As noted in Consequence.net,The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has decided to postpone the implementation of a visa rate increase that will harm touring musicians.
The cost of O and P visas for foreign touring bands and other tourists will more than double under the proposed guidelines released in January 2023. The USCIS will delay the fee increase until at least March 2024 and is considering cutting it completely.
Congressman Maxwell Frost of Florida led a group of Democratic members of Congress in calling on the USIC to alter its position. “The decision by USCIS to postpone their proposed rate hikes and go back to the drawing board is the right move to support our nation’s small business community and the hundreds of thousands of traveling artists who are a critical part of our local economy,” stated Congressman Frost.
Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), stated: The USCIS proposal to drastically increase visa fees for international performers poses a severe economic and cultural threat to independent live entertainment in the United States.” It diminishes the importance of these performers on our stage.
According to a 2023 poll of independent venues, festivals, and promoters, international talent makes up more than a quarter of performances at a typical venue. It can even account for 100 percent of performances for Latin music promoters. While we applaud the USCIS decision to postpone final rulemaking on this issue until March 2024, NIVA will continue to advocate for the effort to prevent the proposed fee hikes.”
Leave a Comment