Foreign performers who want to be able to tour the US are going to be further out of pocket following last week’s announcement by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. A series of increases in the costs of petitions and applications with regard to immigration will soon be implemented.
The I-129 form is to be one of the applications that will be affected. This is required to be completed by non-immigrants who want to work in the US, such as actors, athletes, musicians and their bands, etc. As of 23 December this year, the I-129 form will increase from $325 to $460 per person. That’s a rise of as much as 42 percent, making the cost of touring much more expensive than it was, by several thousand dollars.
As a result, bands with a smaller market in the US are likely to struggle to make frequent overseas trips. Larger bands may also be forced to alter their touring plans and announce tour itineraries further in advance to try to make sure that their visit to the country will be a success.
The news has already had a poor reception in Canada, with Billboard reporting that the Canadian Federation of Musicians has complained about the decision. Liana White, the executive director of the organization, says that the surge in fees places an unacceptable extra level of financial burden on musicians trying to ply their trade in the US.