P-1 and O-1 Visas for Bodybuilders and Physique Athletes Looking to Come to the United States
For bodybuilding and physique competitors living outside the United States, taking part in US events requires them to obtain either an O-1 or a P-1 visa. For these international athletes there is Sherrod Sports Visas. Sherrod Sports Visas is the best choice for foreign men and women of exceptional physique to get the visa necessary for United States competitive events. We have locations in Washington D.C., Charlotte North Carolina, and Los Angeles California. At each you will find a professional team of skilled, dedicated lawyers to help you with work authorization for your stay in the United States.
Body-building is a Global Sport—And That’s a Great Thing
The industry of body-building, physique, and bikini competitions is widespread. Athletes face a plethora of choices from the day of their first workout, especially if they intend to turn professional and go after highly coveted medals like Mr. World or Mr. Olympia. The general timeline involved with preparing for a show is 12 weeks’ adherence to a trainer’s meticulously arranged diet and exercise schedule. 12 weeks, that is, at a minimum. For novice athletes—and for ladies looking to participate in the fiercely competitive world of the bikini competition—it could be six months to a year. And even before this come other factors, such as choosing a federation, and deciding which show is the best show for that athlete’s class. Nor can we exclude the extra obstacles that female challengers will face in the confusion. For example, preparation for a bikini competition involves not only the training but the additional costs of training. Such costs include, but are not limited to: heels, a swimsuit, a hair and makeup artist. A female looking to break into the world of competitive fitness and bodybuilding can expect to pay over one thousand dollars for those three necessities alone.
Sherrod Sports Visas is here to ease the burden felt by foreign athletes who dream of visiting the United States to challenge the native talent. And not only these athletes, but their support staffs as well (more on this point below). Sherrod Sports Visas sees competition from overseas nations as integral to the industry. The United States is a highly diverse country with myriad sub-cultures of its own. But why let them have all the fun? Allowing cultures from outside countries not only enriches a sport from an academic viewpoint, but on a competitive scale as well. As the stage gets wider the game gets fiercer. Or shall we say, the more widespread the competition, in any event, the more interesting that competition becomes.
What Kind of Visa Does A Fitness Athlete Need?
Sherrod Sports Visas can arrange many kinds of visas for foreign athletes, including the P-1 and O-1 visa. The P-1 visa is typically obtained for internationally recognized individuals who wish to perform at a foreign athletic or artistic event, either as an individual or with a team. The P-1 visa may also be a viable option for coaches who work for a major sports league. O-1 visas are recommended for persons who possess extraordinary abilities in entertainment, athletics, television production or theater art, and who wish to demonstrate their skills in a foreign land.
A body-building athlete who is not a citizen of the United States, and who has yet to etch his or her mark in the world of fitness events at a high level will probably be steered toward the P-1 visa. This for the simple reason that an unproven show-person may not be considered to possess extraordinary abilities with the sport...yet. Note that to petition for a P-1 visa a competitor must still have achieved international recognition, either as an individual or with a team, at some level of the industry in which he/she performs. However, a performing body-builder who has already established respect in the field (perhaps he or she has won numerous medals already outside of the US), will likely be nudged toward obtaining an O-1 visa. Either way, Sherrod Sports Visas is here to help.
Sherrod Sports Visas For Trainers and Staff
And don’t think that Sherrod Sports Visas might not facilitate travel arrangements for a world class athlete’s trainers and staff. It would be anathema to leave them behind. For trainers and coaches—or really, anyone a body-building athlete might need for personal assistance—the visas in question would be either the O-2 or P-1S. They are considered support staff visas for athletic, entertainment, and other artistic events, and are generally defined as follows:
The O-2 visa is recommended for support staff members accompanying an athlete who carries an O-1 visa (visa for athletes of extraordinary ability, with established respect in their sport).
The P-1S visa is recommended for support staff members accompanying an athlete who carries a P-1 visa (visas for athletes who have achieved international recognition as an individual or with a team).
Let Sherrod Sports Visas Help You With Immigration to the United States
Receiving work authorization in the United States of America is easy for male and female sports competitors when they come to Sherrod Sports Visas. We make the phone calls. We do the paperwork. Our team of highly trained, professional lawyers will get the visa that’s right for you, so you can focus on what’s important for a championship challenger: the physique of your body.
Call Sherrod Sports Visas for all of your documentation needs when traveling to compete in the United States. We’ll help you get here so you can help your team.
Washington D.C Office Line: 202-903–2404
1717 N Street NW STE 1, Washington D.C. 20036
Charlotte, North Carolina Office Line: 704-243-8187
5309 Monroe RD Suite 118, Charlotte NC 28205
Los Angeles, California Office Line: 310-209-8545
1801 Century Park East
25th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067