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Visa racketeering by the US Government



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 7th, 2004, 02:03 PM
Earl Evleth
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government

The is a premium $1000 service for processing US visas, instead
of the "normal" $100.

Instead of taking months it only takes 14 days!

This is in the old tradition of Jessé James.

Earl

********


Tighter national security causes twists and turns for arts organizations


By William Loeffler
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Pittsburgh Opera's recent production of "Julius Caesar" packed a few plot
twists that composer George Frideric Handel never could have envisioned.

First, Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska had to drop out of the
role of Cleopatra because her work visa had an incorrect date.

Luckily, artistic director Christopher Hahn was able to locate Korean
soprano Sujung Kim to sing the part. Besides being one of five singers in
the world who knew the rarely sung opera, she also had something else
equally important: She recently had become an American citizen, which meant
she could travel to Pittsburgh in time for the production.

"In the middle of the night, I thought, 'Well this would be the first time
in my career that we would have to conceive of canceling,'" Hahn says.
"Which is not a good place to be in the middle of the night."


But the drama wasn't over. French counter tenor Christophe Dumaux, who
played Ptolemy in the production, had his visa delayed. On the day that his
flight to the United States was to leave, Dumaux still did not have his work
visa. He could not go in person to the American Consulate to pick it up,
because all visas are now sent through the mail.

"He was still standing outside his apartment in Paris, waiting for the mail
to come," Hahn says. "It arrived in the mail the same day."

For any arts organization that hires guest artists from abroad, the cost of
doing business often includes immigration lawyers, visa fees and the wrong
kind of drama.

"A lot of people don't realize how involved we are in immigration issues,"
says Steven Libman, managing director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. "We have
artists who represent Japan, China, Russia, New Zealand and Scotland."

The process of applying for work visas on behalf of foreign performing
artists has always been ponderous and problematic. But increased security
here and abroad as well as some government regulations passed even before
the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have made the process more
complicated and expensive, arts executives and advocates say.

While everyone involved understands the need for tighter security, delays
and increased costs have made some arts organizations think twice before
hiring foreign artists. Some of the headaches:

Under current federal law, a visa application filed on behalf of a singer,
dance troupe or musician cannot be submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services more than six months in advance. But most presenting
arts organizations begin planning their seasons more than a year in advance.

Paul Organisak, executive director of the Pittsburgh Dance Council, has
presented the Shaolin Warriors from China, Ballet Biarritz from France,
Grupo Corpo from Brazil and Dumb Type from Japan -- arguably more
international artists than any other arts organization in Pittsburgh. Six
months is not enough time, particularly when half of that period is taken up
with waiting for the paperwork to come back, he says. The current turnaround
time for non-immigrant O and P visas -- the kind required for foreign
athletes and entertainers -- is 90 days. Delays have been as long as 120
days, critics say.

"I plan my season understanding that there are going to be visa issues, but
that's not going to stop me," he says. "That's not going to inhibit me from
moving forward. I'm anxious already for a company that's coming in October.
And it's March."

Arts organizations who want peace of mind can pay a $1,000 "premium
processing" fee, which guarantees that a visa application will be reviewed
within 15 days, instead of the current 90-day period.

But that is too expensive for many nonprofit organizations, says Heather
Watts, director of government affairs for The American Symphony Orchestra
League.

"Most of them can't afford to pay the additional thousand dollars on a
routine basis," she says. "They're left to rely on the regular processing
service."

The regular processing service costs $130. But that means waiting 90 days
for the application to be processed. If approved, it still has to be sent
overseas to the artist.

"Quite honestly, I would never file a case other than premium processing,"
says Mark Knapp, an immigration attorney for Reed Smith. "I wouldn't want to
wait three or four months on pins and needles."

But federal law already requires a maximum 14-day processing time for all
non-immigrant O and P visa applications. Thus, arts organizations are being
charged an extra $1,000 for nothing.

"You shouldn't just charge people more to get the job done properly," says
U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, an advocate for reform on the processing of O and P
visas. "If there's problem with staffing or rules, this needs to be
addressed."

Once the visa application is approved, the artist then must apply at the
American Consulate in his own country. Most applicants must present
themselves at the consulate to be interviewed. They might have to wait
several weeks to get an appointment.

Shelly Fuerte, assistant artistic administrator for Pittsburgh Symphony
Orchestra, says they ponied up the $1,000 premium processing free to speed
up a work visa for Birgit Remmert, a Swiss mezzo-soprano who sang in the
Mahler 2 concert in December. But Remmert still might not have made the
curtain were it not for the intervention of Hart. The American Consulate in
Berne was so backed up she could not get an appointment until a week after
her scheduled Pittsburgh performance.

"Even though we spent the thousand dollars and got the approval very fast,
they couldn't get an appointment for three weeks," Fuerte says.

Hart is part of a bipartisan effort to speed the processing of O and P
non-immigrant visa applications. In a letter dated Oct. 27, 2003, she and
others urged the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigrant Services, part of the
Department of Homeland Security, to adopt reforms that would speed up the
process and allow arts organizations to apply more than six months in
advance.

"I see this as an economic development issue," Hart says. "We attract a lot
of people to Pittsburgh for the arts. If it's being screwed up on the
national level, it's going to hurt us, too."

Chris Bentley, spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
says the backlogs are caused by two security checks put in place following
the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. A security check is administered
when an application is submitted and again once it's approved.

"We have to slow to down, we have to take our time, we have to ensure the
security of the United States. By and large, the backlogs are a function of
the security check," Bentley says.

"Immigration law is one of the most complicated areas of the law," says
Knapp of Reed Smith. "When something fails or something happens, when an
event is canceled or someone doesn't get here, it's easy to blame the
government. Because, obviously, it's an easy scapegoat. I'm not defending
the government. But if you look a little closer, sometimes it was somebody
was not doing something right. They didn't take the advice."

The American Symphony Orchestra League and Opera America will hold their
annual conferences in Pittsburgh, during the first National Performing Arts
Convention, June 8 through 13. Each will conduct educational seminars to
help their members deal with immigration law.

"We are mindful of the need for security procedures," says Jack McAuliffe,
vice president and chief operating officer of The American Symphony
Orchestra League. "We're just saying that it does need some additional
reform."



  #2  
Old April 7th, 2004, 02:35 PM
Miss L. Toe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government


"Earl Evleth" wrote in message
...
The is a premium $1000 service for processing US visas, instead
of the "normal" $100.

Instead of taking months it only takes 14 days!

This is in the old tradition of Jessé James.

Earl

********


Tighter national security causes twists and turns for arts organizations


By William Loeffler
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Pittsburgh Opera's recent production of "Julius Caesar" packed a few plot
twists that composer George Frideric Handel never could have envisioned.

First, Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska had to drop out of the
role of Cleopatra because her work visa had an incorrect date.


So even with the broadest interpretation of rec.travel.Europe how is this
relevant to this group.
Unless you claim rec.travel.Europe includes travel FROM Europe - LOL


  #3  
Old April 7th, 2004, 03:26 PM
Yorick
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government

Miss L. Toe wrote:
"Earl Evleth" wrote in message
...

First, Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska had to drop out of the
role of Cleopatra because her work visa had an incorrect date.


So even with the broadest interpretation of rec.travel.Europe how is this
relevant to this group.
Unless you claim rec.travel.Europe includes travel FROM Europe - LOL


I agree. It reminds me of a little kid that is constantly trying his parents
what he can and can't do.

Yorick.


  #4  
Old April 7th, 2004, 03:29 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government

If you want racketeering, try the taxes you pay in France and other
Europeans countries where these and other fees are simply ripped off
up front whether you use them or not. Lower taxes mean that you pay
for the actual service if you want it when you want it. This is no
different than the expedited fee that a US citizen pays if he wants
his passport faster than normal which has been around for decades. Of
course, you are too stupid to comprehend any of this aren't you? It's
called keeping taxes down.


On Wed, 07 Apr 2004 15:03:50 +0200, Earl Evleth
wrote:

The is a premium $1000 service for processing US visas, instead
of the "normal" $100.

Instead of taking months it only takes 14 days!

This is in the old tradition of Jessé James.

Earl

********


Tighter national security causes twists and turns for arts organizations


By William Loeffler
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Pittsburgh Opera's recent production of "Julius Caesar" packed a few plot
twists that composer George Frideric Handel never could have envisioned.

First, Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska had to drop out of the
role of Cleopatra because her work visa had an incorrect date.

Luckily, artistic director Christopher Hahn was able to locate Korean
soprano Sujung Kim to sing the part. Besides being one of five singers in
the world who knew the rarely sung opera, she also had something else
equally important: She recently had become an American citizen, which meant
she could travel to Pittsburgh in time for the production.

"In the middle of the night, I thought, 'Well this would be the first time
in my career that we would have to conceive of canceling,'" Hahn says.
"Which is not a good place to be in the middle of the night."


But the drama wasn't over. French counter tenor Christophe Dumaux, who
played Ptolemy in the production, had his visa delayed. On the day that his
flight to the United States was to leave, Dumaux still did not have his work
visa. He could not go in person to the American Consulate to pick it up,
because all visas are now sent through the mail.

"He was still standing outside his apartment in Paris, waiting for the mail
to come," Hahn says. "It arrived in the mail the same day."

For any arts organization that hires guest artists from abroad, the cost of
doing business often includes immigration lawyers, visa fees and the wrong
kind of drama.

"A lot of people don't realize how involved we are in immigration issues,"
says Steven Libman, managing director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. "We have
artists who represent Japan, China, Russia, New Zealand and Scotland."

The process of applying for work visas on behalf of foreign performing
artists has always been ponderous and problematic. But increased security
here and abroad as well as some government regulations passed even before
the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have made the process more
complicated and expensive, arts executives and advocates say.

While everyone involved understands the need for tighter security, delays
and increased costs have made some arts organizations think twice before
hiring foreign artists. Some of the headaches:

Under current federal law, a visa application filed on behalf of a singer,
dance troupe or musician cannot be submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services more than six months in advance. But most presenting
arts organizations begin planning their seasons more than a year in advance.

Paul Organisak, executive director of the Pittsburgh Dance Council, has
presented the Shaolin Warriors from China, Ballet Biarritz from France,
Grupo Corpo from Brazil and Dumb Type from Japan -- arguably more
international artists than any other arts organization in Pittsburgh. Six
months is not enough time, particularly when half of that period is taken up
with waiting for the paperwork to come back, he says. The current turnaround
time for non-immigrant O and P visas -- the kind required for foreign
athletes and entertainers -- is 90 days. Delays have been as long as 120
days, critics say.

"I plan my season understanding that there are going to be visa issues, but
that's not going to stop me," he says. "That's not going to inhibit me from
moving forward. I'm anxious already for a company that's coming in October.
And it's March."

Arts organizations who want peace of mind can pay a $1,000 "premium
processing" fee, which guarantees that a visa application will be reviewed
within 15 days, instead of the current 90-day period.

But that is too expensive for many nonprofit organizations, says Heather
Watts, director of government affairs for The American Symphony Orchestra
League.

"Most of them can't afford to pay the additional thousand dollars on a
routine basis," she says. "They're left to rely on the regular processing
service."

The regular processing service costs $130. But that means waiting 90 days
for the application to be processed. If approved, it still has to be sent
overseas to the artist.

"Quite honestly, I would never file a case other than premium processing,"
says Mark Knapp, an immigration attorney for Reed Smith. "I wouldn't want to
wait three or four months on pins and needles."

But federal law already requires a maximum 14-day processing time for all
non-immigrant O and P visa applications. Thus, arts organizations are being
charged an extra $1,000 for nothing.

"You shouldn't just charge people more to get the job done properly," says
U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, an advocate for reform on the processing of O and P
visas. "If there's problem with staffing or rules, this needs to be
addressed."

Once the visa application is approved, the artist then must apply at the
American Consulate in his own country. Most applicants must present
themselves at the consulate to be interviewed. They might have to wait
several weeks to get an appointment.

Shelly Fuerte, assistant artistic administrator for Pittsburgh Symphony
Orchestra, says they ponied up the $1,000 premium processing free to speed
up a work visa for Birgit Remmert, a Swiss mezzo-soprano who sang in the
Mahler 2 concert in December. But Remmert still might not have made the
curtain were it not for the intervention of Hart. The American Consulate in
Berne was so backed up she could not get an appointment until a week after
her scheduled Pittsburgh performance.

"Even though we spent the thousand dollars and got the approval very fast,
they couldn't get an appointment for three weeks," Fuerte says.

Hart is part of a bipartisan effort to speed the processing of O and P
non-immigrant visa applications. In a letter dated Oct. 27, 2003, she and
others urged the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigrant Services, part of the
Department of Homeland Security, to adopt reforms that would speed up the
process and allow arts organizations to apply more than six months in
advance.

"I see this as an economic development issue," Hart says. "We attract a lot
of people to Pittsburgh for the arts. If it's being screwed up on the
national level, it's going to hurt us, too."

Chris Bentley, spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
says the backlogs are caused by two security checks put in place following
the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. A security check is administered
when an application is submitted and again once it's approved.

"We have to slow to down, we have to take our time, we have to ensure the
security of the United States. By and large, the backlogs are a function of
the security check," Bentley says.

"Immigration law is one of the most complicated areas of the law," says
Knapp of Reed Smith. "When something fails or something happens, when an
event is canceled or someone doesn't get here, it's easy to blame the
government. Because, obviously, it's an easy scapegoat. I'm not defending
the government. But if you look a little closer, sometimes it was somebody
was not doing something right. They didn't take the advice."

The American Symphony Orchestra League and Opera America will hold their
annual conferences in Pittsburgh, during the first National Performing Arts
Convention, June 8 through 13. Each will conduct educational seminars to
help their members deal with immigration law.

"We are mindful of the need for security procedures," says Jack McAuliffe,
vice president and chief operating officer of The American Symphony
Orchestra League. "We're just saying that it does need some additional
reform."



  #5  
Old April 7th, 2004, 03:30 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government

It's not. He just likes to constantly display his complete stupidity
and lies.


On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 14:35:33 +0100, "Miss L. Toe"
wrote:


"Earl Evleth" wrote in message
...
The is a premium $1000 service for processing US visas, instead
of the "normal" $100.

Instead of taking months it only takes 14 days!

This is in the old tradition of Jessé James.

Earl

********


Tighter national security causes twists and turns for arts organizations


By William Loeffler
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Pittsburgh Opera's recent production of "Julius Caesar" packed a few plot
twists that composer George Frideric Handel never could have envisioned.

First, Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska had to drop out of the
role of Cleopatra because her work visa had an incorrect date.


So even with the broadest interpretation of rec.travel.Europe how is this
relevant to this group.
Unless you claim rec.travel.Europe includes travel FROM Europe - LOL


  #6  
Old April 7th, 2004, 03:35 PM
Pete
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government

"You shouldn't just charge people more to get the job done properly,"
says U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, an advocate for reform on the processing
of O and P visas. "If there's problem with staffing or rules, this needs

to
be addressed."


Considering how many millions of people are unemployed in the USA -
Bush will be the first president since the Great Depression to have lost
jobs during his term - the government could hire a number of them,
train them, and put them to work in this and other government areas.
But if anything, the government will probably outsource this task to
India or China.


Pete
www.prunskunas.com


  #7  
Old April 7th, 2004, 03:58 PM
Earl Evleth
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government

On 7/04/04 16:35, in article
, "Pete"
wrote:

"You shouldn't just charge people more to get the job done properly,"
says U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, an advocate for reform on the processing
of O and P visas. "If there's problem with staffing or rules, this needs

to
be addressed."


Considering how many millions of people are unemployed in the USA -
Bush will be the first president since the Great Depression to have lost
jobs during his term - the government could hire a number of them,
train them, and put them to work in this and other government areas.
But if anything, the government will probably outsource this task to
India or China.


I don`t know why the US just does not have a special class of visas they
process rapidly. However, the US is no alone in screwing up.

The problem of people hired for short term academic jobs in France
(like a visiting professor position) used to be poorly handled.

One friend was give a 3 months position in the CNRS, which is a Governbment
ran system. However, she had to have a visa and about 3 months before
coming she went to the French consulate in Chicago to get a visa. She was
told in would take months and did not pay attention to the fact she
was hired by a different branch of the government. She asked me "what do I
do". I told her to forget the visa and just come. She came, got paid and
left later. No problems.

I originally came on a student visa which the French government gave to
US profs on sabbatical. While here I was given a permanent job and did
what people said was "impossible" convert a student visa into a permanent
one. Actually I just went to the Prefecture with my job papers and they
recognized me as one of their own!

I don't mind treating people differentially but the $1000 bucks for speeding
up one`s application seems to me a bit too mercenary, one system for the
rich who have it and another for the little guy. The applications need
to be accelerated in certain situations. Business people need preferential
treatment as to entertainment people and others who travel around a lot
because of their profession.

Next, the INS gets a lot of bad publicity, really a lot.

Earl


  #8  
Old April 7th, 2004, 04:59 PM
Marie Lewis
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government


wrote in message
...
It's not. He just likes to constantly display his complete stupidity
and lies.



Have you any idea of how stupid and mendacious you yourself appear?

Earl has been on this NG for a very long time and the sensible members
appreciate and enjoy his posts.



  #9  
Old April 7th, 2004, 05:01 PM
Marie Lewis
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government


wrote in message
...
If you want racketeering, try the taxes you pay in France and other
Europeans countries where these and other fees are simply ripped off
up front whether you use them or not. Lower taxes mean that you pay
for the actual service if you want it when you want it. This is no
different than the expedited fee that a US citizen pays if he wants
his passport faster than normal which has been around for decades. Of
course, you are too stupid to comprehend any of this aren't you? It's
called keeping taxes down.


Your total lack of culture and your immaturity are so irritating that I
shall read no more of your idiotic posts.


  #10  
Old April 7th, 2004, 05:15 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Visa racketeering by the US Government



I don`t know why the US just does not have a special class of visas they
process rapidly. However, the US is no alone in screwing up.


Yeah, it happens everytime you have a government do something.


The problem of people hired for short term academic jobs in France
(like a visiting professor position) used to be poorly handled.

One friend was give a 3 months position in the CNRS, which is a Governbment
ran system. However, she had to have a visa and about 3 months before
coming she went to the French consulate in Chicago to get a visa. She was
told in would take months and did not pay attention to the fact she
was hired by a different branch of the government. She asked me "what do I
do". I told her to forget the visa and just come. She came, got paid and
left later. No problems.


Except completely illegal, of course, working on a visitor visa. Why
should that distinction bother you though?


I originally came on a student visa which the French government gave to
US profs on sabbatical. While here I was given a permanent job and did
what people said was "impossible" convert a student visa into a permanent
one. Actually I just went to the Prefecture with my job papers and they
recognized me as one of their own!


Yeah, we all see the same thing.


I don't mind treating people differentially but the $1000 bucks for speeding
up one`s application seems to me a bit too mercenary, one system for the
rich who have it and another for the little guy. The applications need
to be accelerated in certain situations. Business people need preferential
treatment as to entertainment people and others who travel around a lot
because of their profession.


Oh, I love this! Let's see. You think it is perfectly ok to tax
higher income at higher rates because they can pay but you think that
it is wrong to charge them a higher fee if they want something quicker
from the government? That's rich and about as intelligent as anything
you say here.


Next, the INS gets a lot of bad publicity, really a lot.


Richly deserved given the way they operated.
 




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