On September 17, 2025, the U.S. Department of State introduced major revisions to the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) that significantly alter how B-1 Visitor Visas are applied to athletes and sports professionals. These updates affect athletes who compete in the U.S. for prize money, support staff traveling with teams, and amateur athletes attending professional tryouts.
While some of the changes expand opportunities for certain groups, others impose new restrictions that could make cross-border competition and training far more complicated for many Canadians.
1. Stricter Rules for Prize-Money Athletes
Under the new guidance, professional athletes seeking to enter the U.S. on a B-1 visa must now demonstrate all of the following:
- Their principal place of business or activity is abroad;
- Their salary or income principally accrues abroad;
- If competing as part of a team, in an international league, or if the sport has a clear international dimension.
What This Means for Canadian Athletes
This is a significant shift. Many Canadian athletes, particularly those in individual sports like track and field, swimming, tennis, golf, gymnastics, or auto racing, often train at U.S. facilities while competing in prize-money events. Under the new rules, this arrangement could disqualify them from B-1 eligibility if their training base or earnings are primarily U.S.-based.
For example:
- A Canadian runner training in Oregon or a golfer working with a Florida-based coach might struggle to show that their “principal place of business” remains in Canada.
- Prize money earned in the U.S. may no longer qualify as foreign income, even if no other salary is paid.
As a result, many athletes may now need to apply for O-1 or P-1 visas, both of which require a U.S. sponsor, involve longer processing times, and come with higher costs.
Key Takeaway
Canadian athletes without substantial foreign-based income or club affiliations may face B-1 visa denials and be forced to pursue more complex work visa routes to compete in U.S. events.
2. Expanded Access for Coaches and Support Staff
There’s good news for coaches, trainers, team doctors, and analysts supporting non-U.S.-based athletes or teams. The new FAM language now explicitly recognizes their eligibility for B-1 visas, something that was previously only informally accepted. To qualify, support personnel must:
- Work with an athlete or team whose principal base is outside the U.S.;
- Perform similar duties abroad for that same athlete or team;
- Earn income that principally accrues abroad.
Why This Helps Canadians
For Canadian-based professional teams, especially those in cross-border leagues like the NHL, MLB, and MLS, this clarification brings much-needed consistency. Support staff can now travel to U.S. events without ambiguity about their eligibility. However, applicants should still be prepared to prove that their role is “necessary” for the athlete or team’s performance. This could mean providing detailed letters from the team outlining duties, proof of foreign salary, or evidence of prior service abroad.
3. Amateur Tryouts: Opportunities Beyond Hockey
Previously, B-1 eligibility for amateur tryouts applied only to hockey players under specific agreements with NHL teams. The updated FAM now extends this to all sports, allowing any amateur athlete to attend a professional tryout in the U.S., provided they receive no compensation other than incidental expenses (e.g., airfare, meals, lodging).
What Canadians Should Know
This expansion opens the door for athletes in baseball, basketball, soccer, and other sports to attend U.S. tryouts without requiring a work visa. However:
- Once an athlete signs a professional contract, a P-1 (athlete) or O-1 (extraordinary ability) visa is required before they can compete or be paid.
- Teams and athletes should plan ahead for potential processing delays, especially if the athlete is traveling on ESTA or a Visitor Visa that doesn’t allow status changes within the U.S.
4. Other Important Updates
Referees and Officials
Referees, judges, and other technical officials now clearly qualify for B-1 status when working at international competitions in the U.S., provided they are paid from abroad.
Visa Validity and Reciprocity
Recent updates to visa reciprocity tables mean that B-1, O-1, and P-1 visas may now have shorter validity periods for citizens of certain countries. While Canadian athletes are largely unaffected, competitors from other nations training in Canada could face increased logistical hurdles entering the U.S.
5. What Canadian Athletes and Teams Should Do Now
- Review Training and Income Sources: Ensure that athletes relying on the B-1 category can clearly demonstrate that their business and compensation are primarily based in Canada or abroad.
- Plan for Alternative Visa Options: Teams and athletes who may not meet the new criteria should explore P-1 (Athlete) or O-1 (Extraordinary Ability) visas early in the season.
- Update Support Documentation: All invitation or support letters for athletes and staff should use current FAM language and highlight foreign ties, income sources, and the “necessity” of each role.
- Build in Processing Time: With longer visa processing times and potential in-person appointments required in Canada, early planning is essential, especially for competitions in early 2026.
Conclusion
The September 2025 updates to the U.S. Foreign Affairs Manual bring both clarity and constraint. While the revisions formalize visa options for Canadian-based support staff and expand opportunities for amateur athletes, they also narrow the path for professionals who have relied on the B-1 category for prize-money competitions and training in the United States.
Canadian athletes and teams should work closely with experienced U.S. immigration counsel to evaluate their eligibility and strategy before upcoming competitions, tryouts, or training programs south of the border.
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JEREMY L. RICHARDS is the founding partner of Richards and Jurusik and has dedicated his career to U.S. immigration law, with a specialized focus on assisting Canadian and Mexican citizens under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to work and live in the United States. (Full Bio)
