The US Government has confirmed an increase in fees for various forms of visa to enter the country, including those needed by musicians and performers.
From April 1, applications costs for the O visa, which allows a musician or performer to stay in the US for three years, will be hiked from $460 to $1,055. On the same date, fees for the P visa, which grants a musician or performer entry to the country for a shorter stay tied to a specific event, will rise from $460 to $1,015.
While both price increases are significant, they are lower than expected. When initially setting out plans to raise visa fees early in 2023, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which oversees applications, proposed an increase to $1,655 for the O visa and $1,615 for the P visa. Those plans were put on hold last summer.
The USCIS has also newly revealed that there will be an added Asylum Program Fee that falls at the feet of employers (such as venues and promoters) filing an I-129 form to bring a musician or performer to the country. For small employers (with a base of 25 or fewer employees), this fee will be $300, while it will be $600 for larger employers.
This is the first hike in artist visa costs since 2016. The USCIS claimed that the increase was necessary "to cover the cost of doing business and avoid the accumulation of future backlogs". Find more information via the organisation’s website.
