P-2 Visa – “Individual Performer or Part of a Group Entering to Perform Under a Reciprocal Exchange Program”
The P-2 Visa is reserved for those individuals who are coming temporarily to the United States to perform as an artist or entertainer, individually or as part of a group, who will perform as part of a shared exchange program between a US organization and an organization in another country.
In order to be eligible for a P-2 Visa, you need to be a participant in an official give and take exchange program between a foreign country and the US. In addition, the performer should demonstrate similar abilities to a US performer who is participating in the program aboard.
To apply for a P-2 Visa, you must submit the following:
- Completed Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker;
- Written consultation by an appropriate labor organization;
- Copy of the formal reciprocal exchange agreement between the sponsoring U.S. organization(s) and the organization(s) in a foreign country which will receive the United States artist or entertainer;
- Statement from the sponsoring organization describing the reciprocal exchange of United States artists or entertainers as it relates to the specific petition for which classification is sought;
- Evidence that you and the U.S. artist or entertainer subject to the reciprocal exchange agreement are artists with comparable skills and that the terms and conditions of employment are similar;
- Evidence that an appropriate labor organization in the United States was involved in negotiating, or has concurred with, the reciprocal exchange of U.S. and foreign artists or entertainers.
Note: If the events or performances will take place in multiple areas, an itinerary must be submitted. The itinerary must list the dates and locations of the events.