United States raising visa fees for foreign touring artists

Visas for foreign artists looking to tour in the United States are notoriously riddled with red tape, and now they're getting more expensive. Via NME, the US Department Of Homeland Security has announced that visa fees are going up around 50% and include P and O visas which are the ones most foreign artists get and allow them to return to the U.S. within one and three years, respectively.

The O visa, which is for “Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement,” will go from  $460 to $705, while the P visa, which is often used for family members of those individuals, will go up to $695.

Wait times for visa will increase to 15 days, though there is a fast-track service for $1000.

The new fees and policy changes go into effect October 2. Head to The Federal Register for more details.

In a statement about these changes, David Martin of the UK's Featured Artists Coalition said,  “The US visa system is already prohibitive for UK artists and this change will see even more of our globally renowned talent shut out. Not only will the US live circuit suffer with millions of American fans missing the chance to see their favourite British artists, artists will lose the opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas with creators on the opposite side of the Atlantic. At a time when we should be celebrating and building on our shared history of cultural exchange, this development instead moves us further apart. There are no winners.”