NonimmigrantCultural exchangeEmployer petition15-month maximumNo dependents category

Q-1 International Cultural Exchange Visitor

For people 18 and older who work or train in an employer’s cultural exchange program, sharing their home country’s history, culture and traditions with the public, for up to 15 months.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 2026Sources: USCIS · eCFRReport an error

At a glance

Maximum stay: Length of the program or 15 months, whichever is shorter
Minimum age: 18 at the time of filing
After a Q-1 stay: 1 year outside the U.S. before another Q-1
Petition: Form I-129 with Q-1 supplement; up to 25 participants
Wages: Comparable to local domestic workers
Dependents: No derivative category

The culture must be the core of the job. The program must take place where the public is exposed to the culture, such as a school, museum or business. The cultural component must be an essential part of the work. The work cannot be separate from it (8 CFR 214.2(q)(3)).

Overview

The Q-1 classification is for participants in an international cultural exchange program approved by USCIS. The program provides practical training and employment and shares the history, culture and traditions of the participant’s country of nationality (USCIS). The program takes place in a school, museum, business or other setting open to the public, and the job itself is the vehicle for sharing the culture.

A qualified employer files a single Form I-129 that asks for both approval of the program and Q-1 classification for up to 25 named participants. The employer must be actively doing business in the U.S., name a qualified employee to run the program, pay wages and offer working conditions comparable to local workers, and show it can pay.

Admission lasts for the program or 15 months, whichever is shorter. Participants then have 30 days to make travel arrangements. A participant who has spent 15 months in Q-1 status must live and be physically present outside the U.S. for the immediately preceding year before returning in Q-1 status.

Who qualifies

The participant must

Be at least 18 when the petition is filed
Be qualified for the work or training described
Be able to communicate effectively about the culture of their country of nationality
Have a foreign residence they do not intend to abandon
If previously in Q-1 status, have lived and been physically present outside the U.S. for the immediately preceding year

The program must

Be accessible to the public: held in a school, museum, business or similar place, not a private home or isolated business setting
Have a structured cultural component that explains the attitudes, customs, history, heritage, philosophy or traditions of the participant’s country
Have a work component that serves as the vehicle for the cultural component

Duration & extensions

Admission	Length of the approved program or 15 months, whichever is shorter (8 CFR 214.2(q)(2))
Departure period	Petition validity includes 30 extra days for travel arrangements
Changing employers	New employer must file; total Q-1 time stays capped at 15 months
Returning in Q-1	Only after 1 year of residence and physical presence abroad
Extensions beyond 15 months	Not available

Fees

Amounts are from the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055, edition 10/01/26).

Fee	Amount	Who pays	Notes
Form I-129 (Q petition, up to 25 beneficiaries)	$1,015	Employer	Small employers and nonprofits pay $510.
Asylum Program Fee	$600	Employer	$300 for small employers; $0 for nonprofits.
Premium processing (optional)	$2,965	Employer	Q-1 is premium-eligible.
Visa application fee (Q)	$205	Participant	Petition-based category; a reciprocity fee may apply.

Public Law 119-21 (signed July 4, 2025), section 100007, requires a non-waivable Visa Integrity Fee of at least $250 when a nonimmigrant visa is issued. As of October 1, 2026, the State Department’s fee schedule (22 CFR 22.1) does not list it, and DHS said on July 22, 2025 that it “will be implemented in a future publication.”

Processing time

Premium processing: 15 business days; Q-1 is on the USCIS list of premium-eligible I-129 classifications.

Regular processing times vary; check USCIS processing times. After approval, participants apply for a visa at the consulate named in the petition. Visa-exempt participants apply at the port of entry named in the petition.

Application steps

1
Design the program
Set up a public-facing program in which the work itself presents the participants’ national culture.
2
File Form I-129
File the petition with the Q-1 supplement for up to 25 named participants. Include evidence of the program, the designated representative, wages and ability to pay.
3
Receive approval
USCIS notifies the employer and the consulates (or ports of entry) named in the petition.
4
Apply for the visa
Each participant files a DS-160, pays the $205 fee and interviews at the consulate.
5
Participate and depart
Participants work in the program for up to 15 months and leave within the 30 days built into the petition.

Required documents

From the employer

Description of the cultural exchange program, including its cultural and work components
Designation of the employee who will administer the program
Evidence of doing business in the U.S. and the ability to pay
Wage certification and each participant’s date of birth, nationality, education, position title and duties

From the participant

Passport, DS-160 confirmation and fee receipt
Evidence of qualifications and the ability to share the home culture

Dependents & family

Q-1 has no category for a spouse or children (USCIS). Family members need their own visa, such as a B-2 for a visit, if they qualify.

Path to a green card

Q-1 requires a foreign residence the participant does not intend to abandon, so it is not a route to a green card.

Anyone seeking permanent residence later needs a separate immigrant petition and must meet its requirements on their own.

J-1

Exchange visitor

State Department exchange programs, including trainees and interns.

H-3

Trainee

Training not available in the home country.

P-3

Culturally unique artist

Performers of culturally unique art.

H-2B

Seasonal non-agricultural worker

Seasonal jobs without a cultural component.

Common questions

How long can a Q-1 participant stay?

For the length of the approved program or 15 months, whichever is shorter, plus a 30-day departure allowance. Q-1 cannot be extended past 15 months.

Can a Q-1 participant come back?

Yes, but only after living and being physically present outside the U.S. for the immediately preceding year. Brief visits during that year do not break it.

Can family members come on Q-1?

No. There is no dependent classification for spouses or children of Q-1 participants.

Does the Q-1 participant get paid?

Yes. The employer must offer wages and working conditions comparable to those of local workers in similar jobs.

Official sources

Recent changes

Sep 18, 2026
Online presence review covers Q applicants. The State Department confirmed that its expanded screening, including a review of applicants’ online presence, already applies to Q international cultural exchange applicants, and extended it to I, TN and TD applicants from Oct. 1, 2026. Source ↗
Mar 1, 2026
Premium processing fees adjusted for inflation. A final rule published January 12, 2026 (91 FR 1059) raised premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026; the I-907 fee for Q petitions is now $2,965. Source ↗
Jan 1, 2026
Proclamation 10998 expands entry restrictions. Signed December 16, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, it continues the June 2025 restrictions and adds more countries. Nationals of fully restricted countries are barred from entry on any visa unless an exception applies; for partially restricted countries, entry on B, F, M and J visas is suspended and consular officers are told to shorten the validity of other nonimmigrant visas, including Q-1. Source ↗
Oct 1, 2025
Narrower visa interview waivers. Since October 1, 2025, nearly all nonimmigrant visa applicants need an in-person interview. The exceptions are mainly diplomatic and official visa classes and certain B-1/B-2 and H-2A renewals. Consular officers can still require an interview in any case. Source ↗
Jul 4, 2025
Visa Integrity Fee enacted. Public Law 119-21 created a non-waivable Visa Integrity Fee of at least $250, due when a nonimmigrant visa is issued. As of October 1, 2026, the State Department’s fee schedule does not list it. Source ↗
Jun 9, 2025
Proclamation 10949 travel restrictions take effect. Signed June 4, 2025, it fully or partially suspended entry for nationals of 19 countries, effective June 9, 2025. Source ↗
Apr 1, 2024
New USCIS fee schedule and Asylum Program Fee. The USCIS fee rule published January 31, 2024 took effect April 1, 2024. It set separate Form I-129 fees for each classification, created reduced fees for small employers and nonprofits, and added an Asylum Program Fee to I-129 petitions. Source ↗

This page is general reference material compiled from the official sources above and is not legal advice. Eligibility depends on individual facts; rules and fees change, so confirm with the agency before you file. VisaTypes.com is not affiliated with USCIS, the Department of State or any government agency. Spotted an error? Tell us.