Musical America Blogs

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: I heard that US Immigration will no longer be giving foreign artists the little white card they used to get when an artist entered the US. The cards were stamped with the artist’s visa category and the date they had to leave. It was my understanding [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: I have a substitution/visa question for you….We were intending to use someone from the US as the eighth singer for one of our groups coming to perform with a symphony in July 2013. It’s now looking like the group might have to replace the intended US [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law & Disorder: We are facing a visa problem for one of our Russian singers.  She is supposed to sing in the United States at the end of February with a US Orchestra. Now it turns out that the orchestra is neither willing to apply nor to pay for [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Hi Musical America, I am a Danish citizen and I plan to go to the Unites States on a promo tour in spring. I know that it is necessary to apply for an O-1B visa being a solo artist. I have a native US promoter who will petition for me. [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: Last year I filed a P-1 petition for a group. I obtained a consult letter from AFM. When I filed a petition for their 2013 tour, the USCIS said I needed to get a new consult letter. I thought that union opinion letters are good for [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. First and foremost: our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone recovering from and impacted by Hurricane Sandy. From property destruction to physical injuries and deaths, it has caused immeasurable damage. For those of us in the arts industry, its also caused cancellations and logistical nightmares, but performances can always [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein Dear Brian: We are touring an orchestra in the United States next season and have been grappling with the idea of whether the staff from the concerts team need to have visas for this tour, regardless of whether they are employees or freelance (we’ve had different opinions expressed). In the past, [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein Dear FTM: What needs to be done to bring a performing artist from a foreign country to play in a US concert? How is their pay reported to the IRS? Is withholding required? Do they have to pay taxes on the money that they earn in the US? Etc. Wow, this [...]