HOW TO AVOID A VISA NIGHTMARE

Of all the many tasks involved in touring, organising visas and work permits is probably the most scary of the lot, and a job that often gets pushed to the very bottom of the to do list.

More often than not, visas are required for touring artistes and crew. The consequences of not getting it right can turn things into a horror story; one where your career may be affected.

Here at Viva La Visa we deal with visa and work permit applications for a wide variety of touring performers, from solo singer-songwriters, DJ duos all the way to stadium bands with dozens in their entourage.

Whatever the scale of your operation, the pointers listed below are a great place to start.

Get advice;

Your visa consultant will be happy to advise you on your visa needs, timescales and current regulations. Don’t rely solely on your past experience!

Allow enough time;

Visa processing can be lengthy! While it is possible to get some Consulates to process applications more quickly than their guideline times, this is not always possible. If you are applying for multiple visas the number of days needed soon mounts up.

Plan and budget;

Plan your visa schedule as soon as you put your tour plans together. Here at Viva La Visa we will work alongside the production staff for a tour right from the planning stage.

Know your Artist and Crew;

Do all your party have enough blank pages in their passport? Are their passports in good condition? Does everyone have a 2nd passport? Are there any skeletons in the closet that make come out and cause problems? We can walk you through this minefield to make the process as smooth as possible so all bases are covered.

Be Realistic

Both in terms of timescales and costs.

Visa and immigration costs should be as important a part of your tour budget as airfares and catering. In the current climate it is very risky to try and enter countries to perform on tourist visas. Cutting corners can be very costly in the end and often more trouble than its worth!

 

 

Do contact us if you have any questions regarding any aspect of visas, work permits or passports.

We are an email or phone call away 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.