As the government shutdown stretches on, leaving about 800,000 federal employees without pay, it’s also having a ripple effect on reality TV, reportedly complicating 90 Day Fiancé’s seventh season.
“It could cause significant delays in visa processing, and it’s going to be a new challenge for reality producers looking to cast the upcoming seventh season,” an insider told Page Six.
The source went on to explain that the shutdown is making it “harder to find available couples,” which could affect the reality show’s production schedule, as “without a locked-down cast, we can’t film.”
In TLC’s hit reality show, six couples going through the K1 visa process have their relationships documented as they move across the world to be together — and wed within three months.
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Immigration attorney Edward Shulman went on to tell E! News that participants in the show would likely run into trouble.
“When the people abroad try and come into the United States, they will have a bit of difficulty coming into the United States with the visa,” Schulman said.
TLC did not have a comment.
However, it remains unclear if visa processing has actually been affected. On Thursday, representatives from the State Department redirected PEOPLE to what was posted on their website last month. In late December, the department said only that “at this time, scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at our U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits.”
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Earlier this month, TLC renewed 90 Day Fiancé for a seventh season, following the series’ record high ratings for season 6.
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?, the spin-off of TLC’s hit franchise, is also set to return this spring.