The tour, which was the singer’s first solo trek in more than a decade, was scheduled to kick off July 7 with an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show and included a special free concert for workers of New York City’s Department of Sanitation and their families at the department’s annual Family Day.

Boy George expressed his disappointment at the decision in a statement.

“I was really hoping that the issue would be resolved and that some kind soul at the U.S. visa office would realize that if the police in the U.K. placed no restrictions on my movements, that should have been good enough for them,” he said.

“I am very sorry that I will not see my American fans this year, but I wish them a happy and healthy Fourth of July. I include the visa office in those good wishes and realize they are doing a very difficult job and I just got unlucky.”

The singer will head to South America for a tour in September and return to the U.K. in October for a 25-date run. The North American trek will be rescheduled for early 2009.