Boy George in 2023. Photo: JASON KEMPIN / AFP
Boy George's previous convictions will be weighed up by immigration authorities ahead of his upcoming New Zealand tour.
They are approaching the singer's management as the British star has previous convictions, which will be considered when he applies for a visa.
Boy George was sentenced to 15 months in jail in 2009 for the assault and false imprisonment of a male escort. He was excluded from entering the US at the time, and that is usually a bar to getting a visa for New Zealand.
The former Culture Club singer had hits in the 1980s and '90s, and is due to headline the five-date Timeless Summer tour in January.
"We have processes in place and we continue to follow these processes in this instance as we have done successfully many times previously," a tour management spokesperson said.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) said in a statement performing artists from visa-waiver countries who are performing at an approved festival can usually travel to New Zealand and perform without the need to apply for a visa first.
"Visa-waiver travellers need to obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before they can travel to New Zealand. We can confirm that we have not received an application from George O'Dowd," deputy chief operating officer Jeannie Melville said, using Boy George's real name.
"All applicants must meet the requirements of the visa they are applying for, including good character. We will decline applications for a visa or NZeTA if the applicant has serious character issues.
"As O'Dowd has previous convictions, it is recommended that he should make an application for a visa where we can then assess his character, and the full circumstances of his situation would be considered. We will be reaching out to the tour promoter to ensure they are aware of these requirements."
INZ said it would not generally grant a visa or entry permission if the applicant had been sentenced to a prison term of five years, and those previously excluded or deported from any country.
Travellers who have had prison sentences of more than 12 months in the last 10 years are not usually granted entry, but his conviction dates back longer than that.
"As O'Dowd has previous convictions, it is recommended that he should make an application for a visa where we can then assess his character, and the full circumstances of his situation would be considered," said Melville. "We will be reaching out to the tour promoter to ensure they are aware of these requirements."