Hello,

I am from Europe and it seems that I can perform at a fair trade in NJ. They will pay me a very small daily fee and I can pass the hat. Will I need a VISA to come there

Good luck dude! Let us know how it goes. (I know nothing about getting a Visa, I think you have to go to the American Embassy in Luxembourg, but I could be wrong.)

YES, you need a visa to enter the U.S. Shouldn't be a problem getting one

But will a touristic visa ok?

I don't know about Visa's but def; wouldn't mind checking this out...

Can you provide the details if it happens?

I'm not qualified to give advice on this but here's what I know.
Germans need a visitors visa to enter the USA so I'm guessing the Luxies do too.

America has a rather dim view of anyone working without a work visa. An acquaintance of mine was working a cruise boat on the coast without proper working permits and immigration boarded the ship and sent him back home and banned him from entering the US for some time. Another showed up at customs with all his 'working' gear and same thing.

That said, it sounds like a smaller gig you are working so your chances of getting caught are quite slim. Lots do it no worries.

Of course you could do it all legit and get the organizer to clear everything. Probably your best bet but I have no experience with American beauacracy.

Stperformer, here's the question. Your friend was working for someone. (The cruise boat people) Lavey wouldn't be working for anyone except himself. So how would that affect the level of visa he would need?

I wrote a letter to the embassy and they called me back today. It is not possible to work for tips with a visitor visa.

The only way to do it legit is that the organizer applies for a working visa or for a P-Visa (entertainer) but both of them will costs several hundreds of dollars and it seems that it is not easy to get one.

So I think that the gig is finish before it even started :-(

Hi Lavey. The reality of busking abroad is that bureaucraticaly it is often a no-go....but many of have done and continue to do it with no consequences. I know when I was younger I would go places and perform places where I wouldn't even consider now that I'm older and fainter at heart. I think the likely hood of you been hassled by authorities is real real minimal, but is a small possibility (I'm assuming your doing a smaller show with no amp). From my experience if you're polite and move on, the police leave it at that as they have better things to do. As for America, I have only been there a few times so can not really give any qualified advice there.

If the fair your talking about looks like it might pitch well, then I would forfeit your daily fee and just pass the hat.....and have a return paid ticket just in case the hats are smaller than anticipated:-)

PS. Those American women will love your accent.

Hello stperformer,

In every european country I would do it, with or without permisson, because I know that the worst thing that could happen is a reprehension.

On that fair will come over 100,000 visitors so I think it's a game with the fire to perform there without proper papers especially that every one of this 100,000 visitors will hear with my accent that I'm not an american citizen.

And because the USA is one of my favorites vacation places I don't want to get banned for several years...

But I think I will apply for a Green Card and maybe one day... I will meet some of those Americans which will love my accent.