Published
Mon, Jul 24, 2023, 08:00
- The plans would have seen prices for O and P visas spiking by more than 250 percent.
The US is delaying plans to raise visa costs for touring musicians and DJs.
In January, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it intended to increase the cost of a P visa—used by performing artists on a short-term visit—from $460 to $1,615. The price of a longer-term O visa would also rise from $460 to $1,655.
These plans have now been put on hold until at least March 2024, following a campaign by Democrats in the US Congress. According to Consequence of Sound, the USCIS is also reconsidering the size of any future price increase.
When the plans were initially announced, a survey by the Musicians' Union in the UK found that 70 percent of artists, managers and performers said the increased costs associated with these visa changes meant they would no longer be able to tour the US.
Industry bodies in both Europe and the US said they would continue to lobby USCIS to permanently shelve fee increases for performing-artist visas.
We'll report more on this story as it unfolds.
Photo credit: Henry Thong