United States Plans To Raise Visa Fees For Foreign Musicians By Over 250%
President of Ineffable Records Adam Gross has reacted with dismay to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announcement of plans to raise visa fees for foreign musicians by more than 250 percent.
Gross, whose company is Reggae’s number one Independent Digital Music Distribution company, said on Friday that he was taken aback when he saw the reports that the DHS has proposed that applications for a P visa—which is for acts arriving in the US to perform temporarily—will be increased by 251 percent, from the present rate of US$460 (JMD$70,920) to US$1,615 (JMD$248,994).
Additionally, if the department succeeds in ratifying its recommendations, the application cost for the O visa—which is a longer-term work visa—will increase by 260 percent, US$460 to US$1,655.
“The US Department of Homeland Security just outlined changes to the Citizen Immigration Services Department. They are now suggesting international artistes who want to come to the US, to tour, they are going to increase their visa amounts from $460 per person to $1615. That’s an increase of 250 percent,” Gross said incredulously.
“For the overwhelming majority of artistes, this makes touring the US now, impossible. You already have to pay for all these flights; you already have to pay to get your crew around, for a bus or some sort of vehicle; for hotels. You have to pay 30 percent withholding taxes. So, when you get paid per show, they have to withhold 30 percent for the US government before whatever you are getting,” he added.
Additionally, the two increases include a $600 (92,505.60) surcharge to fund the US government’s asylum program. According to the DHS, the surchage is also needed due to high demand and insufficient staff at the Citizenship and Immigration department, an idea to which Gross passionately objects.
“The Department of Homeland Security needs to find a way to fund itself in a different way. It is absolutely insane and it makes it completely impossible for non-Americans to tour the US,” he said, as he urged his followers in the music industry to also object vociferously.
The DHS has also recommended, in its proposal, a limit of 25 persons for each visa application to a maximum of 25 persons, and for a separate application to be submitted if the number of people in a group exceeds that figure.
It also stated further that longer timeframes for premium processing be considered. That service, which costs US$2,500 (J$385,440.00), currently takes 15 calendar days but the agency has suggested that it be reduced to 15 business days.
On February 3, NME had reported that some Canadian acts had spoken out against the proposed changes, and had described it as “a huge hardship to pay such high visa fees.”
Days later, on February 9, the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) also issued a joint statement noting that they had reignited their #LetTheMusicMove campaign “in order to oppose newly-proposed changes to US visa applications that would result in potentially crippling costs for UK artists looking to tour the USA.”
The organizations called on members of the music fraternity to commit to completing a short survey on the proposed changes and their potential impacts, for which the results will be presented to the UK Government, who will be urged to lobby the DHS.
They also urged music industry players to submit their comments directly to the federal government, contact their US booking agents and promoters, and encourage them to also protest this increase.
The DHS and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services have since opened a comment period, which is to remain live until March 6, and which allows for citizens of the US to send public feedback on the issue. Thereafter, comments will be reviewed and further adjustments will be considered.