova cannot compete for the United States regardless of her results with partner Misha Mitrofanov, one of the country’s top pairs skaters. The Finland-born skater enters the Olympic season as part of one of the strongest U.S. pairs teams. Skating with Mitrofanov, a U.S. citizen, Efimova emerges as a legitimate Olympic contender, but her eligibility depends on the timing of a federal immigration decision.

A Rising Team Meets an Unforgiving Deadline

Efimova and Mitrofanov formed their partnership in 2023. It quickly found a strong competitive rhythm. Their momentum carried into the 2025 to 2026 season, firmly placing them in the top ranks of U.S. pairs skating and keeping them in the Olympic conversation.

Although Mitrofanov already meets Olympic eligibility requirements, Efimova must secure U.S. citizenship before the team selection deadline. Until then, she cannot compete internationally for the United States, no matter their results or ranking.

Why Citizenship Becomes the Deciding Factor

Efimova developed her early career in Europe before relocating to the United States to skate with Mitrofanov. She married Mitrofanov and received her green card in 2024, allowing her to live and train full-time in the U.S.

Spouses of U.S. citizens may naturalize on an accelerated timeline compared with most other lawful permanent residents. Spouses residing in the United States who have been lawful permanent residents for at least three years immediately before filing may apply for naturalization. They must live in marital union with their U.S. citizen spouse during that period. Applicants needed to meet age, residency and physical presence standards, including 18 months in the United States during the past three years and three months in the state or USCIS district where they filed. They also needed to show good moral character, English proficiency and knowledge of U.S. civics.

The law allows applicants to file as early as 90 days before reaching the three-year residence mark, yet citizenship is not granted until they complete all requirements.

Citizenship Is Not Guaranteed

Even when an applicant qualifies and properly files, U.S. authorities must still process and approve the application. There is no automatic fast-track review tied to Olympic deadlines. Officials retain discretion over expedited processing requests, which they usually grant only in limited cases.

Continuous residence and physical presence rules can pose hurdles. Absences of more than six months but less than a year can trigger a presumption that continuous residence was broken unless the applicant proves they maintained their U.S. residence, and absences of a year or more usually reset the clock. Narrow exceptions exist for spouses of U.S. citizens stationed abroad with the U.S. government, but they do not generally apply to athletes training in the United States.

Training While Waiting

Efimova and Mitrofanov continue training and competing while awaiting a decision. Mitrofanov says the pair focuses on preparation and consistency. Efimova expresses gratitude for the support she receives and hopes that the process resolves in time.

U.S. Figure Skating notes the situation and says immigration decisions are made by federal authorities, not influenced by performance or federation advocacy.

The uncertainty extends beyond figure skating, highlighting how elite competition often intersects with administrative timelines that move at a different pace.

What It Means for Team USA

Efimova’s unresolved status introduces uncertainty into the U.S. pairs field as the 2026 Olympics approach. She and Mitrofanov are Olympic contenders, and her eligibility will shape whether their momentum continues on the international stage.

The situation points to a recurring issue in international sport. Cross‑border athletes often face administrative hurdles that have nothing to do with performance. Efimova’s case shows how Olympic ambitions can hinge on legal processes as much as results.

What Comes Next

Efimova and Mitrofanov maintain their training schedule while awaiting a decision that will determine their Olympic future.

If her citizenship is approved before the U.S. Olympic team is finalized, she would become eligible to be named to the roster. If not, Team USA would proceed without her, regardless of competitive merit.

For now, her Olympic hopes rest not on the ice, but on a decision still pending.