KINGSTON, Jamaica — Dancehall artiste Busy Signal has called on the Jamaican authorities to intervene in his immigration woes after his application for a Canadian visitor visa was denied over concerns about whether he “would leave the country at the end of his stay”.

The One More Night singer is alleging that the denial, especially its overtone, is possibly “racist”.

In an Instagram post on Friday, he shared a letter from the Canadian High Commission dated December 19, 2024 and addressed to “Reanno Devon Gordon”.

“I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay as required by paragraph 179 (b) of the IRPR (Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations). I am refusing your application because you have not established that you will leave Canada based on the following factors,” the letter said.

The letter further explained, “The purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay given the details you have provided in your application.”

Busy Signal seemed to take offence at the letter’s tone, alleging that the response and denial of his visa application smacked of “injustice and prejudice”.

Citing his clean “current” legal record, he even upped the ante, and suggested the response was “racist”.

“As a globally recognised Jamaican artist with an impeccable business track record, no current police record of any sort from any country, with active visas from the UK (United Kingdom), the USA (United States of America) and Europe, I am calling on my country’s authorities for support in addressing the injustice, prejudice and racist response I received when the Canadian High Commission/ Embassy denied my visa application, citing that I would not leave Canada,” Busy stated.

Dancehall fans reacted in anger and consternation, one calling it “full disrespect”.

“Canada embassy is one big joke,” one claimed.

Another stated: “Wow Canada, unuh shame we…give Busy his visa, his Canadian fans want to see him in concert eh.”

However, one fan questioned the allegation of injustice, noting: “I’m no expert, but it seems the visa was wrongly filed…it says temporary resident and clearly states visitor visa…you wouldn’t be able to perform on that visa anyway.”

Another, a purported immigration lawyer, even suggested Busy Signal should have applied for a “work visa” and not a visitor visa.

Busy Signal hit back, refuting this point, saying: “So I’ve always applied for visiting first, appear in the country to meet with possible business partners before planning a tour or concert then apply for a work visa. This was only the first step. So no, I did not give the impression I planned to work on a visiting. Over 20 years in the music business travelling. So I, nor my team would do something so stupid.”

Busy Signal’s past legal struggles are well documented. The Nah Go A Jail artiste has transgressions that included being arrested in May 2012 in London, UK under an extradition warrant, then being jailed in Jamaica, then extradited to the US where he was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison for absconding bail.

Busy Signal had been previously charged in February 2002 with two counts related to cocaine trafficking which carried a sentence of at least 15 years in prison. He jumped bail on that charge.

Eventually, in July 2012, Busy pleaded guilty to one count of failure to appear in court, admitting that he left the United States 10 years ago before a scheduled trial on drug charges.

He then served two months in a US federal prison based on the time he had already served in custody.

After completing probation, he applied for and received his US visa, enabling his return. In 2017, Busy Signal returned to New York, marking his first visit to the United States in several years.

— Claude Mills