New Visa Victim

Lily Allen and M.I.A. are no longer the latest artists to have visa problems. U.K. punk veterans New Model Army aren’t coming to the U.S. because of a delay in visa applications and have canceled their North American tour.

"Today we have been informed that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has taken precisely 20 weeks (instead of the usual 8 or 9) to deny our I-129 Non Immigration Visa Applications," band manager Tommy Tee said in a statement. "I can only apologize on behalf of the band, as I know how much work has gone into all these shows."

The tour was expected to launch tonight at the North Star Bar in Philadelphia, followed by a September 6th show at Mercury Lounge in NYC. The band had dates lined up coast-to-coast in the U.S. and Canada through October 5th. The band is expected to begin a European tour October 15th in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

New Model Army expects to return to North America in the spring, according to the statement.