P-3 Visa

The P-3 visa is a nonimmigrant visa which allows “culturally unique” artists and entertainers to travel to the U.S. for temporary positions as performers, teachers, or coaches.

  •  P-3 work visa allows you to stay in the U.S. for a time period to complete the performance or task for which you are allowed, but may not surpass one year.
  •  P-3 holders are allowed an additional stay of 12-month increments based on following Form I-129 petitions filed by employers.

Education is paramount to the exchange of ideas and beliefs between nations. The P-3 visa is a nonimmigrant visa which allows “culturally unique” artists and entertainers to travel to the U.S. for temporary positions as performers, teachers, or coaches. P-3 work visa allows you to stay in the U.S. for a time period to complete the performance or task for which you are allowed, but may not for surpass one year. P-3 holders allowed an additional stay of 12-month increments based on following Form I-129 petitions filed by employers. Applicants can renew the P-3 visa status without any departure from the country.

Eligibility

For a P-3 visa you are required to prove that:

  • Your purpose coming to the U.S. as an individual or as a group may include coaching or teaching, developing, interpreting, representing, a unique or traditional ethnic, folk, cultural, theatrical, musical, or artistic performance.
  • Your participation must cover cultural event or events which will further the understanding or development of your art form. The event may be commercial or non-commercial.
  • You perform vital support services for a P-3 artist or entertainer, which cannot be performed by U.S. workers.
  • You have achieved national or international acknowledgement or acclaim in the culturally unique program you shall perform.
  • In addition, the applicant must be sponsored by a U.S. employer, organization, or agent for their participation in the event/s in the U.S.

Application Procedure

Your U.S. employer or sponsoring organization must submit Form I-129, Petition for a Non-Immigrant Worker. A petitioner as an agent, who will be filing the petition for multiple employers must be properly authorized to act as an agent. See the memorandum “Requirements for Agents and Sponsors Filing as Petitioners for the O and P Visa Classifications.”

Documentation

Either the sponsoring organization or the U.S. employer must file the P-3 visa application. P-3 applicants may be asked to provide the following:

  • A letter from the labor organization.
  • Letters regarding the culturally unique individual’s skills and talents in his or her field.
  • Articles and reviews in respected newspapers, journals, and magazines that prove that the event will be culturally unique.
  • Proof that “all of the performances or presentations will be culturally unique events” (USCIS).
  • A copy of the contract between the petitioner and the beneficiary or the summary of the terms of an oral agreement between the petitioner and the beneficiary (USCIS).
  • Documentation that all of the performances or presentations will be culturally unique events (USCIS).
  • Affidavits, testimonials, or letters from recognized experts attesting to the authenticity of your or your group’s skills in performing, presenting, coaching, or teaching the unique and traditional art forms and giving the credentials of the expert including the basis of his or her knowledge of your or your group’s skills; OR documentation that you or your group’s performance is culturally unique as evidenced by reviews in newspapers, journals or other published materials (USCIS).

Note: If the performance happens in different areas, an outline must be presented including dates and locations of the events.

Family Status

Your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may obtain P-4 status. Your dependents may not engage in employment but may attend school or college (USCIS).

Personnel Support

Essential personnel support with an entire part of the performance of a P- 3 artist or entertainer and who perform support services that cannot be readily performed by a U.S. worker are eligible for P-3 classification. Personnel support may include coaches, trainers, scouts, and other team officials, and referees.
The U.S. employer must file a separate Form I-129 for personnel support. The petition must include the following documents:

  • A written consultation from an appropriate labor organization.
  • A statement describing the support person’s prior and current essentially, critical skills and experience with the P-3 artist or entertainer (USCIS).
  • A copy of a written contract between the employer and the support person or a summary of the terms of the oral agreement under which the support person will be employed (USCIS).

Source of Information: www.uscis.gov