New Zealand immigration officials could step in to keep R Kelly out of the country, an immigration lawyer says.
The R&B hitmaker, real name Robert Kelly, is planning a tour down under, despite a lengthy list of sexual assault allegations, including accusations he ran a sex cult.
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He was also convicted of battery in 1997, and placed on one year unsupervised probation.
In January the six-part documentary Surviving R Kelly reignited public interest in the allegations, featuring interviews with women claiming to have been victims of Kelly.
His scheduled show at Auckland's Trusts Arena was cancelled in the wake of the scandal, but on Wednesday he tweeted that he would be coming to New Zealand with a new promoter.
Immigration lawyer Alistair McClymont told Newshub even though Kelly hasn't been convicted on sex charges, the allegations could be an issue.
"In theory, it could legally be possible that his visa application could be declined, simply because there are allegations swirling around, but of course it would be quite a political decision."
Mr McClymont said applicants with public personas do tend to get through the visa application process even with convictions.
"I tend to find that if you're someone with a public persona, you're a well-known person who has convictions, you're much more likely to be approved a visa because of the surrounding circumstances."
But whatever the case, that application will probably end up in the hands of MP Kris Faafoi.
"An application like that would go to an Associate Minister of Immigration," Mr McClymont said.
"They would look at things like the fact that they're entertainers, that they're going to be providing an entertainment service to the New Zealand public, what sort of benefits are there to the country."
Immigration New Zealand hasn't yet received a visa application from the musician.
Newshub.
