Visa delay clusterfux

[Brian J. Parker]

On 9/6/07, Jeremy <epistemology at gmail.com> wrote:
> However, this sort of problem has happened to more than a few bands in
> the past, simply because they didn't take care of the paperwork
> properly and in a timely fashion. I don't know the details of this
> latest snafu, but the fact is, nearly every country requires you to
> fill out paperwork months ahead of time if you want to work in their
> country

Actually, in all seriousness, I had to do a couple of months of work
in Canada once.  This was pre-9/11, and the work had to do with
setting up software made by my employer; and I still had to fill out
several pages well in advance and answer some seriously scrutinizing
questions to ascertain my desire to return to my home country as soon
as possible.

The requirements to work in another country are usually that a native
of that country cannot be found to do the work instead.  There is
definitely a school of thought that any internationally touring
musician is taking money that could (and should) go to a native
instead.

Even at best, the fees are absurdly high, which is why you so often
hear visa problems more like "turned away at the border because you
said you were a tourist but you're hauling a bunch of guitars and
keyboards" instead of "visa denied."  The whole system just isn't
designed with artists in mind at all, and there ought to be a whole
different "cultural exchange visa," except most countries really don't
want American culture taking over any more than it already is; and
America is disinclined to allow artists in freely without
reciprocation.

Politics is fun.