(ii) is coming to the United States temporarily and only to per-
form as such an artist or entertainer or with that group under a
reciprocal exchange program between an organization in the
United States and an organization in a foreign country that pro-
vides for the temporary exchange of artists and entertainers; or
(D)(i) performs as an artist or entertainer, individually or as a
member of a group, or is an integral part of the performance of
that group; and
(ii) is coming to the United States temporarily and only to per-
form, teach, or coach as such an artist or entertainer or with that
group under a commercial or non-commercial program that is cul-
turally unique; or
(2) is the spouse or child of an alien described in clause (1) of this
section if accompanying or following to join the alien.
(b) PERIOD OF ADMISSION.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of
this subsection, an alien classified as a nonimmigrant under this section
may be admitted for the period the Attorney General specifies in order to
provide for any competition, event, or performance for which the non-
immigrant is admitted.
(2) An alien classified as a nonimmigrant under this section and admitted
as an individual athlete may be admitted for an initial period of not more
than 5 years during which the nonimmigrant will perform as an athlete. The
Attorney General may extend that period for an additional period of not
more than 5 years.
(c) PETITIONS.—(1) Any person may file a petition with the Attorney
General for an alien described in subsection (a) of this section.
(2) An employer intending to bring to the United States an alien de-
scribed in subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B) of this section must file a petition
with the Attorney General. The petition filed under this paragraph must be
in the form and contain the information the Attorney General prescribes.
Before approving a petition, the Attorney General shall consult with the
heads of appropriate agencies. The Attorney General must approve the peti-
tion before a visa may be issued to the alien. Approval of the petition does
not establish by itself that the alien is a nonimmigrant.
(3) If a petition is filed and denied under this subsection, the Attorney
General shall notify the petitioner of the decision and the reasons for the
denial and the way in which the petitioner may appeal the decision.
(d) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENTS.—The Attorney General may approve
a petition under subsection (c) of this section only after the petitioner satis-
fies the consultation requirements of section 2353 of this title.
§ 2320. Participants in international exchange programs
An alien is classifiable as a nonimmigrant under this section if the
alien—
(1) has a residence in a foreign country that the alien has no inten-
tion of abandoning;
(2) is coming to the United States for a period of not more than
15 months to participate in an international cultural exchange program
approved by the Attorney General that provides practical training, em-
ployment, and the sharing of history, culture, and traditions of the for-
eign country of the alien’s nationality; and
(3) will be employed for the same wages and under the same working
conditions as United States workers.
§ 2321. Aliens in religious occupations
An alien is classifiable as a nonimmigrant under this section if the
alien—
(1)(A) for the 2 years immediately before the alien’s application for
admission, has been a member of a religious denomination that has a
bona fide nonprofit religious organization in the United States; and
(B) is coming to the United States for a period of not more than
5 years to perform work described in section 134(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I), (II),
or (III) of this title; or
(2) is the spouse or child of an alien described in clause (1) of this
section if accompanying or following to join the alien.
§ 2322. Participants in cooperative research, development,
and coproduction projects
(a) GENERAL.—On a reciprocal basis, an alien is classifiable as a non-
immigrant under this section if the alien—
(1)(A) has a residence in a foreign country that the alien has no in-
tention of abandoning; and
(B) is coming to the United States for not more than 10 years to
provide services of an exceptional nature requiring merit and ability re-
lated to a cooperative research and development project or a
coproduction project provided under a government-to-government
agreement carried out by the Secretary of Defense; or
(2) is the spouse or child of an alien described in clause (1) of this
section if accompanying or following to join the alien.
(b) NUMERICAL LIMITATION.—Not more than 100 aliens classified as
nonimmigrants under this section may be admitted as, or given the status
of, a nonimmigrant classified under this section at any time.