I thought I had seen it all. Obviously not.

It turns out that if you are really good at eating lots of food under strict time constraints in front of cheering fans, you may be eligible for an 0-1 Visa.  As mentioned in previous blogs, 0-1 visas are US work visas reserved for persons of “extraordinary ability” in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. I guess competitive eating falls under  the athletic category.

As it turns out, there is a professional eating organization for the best eaters on the planet called Major League Eating (MLE). The MLE apparently is big business having organized 85 eating meets with hundreds of thousands in prizes.

Well it seems that the USCIS has given the MLE and its eating-athletes its 0-1 blessing. Takeru Kobayashi was one such eater who was given the permission to work in the US under the 0-1 category. Now, the vast majority of 0-1 applicants are more traditional stars such as hockey players, performers or scientists.

But the  Kobayashi case illustrates that when it comes to the 0-1 visa category, the sky is the limit apparently. Bottom line: if you have a special talent, however unconventional,  you may be eligible for an 0-1 visa. Happy eating!

Dear Mary,

I thought I’d drop you a note.

Those Homeland Security people can be pretty tough.

I arrived at the Toronto Airport for my US Work Permit application 6:30am and found a list outside. I wrote my name in and noticed well more than a dozen names above mine starting at 5:00 am.

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Working  and living in the US is a dream for many people. We receive inquires from people wishing to live and work in the US on a regular basis. In most cases, in order to work in the US, you need a US Work Permit which requires a US job offer from a employer in the US. US Work Permits such as H-1B Visas, TN Visas and O-1 Visas  for example all require US job offers. However, in some cases, a US Work Permit can be obtained by starting your own business. An E2 Visa may be most appropriate in this case. Or if you are being transfered from your existing business or company located outside the US to a new or existing US office, then an L1 Visa may be necessary.

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I met with a client this week that had spoken to a number of other lawyers with respect to his working in the United States. I will call this person by a fictitious name “Al.” Al was happy to hear a suggestion with respect to his case scenario. Al had done film work in Canada, and was recently given an offer in the United States for an upcoming film. Getting a US Work Permit was the stumbling block to his starting with the film.

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