Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sports Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange says her ministry will assist Jamaican musicians in understanding the American visa application process, amid a 251 percent increase in American visa fees for international acts.
The price hike became effective on April 1, 2024.
“The adjustment of fees by the US Government through the Department of Homeland Security and its agency the US Citizenship and Immigration Service will have an impact on our athletes and performers looking to do business in the United States,” Grange told DancehallMag. “We have no control over the fee increases. However, we will continue to collaborate with the US Embassy in Jamaica to ensure that our athletes and performers understand the process and are able to derive benefits.”
Prior to April 1, applications for a P visa—which is for acts arriving in the US to perform temporarily—was US$460 (JMD$70,920). However, it is now US$1,615 (JMD$248,994).
Additionally, if the application cost for the O visa—which is a longer-term work visa—increased 260 percent from US$460 to US$1,655.
Bands and ensemble groups pay per performer. A standard rock band of four members went from paying US$1,840 to around US$6,460. Meanwhile, if the applicants cannot wait a couple of months to be approved, a charge of US$2,805 per application for expedited processing will be applied.
When the proposal to increase fees was announced last year, Ineffable Records President Adam Gross shunned it, citing the strain it would put on artists globally.
“For the overwhelming majority of artists, this makes touring the US now impossible. You already have to pay for all these flights; you already have to pay to get your crew around, for a bus or some sort of vehicle; for hotels. You have to pay 30 percent withholding taxes. So, when you get paid per show, they have to withhold 30 percent for the US government before whatever you are getting,” he said during an Instagram video at the time.
The two increases include a $600 (92,505.60) surcharge to fund the US government’s asylum program. According to the DHS, the surcharge is also needed due to high demand and insufficient staff at the Citizenship and Immigration department, an idea to which Gross passionately objected.
“The Department of Homeland Security needs to find a way to fund itself in a different way. It is absolutely insane and it makes it completely impossible for non-Americans to tour the US,” he said, as he urged his followers in the music industry to also object vociferously.
The news has not gone down well with some Reggae and Dancehall artists that DancehallMag tried to get a reaction from. Many of them refused to comment, while one singer, who wishes to remain anonymous, said “the topic is a heartbreaker.”
Reggae singer Ras-I made his annoyance known on X (formerly Twitter) in a brief tweet. “250% increase on visa fees for musicians in the united states 🤦🏽♂️”