International artists face increasingly lengthy, costly, and uncertain visa processes to perform in the U.S., with P-3 visa petitions now taking an average of 11.5 months and O-1 petitions over a year—up significantly from the historic two- to four-month window. The backlog stems from pandemic-era delays, stricter immigration policies under the Trump administration, and limited embassy interview slots, leaving artists vulnerable to last-minute denials despite meeting all requirements. This bureaucratic burden is deterring tours and diminishing cultural exchange for U.S. audiences.
Original Article Source Link:
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/14/nx-s1-5783845/visa-process-artists-us