According to metalinjection.net, International touring musicians could soon be facing a major new cost to perform in the United States. The U.S. State Department is proposing a pilot program that would require certain visitors, including those traveling for business such as live performances, to post a bond of up to $15,000 before entering the country.

The proposed rule according to PBS and published in the Federal Register as of August 5, would run for 12 months and target applicants from countries with high visa overstay rates or weak internal security and identity verification systems. The bonds would be set at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, depending on the applicant’s country of origin and could be refunded if the visitor complies with all visa conditions.

The State Department will release the full list of affected countries when the rule takes effect. Artists from countries in the Visa Waiver Program, which includes most of Europe, Australia, Japan and a few other countries, will not be subject to the bond. But artists from many parts of Latin America, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe could face the new fees if their home countries meet the government’s “high overstay” or “weak vetting” criteria.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat