The US Embassy in Islamabad has reportedly denied a visa to the renowned singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, thus hindering his participation in an upcoming concert.
The visa refusal appears to be linked to allegations of unpaid taxes on income earned in the US from 2015 to 2023.
In accordance with the embassy’s requirements, the singer is required to furnish IRS documentation outlining his tax payments during the specified period and legal documents from Bollywood Event LLC. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan asserts that he has fulfilled his tax obligations through his US promoters and has contacted them to obtain the necessary documents for submission to the embassy.
The artist known for ‘O Re Piya’ argues that he had previously visited the US earlier this year and believes that if there were any outstanding tax payments, the embassy would not have granted him a visa at that time.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan had plans to travel to the United States on November 18 for a musical event organized by the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America. However, his visa application, submitted by promoter Rehan Siddiqui, was rejected due to tax-related issues concerning the singer’s US income from 2015 to 2023.
Documents indicate that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan had been sponsored by four different promoters during this period, and he maintains that his concert income was subject to tax deductions, thereby making it the promoters’ responsibility to settle the US taxes.
Speculation has arisen about a potential informant who may have alerted the US embassy regarding Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s tax matters, with suspicions that this individual might have a close connection to the singer.
Rehan Siddiqui, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s new promoter in the US, acknowledges that this is his first show with the artist and emphasizes their obligation to address the singer’s taxes, even without a granted visa.
