Posted by Mark Heter on July 28, 2003 at 08:18:40:
In Reply to: AFM & Canada posted by Kevin Miller on July 22, 2003 at 19:57:43:
It used to be very easy for Canadian musicians to enter the US for gigs - through the P-2 visa program, which is administered through the AFM's Canadian Office in Don Mills.
The INS (which is a total mess) instituted a $1000 processing fee for visas requested for entry into the US within 30 days. This serves to keep a lot working stiffs out of the country, because the INS wants more notice to process the visa without the fee than musiciaisn many time get for their employment in the first place. Also, the INS SOBs have a nasty habit of churning the applications around people's desks until the visa requires the late notice $1000 fee. So, unless you're backed by a label who will pick up the $1000, you sit home. Nice, huh?
The AFM, which can be charitably described as a union struggling for its existence, does not have resources to get the Federal government to change any of this - so far. Despite all the talk of homeland security and consolidation of agencies, these self-serving bureauacracies pretty do what they want to do.
The issue of Canadians entering the US set aside (and it should be), the problem will be when the Canadians (the government) get ticked off enough about this to institute retaliatory measures - they are a sovereign country, you know, and make harder to enter their country, too, which many musical artists need to do as part of their touring. The whole thing's just stupid beyond belief. None of this has anything to do with homeland security, or making you safer when you travel - it's about perpetuating and expanding the faceless, unelected bureaucratic powerbases in Washington, DC.
Now, here's something traveling musicians should note: go on the US Customs website, and get a copy of their manifest, if you're going out of the country with your horn(s). You fill this out, including the instruments' serial numbers, and have it verified by the US Customs. That way, when you re-enter the US with your $14,000 Yorkbrunner, you won;t have to pay duty on it - again. It's no problem to leave the US with your axe - but it can be a problem to get it back into the country.
MH