P-2 Visa

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P-2 Visa for a Participant in a Reciprocal Exchange Program

Are you an artist who wants to gain exposure in the U.S.? Alcorn Immigration Law can help determine whether you qualify for an exchange program that will enable you to come to the U.S. to show your work.

Artists or entertainers who will perform under an exchange program between a U.S. organization and one in another country are eligible to come temporarily to the U.S. on a P-2 visa. P-2 visas are also available to the artist or entertainer’s support staff.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a P-2 visa, the applicant must show:

  • The artist is coming to the U.S. through a government-recognized reciprocal exchange program.
  • The artist has talent and skills comparable to those U.S. artists and entertainers who participate in the exchange program outside the U.S.
  • If not the artist, that the individual is essential support personnel for the artist, and the work performed cannot be readily done by a U.S. worker.

Application Process

To apply for a P-2, the sponsoring U.S. labor organization or the U.S.-based employer of the artist must:

  • File Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) and pay the filing fee to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
  • Submit a statement from a labor organization describing the work to be performed in the U.S.
  • If the individual is a member of the artist’s support personnel, provide a statement describing the critical skills and experience with the group, and a copy of the contract with the artist.
  • Submit a statement from the sponsoring organization describing the reciprocal exchange of U.S. artists or entertainers.
  • Show that an appropriate labor organization in the U.S. negotiated or concurred with the exchange of the U.S. and foreign artists.
  • Provide a copy of the reciprocal exchange agreement between the sponsoring U.S. organization and the organization in the foreign country that will sponsor the U.S. artist or entertainer.
  • Show that the foreign artist and the U.S. artist subject to the exchange agreement have comparable skills and similar employment terms and conditions.
  • Provide a copy of the artist’s itinerary, including dates and locations, if more than one event or performance will occur.

Eligibility for Families

The spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 of P-1B visa holders may obtain a P-4 visa. P-4 visa holders cannot work, but may attend school or college.

We Can Help

At Alcorn Immigration Law, we help individuals and their families find the best solution to legally come to the U.S., whether temporarily or permanently, to pursue their dreams. If you have any questions, contact us.

MORE INFORMATION

  • Fees
    • $460 for Form I-129
  • Related Forms
  • Steps
    • Employer files Form I-129 and pays the filing fee.
    • After Form I-129 is approved, apply for a P-2 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate
    • Initial petition for time needed to complete event or performance up to 1 year.
    • Extension in increments of up to 1 year.
  • Immigrant Intent
    • None. At the airport, border, or other port of entry, you will need to satisfy the U.S. government officer that you have a residence in your home country and do not intend to abandon it. You must demonstrate that you are a nonimmigrant—that your visit to the U.S. will end after a specific amount of time.
  • Who Qualifies
    • Artists & Entertainers
  • Period of Stay
    • Initial Stay: Time needed to complete the event or performance not to exceed 1 year.
    • Extensions: Increments of up to 1 year.