Q-1 Visa, International Cultural Exchange Program in Charleston, SC

These programs are designed to provide practical training and employment and to share the history, culture, and traditions of foreign countries with the U.S. A participant must be at least 18 and able to communicate effectively about the cultural attributes of his/her country.

The U.S. employer must

1. demonstrate it has an approved international culture program,
2. demonstrate it has the financial ability to compensate the participants,
3. demonstrate it has a qualified employee to liaise with the USCIS,
4. demonstrate it will pay wages similar to those of a U.S. worker, and
5. Demonstrate that the program activities take place in a public setting.

The initial period of stay is for a maximum of 15 months, after which the participant has 30 days to depart, with a mandatory outside the U.S. requirement of 1 year. Unfortunately, there is no secondary visa for the spouse and minor unmarried children.

Submission Process

The application is processed using USCIS Form I-129, along with the required employer program documentation, employer qualifications, participant documentation, and appropriate filing fees.