Amelia Curran cancels U.K. tour after work visa denied at Heathrow Airport

Newfoundland singer-songwriter Amelia Curran has cancelled a tour of the United Kingdom after being denied entry at airport customs.

Curran had just arrived at London's Heathrow Airport on Monday before setting off on a 12-show tour promoting her latest album Watershed.

When she met the customs officer she was told there were technical complications with her sponsorship visa and she wasn't cleared to legally work in the U.K.

"The gentleman who normally takes care of my sponsorship visas was suspended from issuing these visas for international artists," she told the St. John's Morning Show.

"We don't know why or for how long but I think they're going through a lot of changes over there and this is just one of those changes. We didn't catch it in time, that's it."

'Heathrow prison'

After spending seven hours in a small room – which she jokingly calls 'Heathrow prison' – being questioned and watching customs agents go through her belongings, Curran was told she would not be going ahead with her tour and would have to return home.

She then broke the news to her fans on social media, and got to work with her agent contacting the venues to let them know she would not be performing.

While canceling her tour is disappointing, Curran is resigned to the outcome and says the customs agents in London were nice about it even though they wouldn't let her in the country.

She said the logistics of canceling all 12 shows is frustrating, but she plans to try another U.K. tour again in a year, making sure her visa is in order next time around.

In the meantime, she realizes the situation is out of her control, and recognizes that it's not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

"I couldn't not think of the big picture. And the big picture in this scenario is that I'm Canadian and the worse thing that's going to happen – which is what did happen – is that I'm sent back to Canada and my tour is cancelled," she said.

"What are you going to do? Circumstances are out of your control."