Visa confusion leaves Punjabi megastar’s Australian tour in limbo
Punjabi sensation Karan Aujla’s Australian tour hangs in the balance after a visa debacle, which his team claims is a wild case of mistaken identity.
The visa delay has forced the postponement of his opening shows, with the artist’s management claiming Australian authorities have confused the star with an alleged Canadian criminal with an identical name.
Aujla was set to start the Australian leg of his tour this week. Supplied
His team alleges Australian border authorities have mixed up the 29-year-old artist with another man of the same name living in Canada, who was arrested two years ago for alleged extortion and firearms offences.
The rapper lives on the other side of Canada in British Columbia and is an entirely different age to the alleged offender.
In a statement his manager has told 9News, the confusion has left him stressed over the past few days.
“Shows have been cancelled or postponed… and we’re losing a significant amount of money.”
Karan Aujla was meant to kick off the Australian leg of his tour in Perth at RAC Arena on Thursday night, but that show has since been moved to August 24.
The situation came days after Indian actor and filmmaker Mohanlal was unable to enter Sydney for a Malayalam stage show because his visa was not approved in time in an unrelated situation, leaving him stranded in Singapore.
NSW Music Minister John Graham says he is willing to intervene with the Federal Government over the visa delays, with Aujla scheduled to perform at Sydney’s Afterpay Arena next Friday.
“We don’t want fans disappointed, we’ve got some of the best acts coming out to tour NSW.”
While the confusion has seemingly thrown the future of Aujla’s tour into limbo, Live Nation continues to advertise his shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.
Nine.com.au has reached out to the Home Affairs Office for comment.
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