The news was posted in the Ballet thread about the San Jose Ballet having to change its casting because of visa issues.<P>I experienced similar problems this summer when the school I work for hired a few guest teachers from overseas and they had to come late because IMS didn't come through in time. When I worked for the opera it was the same story.<P>Do any of the rest of you have these problems? What have you had to do to cover these situations?

As well, this new thing of there being a $1,000 expediate fee available has caused quite a few wories due to people being concerned (and I've heard a few stories saying this happened, as well as a few countering it) that there will no longer be any reason for things to move quickly UNLESS you pay the $1,000 - and few organizations can afford it. At a recent meeting I did hear, however that there is actually a non-profit rate for expediating, but I haven't found any confirmation on that from the organization themselves.<P>I don't know if it is still the case or not, but I shuddered yesterday when I saw a headline that the INS was not receiving any mail - they shut it down when the Senate did with these anthrax attacks. We've got three different visas working now....I'm worried.

Here's a somewhat related thread: <a href=http://forum.criticaldance.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=15;t=000077 target=_blank>How Will Revised Immigration Policy Affect Dancers?</a>

<small>[ 08-11-2002, 17:09: Message edited by: Azlan ]</small>