How to properly document accomplishments in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in P-1 and O-1 visa applications

Brazilian jiu-jitsu, otherwise known as BJJ, is a great sport and one of the more popular individual sports in the world. In the past, it used to be easier to obtain an athletic visa to come to the United States, but recent trends in the adjudication process have made it more difficult. It may be due to the number of petitions in BJJ that are submitted to USCIS having increased and, therefore, the USCIS officers are more nuanced to BJJ applications. It could also be that immigration law is just more difficult across the board. 

Either way, BJJ applications need to be specific in the awards category, which is important to both P-1 and O-1 petitions. USCIS adjudicators know that some BJJ tournaments do not have many competitors and also know that there are different skill levels due to the belt classification system. In general the following characteristics are helpful in describing to USCIS the significance of a BJJ award:

  • Higher belt classes or open tournaments should be explained to them

  • Tournaments that require invitations are better than tournaments that do not

  • If the tournament belt classification is not high, for example, a blue belt tournament, it is best to explain that it is because of experience, not skill level. Competitors only have blue belts because they are new to competition, but blue belts potentially can be black belts; it does not mean they are less skilled. 

  • Mention the number of competitors if there are a lot; if there are only three competitors, for example, do not include that information in the petition unless USCIS asks for it in a follow-up request for evidence. 

  • Be careful to describe the prestige of the tournaments by including information on the quality of the competitors: any broadcast outlets covering the event, past winners, and examples of equivalent events in other sports.


Below is an example of how we described BJJ accomplishments in a petition for UFC fighter Herbert Burns:

Mr. Herbert Burns is an internationally recognized athlete and has garnered a great number of regional and international championships. He is an exceptional jiu-jitsu professional and mixed martial artist who has competed on the world stage, has faced tremendous competition, garnered international acclaim from fans all over the world, and is ready to continue competing against the best fighters in the world. Mr. Burns has competed in various international tournaments in which he was successful:

 

  • IBJJF Pan No-Gi 3rd Place (2018) (this is third in the world)

  • CBJJ Brazilian National No-Gi Champion (2011 & 2012) (national champion twice)

  • CBJJ Brazilian National No-Gi Champion (2009 brown belt)

  • CBJJ Brazilian National Teams Champion (2007 blue belt)

IBJJF Pan No-Gi 3rd Place (2018)  

In 2018, Mr. Burns won the bronze medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Pan American No-Gi Championship. This is a world-level championship.

The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a for-profit company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, and European Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship. The federation was created by Carlos Gracie, Jr., who is the head of one of the largest Brazilian jiu-jitsu associations, Gracie Barra. The IBJJF uses the rule set of the Confederação Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu.


CBJJ Brazilian National No-Gi Champion (2011 & 2012)

 

Nicknamed “The Blaze,” Mr. Burns is a grappler. He is a two-time national no-gi jiu-jitsu champion in Brazil. In 2012, the featherweight gold went to Mr. Burns. 


Brazilian Nationals Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship is a no-gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournament hosted annually by the CBJJ since 2009 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.



CBJJ Brazilian National No-Gi Champion (2009 brown belt)


In 2009, Mr. Burns was the winner of the Brazilian National No-Gi Championship in the brown belt category. 

Brazilian Nationals Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship is a no-gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournament hosted annually by the CBJJ since 2009 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


CBJJ Brazilian National Teams Champion (2007 blue belt)

Mr. Burns won the CBJJ Brazilian National Team Championship in 2007 in the blue belt category.