Published
Tue, Jun 17, 2003, 04:16
Laurent Garnier has felt the full force of the heightened security now screening people as they plan to enter America. Booked to play in New York, Atlanta and Chicago the dynamic French house DJ was unable to perform at any of his planned tour dates as he failed to leave Paris in a mix up with the US embassy.
This isn’t the first time Garnier has had passport/visa problems, but in the past they have always sorted themselves out without causing tour disruptions, however with the USA now on full alert, new laws have been brought in and this caused the problems.
Understandably unhappy filling out the same form that a suspected security risk from North Korea, Iraq or Pakistan might have to fill out Laurent commented “"It looks like France is now either considered as a terrorist, a communist or a threatening country!". The issue is also heightened as the DJ paid US$3400 in December 2002 for a visa which allowed him to tour the states.