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Music

International DJs Will Have to Pay 42% More to Tour the US

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently issued a series of fee increases for applications and petitions.
Image courtesy of Pixabay

Musicians from abroad will soon have to pay a $460 fee per act to tour the United States, which is a 42% increase from the previous cost of $325. The fee is an administrative charge relating to immigration services, and it will go into effect on December 23. The increase pertains specifically to the I-129 form, also known as the Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, which is required for foreign workers including artists, religious workers, actors, athletes, and others to temporarily come to the U.S. for work or to receive training.

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This increase is just one of a series of fee increases affecting immigration applications and petitions announced last week by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on October 24; it marks the first time the has USCIS raised its fees since November 2010.

In a statement on the agency's website, USCIS director León Rodríguez said: "We are mindful of the effect fee increases have on many of the customers we serve. That's why we decided against raising fees as recommended after the fiscal year 2012 and 2014 fee reviews. However, as an agency dependent upon users' fees to operate, these changes are now necessary to ensure we can continue to serve our customers effectively."

Although Canadian musicians do not have to be pre-cleared through a consulate or pay additional fees required of musicians from other countries, the Canadian Federation of Musicians has issued a statement in response to the fee increase. "While we recognize that for Canadians the USCIS artist visa process may be more simplified than other musicians seeking to enter the United States under the same permits; however, a fee surge of this kind adds an additional and unacceptable financial burden on our members," said the organization's executive director.

The statement also urged USCIS "to respond to its current lack of quality in service, and to press for vast improvements and consistency in processing times—especially now considering the substantial fee hikes."

The $460 fee for musical acts is fixed, no matter how large or small the act; the same fee applies to musicians' crews, and also applies regardless of their size.

In April, grime MC Skepta's US Visa was denied right before the start of his Summer tour dates; prominent Brazilian funk artist MC Bin Laden had his denied in August, which forced him to cancel his US debut at the last minute.

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