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Sports & Activities Directory
A national sports entertainment company recently retained
our law office to obtain work sponsorship for
internationally celebrated freestyle motocross athlete
Javier Villegas known within the motocross world as
“Astroboy. Sport entertainment companies looking into
importing sports stars from abroad to perform in U.S.
organized and sponsored events for an initial three-year
period which can be extended in increments of one year are
eligible to petition for an O-1 visa, a category reserved
for luminaries possessing extraordinary ability in fields
such as sports, movie entertainment, business, and science.
The set statutory criteria in an athlete’s case concentrate
on awards or trophies received, mass media exposure,
distinguished organizations seeking out the athlete,
original contributions, endorsements and advertisement
deals, financial remuneration etc.
Mr. Villegas is the perfect candidate for this O-1 visa
category, in that he has reached the very top of his field
and has earned the respect and the admiration of his peers.
His illustrious career has led him to the very top of the
freestyle motocross world, having competed as part of the
select elite in the most coveted international motocross
events, such as The Red Bull X-Fighters Games, The Beyond
Gravity Games and the X-Games. He is the number one
freestyle motocross athlete in his native country Chile and
has been a permanent presence in the international media
since age 12. His brand endorsements include Oakley and
Wrangler with national television channels vying him to
serve as talk show host and sports commentator. The walls
inside his home are lined with Championship titles and
trophies and his international clout led to a two-week
engagement at Disneyland in California demonstrating aerial
stunts and tricks alongside fellow top freestyle athletes
Kenny Bartram and Mike Metzger.
Companies specializing in sport entertainment have the
opportunity through the filing of an O-1 petition to secure
athletes such as Javier Villegas who add their particular
flavor and thus highlight and intensify sports performances
at scheduled events. The O-1 is visa is initially granted
for a limited three-year period, in which the beneficiary
exclusively works for the sponsor unless the petitioner acts
as the athlete’s agent and as such draws up an itinerary of
all the scheduled events under each respective employer.
This visa can further serve as basis for an I-140 immigrant
alien petition. In general, the O-1 category is popular
within the sports world as it provides foreign talent in the
form of athletes, performers, and production staff. |
