International musicians who wish to perform in the United States can legally
do so by obtaining an O or a P visa in advance. The type of work visa
a musician must obtain usually depends on whether the musician will be
performing as an individual or as part of an international music group,
amongst other things.
An individual musician may apply for an O-1, P-2, or a P-3 Visa. The type
of work visa that the individual musician would apply for depends on the
individual and the nature of the work the individual will be engaging
in. An O-1 Visa is granted to an individual who possesses extraordinary
ability in the arts, a P-2 Visa is granted to an individual who is entering
to perform under a reciprocal exchange program, a P-3 Visa is granted
to an individual who is coming to be a part of a culturally unique program.
A music group should usually apply for a P-1 Visa. A P-1 Visa is a type
of nonimmigrant work visa which permits international recognized music
groups to perform in the United States. In addition,there are other work
visas available for music groups such as the H-2B and P-3 Visa.
If you are an international musician and you would like to inquire about
which work visa would be the best fit for you, please contact our office
for your free consultation. Our phone number is (562) 464-6934. We hope
to hear from you soon.