International Visitor Leadership Program
The International Visitor Leadership Program annually brings to the United States approximately 5,000 foreign nationals from all over the world to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience America firsthand.
The visitors, who are selected by American Foreign Service Officers overseas, are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education, the arts, business and other fields.
Among the thousands of distinguished individuals who have participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program since its inception almost seven decades ago are more than 290 current and former Chiefs of State and Heads of Government, 2,000 cabinet-level ministers, and many, many other distinguished leaders from the public and private sectors.
International Visitors travel to the U.S. either as individuals or in group projects. The group or thematic projects focus on a particular issue such as the U.S. economy or electoral system. Group projects can bring together colleagues with similar professional interests from particular countries, geographic regions or worldwide.
The invitation to visit the U.S. under the auspices of the International Visitor Leadership Program is extended by U.S. embassies. For that reason, individuals can not apply to participate in the program.