United States•North America3-6 months
6,105 USD
1 year
Yes
Required
Allowed
No
Not Required
Artist or entertainer in the U.S. under a reciprocal exchange program between U.S. and foreign organizations.
The P-2 is a US nonimmigrant visa for artists and entertainers in formal reciprocal exchange programs between a US organization and a foreign counterpart. It does not require extraordinary ability — the foreign performer's skills need only be comparable to those of the US artists in the reciprocal part of the program.
Stay is up to 1 year, renewable in 1-year increments. Dependents travel on P-4 status; spouses may not work independently. Work auth is limited to the petitioning employer and approved exchange engagements. The US sponsor files the petition; a US labor organization must have negotiated or concurred with the exchange.
This visa is ideal for performers — musicians, dancers, and theater artists — already embedded in a union-sponsored reciprocal exchange with a US organization.
I-129 base fee (standard employer, >25 FTE) | 1,015 USD |
Asylum Program Fee (standard employer) | 600 USD |
I-129 base fee (small employer, ≤25 FTE) | 510 USD |
Asylum Program Fee (small employer) | 300 USD |
I-129 base fee (nonprofit/501(c)(3)) | 510 USD |
Asylum Program Fee (nonprofit) | 0 USD |
MRV consular visa application fee | 205 USD |
Premium processing (I-907) | 2,965 USD |
| Standard | 3 months – 6 months |
| Premium Processing (I-907) | 3 weeks |
| Initial grant | 1 year |
Must perform as an artist or entertainer individually or as part of a group
A formal reciprocal exchange program must exist between a US organization and a foreign organization
Skills must be comparable to those of the US artists participating in the reciprocal portion of the program
Terms of employment must be similar (length, number of artists, etc.) to the exchange terms
Exchange must be between organizations of comparable caliber
An appropriate US labor organization must have been involved in negotiating, or must concur with, the exchange
Petition must be filed by a US employer or US sponsoring labor organization (no self-petition)
Job Offer
Required
Education
none or higher
Form I-129 with completed P Classification Supplement
Copy of the formal reciprocal exchange agreement between the US and foreign organizations
Statement from sponsoring organization describing the reciprocal agreement
Evidence that beneficiary and US artists/groups have comparable skills and similar employment terms
Written concurrence or evidence of involvement by an appropriate US labor organization
Performance itinerary listing dates and locations (if multiple venues)
Evidence of prior and current skills/experience (portfolio, credits, reviews, contracts)
Valid passport (for consular stage)
DS-160 confirmation page and MRV fee receipt (for consular stage)
I-797 approval notice (for consular stage)
| I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker | Fill online |
| I-907 Request for Premium Processing Service | Fill online |
| DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application | Fill online |
| Application Steps | US employer or sponsoring labor organization files Form I-129 (with P Supplement) with USCIS; Option… | uscis.gov |
| Dependent Visa | P-4 | uscis.gov |
| Fee Breakdown | I-129 base fee (standard employer, >25 FTE): 1015 USD; Asylum Program Fee (standard employer): 600 U… | uscis.gov |
| Fees | Form I-129 base filing fee ($1,015 standard / $510 small employer/nonprofit) + Asylum Program Fee ($… | uscis.gov |
| Forms | Form I-129 — Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (with P Classification Supplement); Form I-907 — Req… | uscis.gov |
| Forms · DS-160 · description | Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application | travel.state.gov |
| Forms · I-129 · description | Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker | uscis.gov |
| Forms · I-907 · description | Request for Premium Processing Service | uscis.gov |
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