A sports team can file petition for its foreign athlete and for a P-1 visa to be granted to the team it must have achieved "international recognition" in the SPORT. An athlete who will come to the United States to compete in individual events rather than as a team must show that he or she is internationally recognized. United States CITIZENSHIP and Immigration Services (USCIS) has defined "international recognition" as a "having a high LEVEL of achievement in a field evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition substantially above that ordinarily encountered, to the extent that such achievement is RENOWNED, leading, or well-known in more than one country." 

The event the athlete is coming to the United States to participate in must have a distinguished reputation and must require the PARTICIPATION of athletes and teams of international recognition. The definition is similar to that of O-1B "extraordinary ability," but somewhat more stringent. The reputation of the group, not the individual achievements of its members nor the acclaim of a particular production, is paramount.

A sports team can file petition for its foreign athlete and for a P-1 visa to be granted to the team it must have achieved "international recognition" in the sport. An athlete who will come to the United States to compete in individual events rather than as a team must show that he or she is internationally recognized. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has defined "international recognition" as a "having a high level of achievement in a field evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition substantially above that ordinarily encountered, to the extent that such achievement is renowned, leading, or well-known in more than one country." 

The event the athlete is coming to the United States to participate in must have a distinguished reputation and must require the participation of athletes and teams of international recognition. The definition is similar to that of O-1B "extraordinary ability," but somewhat more stringent. The reputation of the group, not the individual achievements of its members nor the acclaim of a particular production, is paramount.