Visa fees for DJs playing in the United States are increasing by 42 per cent

Foreign artists travelling to the United States will have to pay a higher visa fee from December.

Form I-129, the Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, currently costs $325 per person, but from December 23 it'll increase by 42 per cent to $460.

The changes enforced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will affect musicians and their teams, including tour managers, according to Pitchfork.

Jason Garden, the talent buyer for Smartbar Chicago, provided RA with a statement, saying how it'll have much more of an impact on up-and-coming talent than on established acts.

"While the increase in fee is probably nominal for some larger artists with managers and agents (and often lawyers) who can lobby on their behalf, it makes it increasingly (often prohibitively) difficult for emerging talent to break into the US market."

He also noted how the increased fees could lead to last minute cancellations, leading to losses for the venue, promoter and artist.

Dave Turner is Mixmag's Digital News Editor, follow him on Twitter