P3 Visa (Artists and Entertainers)

The P-3 Visa is a non-immigrant permit for artists or entertainers/performers who wish to come to the U.S. with the purpose of participating, sharing, or developing any “culturally unique program”.

Culturally unique is defined as something that is exclusive to a particular country or group of people. This can include the following:

• A presentation or performance that is traditionally ethnic
• A folk, cultural, musical, theatrical, or artistic performance or presentation

These programs can be either of a commercial or noncommercial nature but they must promote the understanding or development of the traditional art form. This is not limited to traditional art forms but also performances that are a fusion of various cultures and styles.

This visa is also available for foreign nationals coming to the U.S. to teach or coach. Support personnel to a P3 holder can apply as well, as long as they can demonstrate their role within the cultural project.

This permit is not available for professionals working in the sports industry. If this is your case, you should submit a P1 Visa application. Filmmakers and other artists engaged in informative activities should apply for a foreign media visa.

To be eligible for a P-3 visa, you must intend to enter the U.S. either individually or as a group to represent or teach your art. To meet the P3 Visa requirements, the applicant must:

• Take part in a cultural event aimed at developing his or her art form
• Be employed in a commercial or noncommercial program cultural program
• Intend to leave the U.S. when your authorized stay expires
• Develop, interpret, coach, or represent a “culturally unique program”

The P3 Visa application process begins when a U.S.-based sponsoring organization files your petition, Form I-129 (Petition for a Non-Immigrant Worker) along with supporting documentation.

Once Form I-129 is approved, the artists or entertainers will then need to complete and submit Form DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form). This form can be submitted online and will ask the applicant a series of questions regarding their background and reasons for coming to the United States. After the online form is completed, the applicants will be shown a confirmation page. It is important to print out this confirmation page as it will later need to be submitted as part of the visa application.

In addition to Form DS-160, applicants will also be asked to pay a processing fee for the P3 visa as well as schedule and attend a visa interview at their nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. After the interview, the applicants will receive a decision regarding the approval of the P-3 visa.

If approved applicants will be granted a P-3 visa and can then travel to the United States. If the visa is denied, the applicants will be given a letter stating the reasons for the denial and their options for either re-submission or appeal (if applicable).

The U.S. sponsor will need to provide the following documents while filing Form I-129 for a P-3 visa:

• A written consultation from an appropriate labor organization
• A copy of the contract between you and your sponsoring organization
• An explanation of the event and its itinerary
• Any proof that your performance is culturally unique. This can be reviews published in media or affidavits, testimonials, or letters from recognized experts attesting the cultural uniqueness of the performance or presentation
• Any documents or evidence proving that the performances or presentations will be culturally unique events

It may take 2 to 8 weeks to process your P3 Visa application. Once your petition is approved, you will receive a notification from the USCIS informing you that you are now ready to schedule your interview.

If you are in a hurry, you and your sponsor can apply for a P3 Visa premium processing time by filing I-907 (Request for Premium Processing Service). For an additional fee of $2,500, the USCIS can guarantee a prompt decision on your petition within 15 calendar days.

If the USCIS is unable to further your application, your premium processing fee will be refunded.

If a P3 artist or entertainer would like to sponsor support staff to travel with them to the United States, they will need to file a separate Form I-129 and submit the following documents:

• A written consultation from an appropriate labor organization
• A written statement describing the support person’s prior and current essential duties, critical skills, and experience with the P-3 artist or entertainer
• A copy of the written contract between the employer and the support person

The evidence should prove that only this individual has the critical skills and knowledge to perform the essential support services for the artist or entertainer and furthermore that they can not be replaced by a U.S. worker.

P-3 visas are valid for an initial period of up to a year. They are usually issued for the period of time it takes to complete the program or events. If the artist or entertainer’s performance requires more than a year to complete, the P-3 visa may be extended for another 12 months.

When applying for a P-3 visa, the U.S. sponsor will be responsible for paying $460 for the Form I-129 filing fee. Once the I-129 Form has been approved, the applicants will be responsible for the following fees:

• P-3 filing fee: $190
• Biometric service fees (if applicable): $85
• Costs of certified translations (if applicable): costs will vary
• Visa issuance fees (if applicable): costs will vary