Complete Guide to the P2 Visa

The P-2 visa is reserved for a certain group of artists and entertainers who come into the United States as part of reciprocal exchange programs. But not all artists are eligible for it. If you want to know whether or not the P-2 visa is right for you, then you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about P-2 visas.

What is a P-2 Visa?

The P-2 visa is among the many artist and entertainer visas offered by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These types of visas are provided to both individual artists and groups who want to take part in a reciprocal exchange program organized jointly by the organizations of the United States and other countries.

Differences Between P1, P2, and P3 Visa

The US visa program is diverse. This is because there are so many categories of people, both immigrants, and nonimmigrants, coming into the United States every year.

For example, take the category of artists, entertainers, and athletes. They are granted P-visas, which is further sub-divided into P-1, P-2, and P-3 visas. If you’re applying for a P-type visa, then you need to understand the difference between the three.

P-1 Visa

P-1 visas are granted to internationally-recognized artists or athletes who will be coming into the United States for performing at an event. For this, they have to meet the basic standard of recognition, as mentioned by the USCIS.

P-2 Visa

P-2 visas are provided to those who are not recognized internationally, but who will be performing in the US either as an individual or as part of a group. They must be part of a reciprocal exchange program which should include at least one US-based organization.

P-3 Visa

P-3 visas are reserved for those artists with a specialized skillset in a particular discipline. They can come into the US to develop, teach, represent, or coach their work in the US.

There’s also something called a P-4 Visa. This is granted to the spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 of the P-visa holders.

Support personnel who are associated with the P-2 artists and entertainers are eligible for the P-2S visa.

When applying for a P-type visa, you need to keep in mind that you might also be eligible for O or B-type visas. O-1 visas are provided to those who hold extraordinary talent and recognition in their respective field. For an actor, the eligibility criteria might be “Academy Awards.” Similarly, B-1 visas are offered to artists and entertainers coming into the United States for competing or participating in an event.

Who Qualifies For A P2 Visa?

P2 visas are meant for artists, entertainers, or athletes coming into the United States to give their performance. But as already mentioned, not all artists are eligible for the P-2 visa.

• To be eligible, the main requirement is you (and your group) must be part of an exchange program that is organized by two or more organizations. Of the organizations, at least one of them has to be a US-based entity.
• The exchange program must be part of the Reciprocal Exchange Agreement. As of April 7, 2020, the USCIS has approved five agreements.
• All P-2 visa applicants must demonstrate that they possess equal, if not more, skill set levels to their American counterparts who will be performing overseas.

These are the basic requirements. Based on your domain, there might be more eligibility criteria to meet.

Limitation and Privileges for a P2 Visa

When you’re awarded a P-2 visa, the privileges you’re entitled to are:

• You can work/perform for multiple companies and earn money (either salary or prize money)
• You can change your employer
• You can bring your family members with you via P4 visa program
•  Engage in part-time study
• There are no travel restrictions as long as your status is valid
• You can extend your initial period of stay for up to one year

Compared to O, B-1, P-1, and P-3, the limitations of the P-2 visas are:

• You must show the required level of competence in your respective field
• Your program must be reciprocal
• You can work for more than one employer at a time, but they must each file the Form I-129 separately
• Your dependents (if coming with you) cannot work in the US
• Period of stay is one year as opposed to 6 to 10 years for the P-1 visa

Required Documents for P2 Visa

The application process starts with your employer. He must provide necessary and sufficient documents to the USCIS. The documents asked for will be:

• A completed Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker
• Written consultation form from a recognized labor organization.
• Copies of a formal reciprocal exchange agreement between the organizations, both the United States and abroad
• Statements copies from the organizations explicitly describing the roles and responsibilities of the artists and entertainers relating to the petition.
• Evidence suggesting that foreign artists and entertainers possess the same skill set when compared to US performers.
• Evidence suggesting that a labor organization or union was involved in the negotiation process (or at least concurred with) of the reciprocal exchange program and the artists involved in it.
• An itinerary covering the locations where the events will take place if it’s planned to be conducted across multiple locations.

How to Apply for a P2 Visa

Your employer will file the P2 visa petition at the appropriate USCIS office in the United States. Once it is approved, you, as a performer, need to visit the US Consulate in your country and apply in-person.

You need to make an appointment with the Consulate. Alternatively, your employer might have set it up for you, and you need to attend.

Either way, you need to provide the following documents:

• Form I-797, Notice of Action (this is provided by your employer)
• DS-160, Nonimmigrant Visa Application
• Copies of your passport and your passport should be valid at least 6 months beyond your stay in the United States that is mentioned in the agreement.
• Passport-sized photographs that meet the specifications requested by the USCIS.
• Letter from your US-based employer that should contain your position, duties, and a statement affirming that you possess skills relevant and essential for the job to be performed.

If you intend to bring in your family members with you, you must file the P-4 visa classification after requesting relevant documents from your employer.

P2 Visa Cost and Processing Time

The cost of a P2 visa varies from country to country. For Canadian artists, for example, the current fees are $320.

The visas must be applied for a minimum of 120 days in advance. If it is expedited processing, the charges are $1000 extra. The estimated time frame for expedited processing of the P-2 visa is 30 days.

Conclusion

P-2 visas are an excellent way for foreign artists to showcase their talent in the United States. Plus, there’s also a possibility of changing your status to permanent resident and then to a US citizen. Although most of the things will be taken care of by your employer, you, as an artist, should be aware of the processes end to end.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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