O-1 Visa for Motorsports Professionals

Motorsports professionals that are not drivers may want to explore petitioning for  an O-1 visa. This will often be used by pit crew members, track maintenance, and more prominent members of the team.

There are multiple ways that an applicant might be able to qualify for an O-1 visa which comes with even greater work authorization than the P-1. First, the applicant  might have received an award or international recognition for excellence in motorsports. Secondly, the applicant might be a member of an institution that requires its members to demonstrate excellent skills. The applicant might have had their work featured in prominent magazines. Another possible consideration is whether or not the applicant has  been a judge in a respected competition. The applicant might also have been a part of a highly respected organization in your field, working in a leadership role. Finally, the applicant can prove that they are able to demand a high salary for your work. In most cases, the applicant will need to have two or more of these attributes to be able to qualify for an O-1 visa.

If granted, this visa will typically last for three years. However, it’s also possible that it might only cover one specific event. For example, you might be able to get an O-1 visa to cover a particular race, then need to leave after the event has concluded.