White Paper on Artist Mobility to the U.S.

 Starting in 2015, Tamizdat annually publishes The White Paper on Artist Mobility to the U.S., a data-driven legal analysis of the issues the international performing arts community encounters with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and Department of State. The White Paper addresses more than 50 pervasive problems with the U.S. artist visa process, identifies the legal authority at the root of each problem, and recommends revisions to the relevant regulations and manuals. The White Paper provides a comprehensive roadmap for improving the U.S. artist visa process, and has guided productive dialogue with both USCIS and DOS. The White Paper has been endorsed by a wide range international GOs, NGOs, and organizations in the private sector. For a list of the endorsers, please click here.

Government Monitoring

USCIS, Department of State, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association all have mechanisms designed to collect information about problems visa applicants encounter when navigating the U.S. visa system. Unfortunately, few lawyers and even fewer laypeople are aware of the facilities, so problems are rarely reported. Starting in 2019, Tamizdat systematically reports processing problems to the USCIS Ombudsman, the Department of State Visa Office, and AILA’s CIS and DOS liaisons.