Washington, D.C. – March 13, 2023 – SoundExchange is calling on President Biden to intercede on behalf of artists facing a massive visa fee hike when traveling into the U.S. to tour or work. Given that the vast majority of musicians operate as small businesses and live paycheck to paycheck, the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to charge over $1,600 each time they must apply for a visa will make travel impossible for so many. Music creators are just now recovering from the Covid shutdown; imposing a 250 percent increase on visa fees will inflict a new, unfair, and unjustified hardship. President Biden has long been an ally of the music community, and we ask him to step in to protect artists’ livelihoods.