Rise in Visa Denials for Artists Angers Hollywood

The Los Angeles Times ran an article on August 10th discussing increased visa denials and processing delays for artists that have caused an outcry from Hollywood.  Every year, across the entertainment industry, leading foreign national artists hold U.S. performances or participate in them.  The last year has seen a spike in visa denials and delays from the USCIS’ California Service Center, which processes visa petitions for artists.  As a result of this spike, performance centers, festivals and individual and group artists have had to cancel performances. 

Hollywood’s anger has reached Congress and the White House.  Alejandro Mayorkas, the Director of the USCIS, has agreed to investigate this issue.  To read the full LA Times article, see: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/10/local/la-me-workvisa-20100810.

Tags: Alejandro Mayorkas, artists, Hollywood, O visa, P visa
Posted in Nonimmigrant Visas, Politics/Current Events | Read More »