Artists and athletes are essential to healthy cultural exchange. The global community benefits greatly from the work of each country's greatest thinkers and performers. P-2 Visas are issued to troupes or bands entering the U.S. as part of an exchange program.

Either the U.S. labor group that negotiated the exchange agreement, the sponsoring organization or the U.S. employer must file the petition. P-2 applicants may be asked to provide the following:

• "A written consultation by an appropriate labor organization" (USCIS).
  
  
• "A copy of the formal reciprocal exchange agreement between the U.S. organization(s) sponsoring the alien and the organization(s) in a foreign country which will receive the U.S. artist or entertainer" (USCIS).
  
  
• A letter from the sponsoring organization describing the exchange which is to take place.
  
  
• Proof that the nonimmigrant visa petitioner and the U.S. artist or entertainer have "comparable skills and that the terms and conditions of employment are similar" (USCIS).
  
  
• Proof of the agreement between the organizations involved in the exchange.