P visa

The P visa is a United States nonimmigrant visa category for individuals who are athletes, entertainers, and essential support personnel coming to the U.S. temporarily to perform at a specific athletic competition, entertainment event, or performance. The P visa category is further divided into several subcategories, each with specific requirements and eligibility criteria:

P-1A: Internationally Recognized Athletes: This visa is for individual athletes, or members of an athletic team, who are internationally recognized. The athlete or team must be coming to the U.S. to participate in a specific athletic competition. Substantial documentation of international recognition is required, including evidence of significant participation in prior seasons, rankings, awards, and media recognition.

P-1B: Internationally Recognized Entertainment Groups: This visa is for members of an entertainment group that has been recognized internationally as outstanding in the discipline for a sustained and substantial period of time. At least 75 percent of the members of the group must have been performing regularly with the group for at least one year. Individual entertainers cannot self-petition under the P-1B category; they must be part of a group. Waivers to the one-year requirement may be available in certain circumstances, such as for circus personnel or due to unforeseen circumstances.

P-2: Artists or Entertainers in a Reciprocal Exchange Program: This visa is for individual artists or entertainers, or members of a group, who will perform under a reciprocal exchange program between an organization in the United States and an organization in another country. The exchange must be for the temporary interchange of artists or entertainers.

P-3: Culturally Unique Artists or Entertainers: This visa is for artists or entertainers who come to the U.S. to perform, teach, or coach as part of a culturally unique program. The purpose of the performance must be to develop or present the unique art form.

P-4: Essential Support Personnel: This visa is for essential support personnel who are an integral part of the performance of a P-1, P-2, or P-3 artist, athlete, or group. These individuals must possess critical skills and knowledge of the specific performance that are not general in nature and cannot be readily performed by U.S. workers.

Petition Process: A U.S. employer, agent, or sponsor must file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of the foreign national. The petition must be accompanied by extensive documentation demonstrating the qualifications and recognition of the athlete, entertainer, or group, as well as evidence of the specific event or performance in the U.S.

Consultation Requirement: For P-1A and P-1B visas, USCIS generally requires a consultation with a peer group, labor organization, or management organization in the relevant field. The consultation provides an expert opinion on the nature of the event or performance and the qualifications of the beneficiary.

Visa Validity and Extensions: The validity period of the P visa depends on the specific category and the duration of the event or performance. Extensions of stay may be possible in certain circumstances.

Family Members: Spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 of P visa holders may be eligible for P-4 dependent visas. P-4 visa holders are not authorized to work in the United States but may attend school.