# Joining ASCAP or BMI for Non-US Residents



## Tanuj Tiku (Oct 8, 2010)

If you are not a citizen of the US but work with libraries or clients in the US - then how do you sign up with ASCAP or BMI?

Anyone here who has done the same?

I am in the process of getting some work but I need to sign up with a PRO.

As an International composer what are my options? How have other people done it here?


Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Thanks.


Best,

Tanuj.


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## Waywyn (Oct 8, 2010)

Hey Tanuj,

I am from germany so I could join GEMA, however I don't want to due to several reasons. I asked at ASCAP and BMI and while BMI was almost happy to get me signed up I found the ASCAP contact(s) to be one of the most unfriendliest people I have ever mailed with (in a serious sense). I explained in - I think decent english - why I would like to join ASCAP and they told me to stick with GEMA. Then I pointed out my already well described problem again and I just received a harsh ... sorry, stick to GEMA!

Hate to say, but either someone (or a few guys at the same time) had a bad day or they don't like germans 

I am with BMI, still pretty fresh and new but so far I am happy and the people over there were kinda helpful and nice.


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## midphase (Oct 8, 2010)

Waywyn @ Fri Oct 08 said:


> Hate to say, but either someone (or a few guys at the same time) had a bad day or they don't like germans .



ASCAP hates Germans with a passion! I think they still hold a grudge from WWII...ASCAP's founder was wounded in the battle for Berlin and ever since then they have had a no-Germans-allowed policy.

Sorry....stick to GEMA! :lol: :lol: :lol: 

o-[][]-o


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## Patrick de Caumette (Oct 8, 2010)

Member of SACEM here (french PRO) but I got an agrement so that I am represented by ASCAP for the US territory only...


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## Waywyn (Oct 8, 2010)

midphase @ Fri Oct 08 said:


> Waywyn @ Fri Oct 08 said:
> 
> 
> > Hate to say, but either someone (or a few guys at the same time) had a bad day or they don't like germans .
> ...


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## midphase (Oct 8, 2010)

BTW Alex...been meaning to tell you...

That's an awesome profile picture of you...but you know what's missing from it? A red lightsaber!


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## Waywyn (Oct 8, 2010)

midphase @ Fri Oct 08 said:


> BTW Alex...been meaning to tell you...
> 
> That's an awesome profile picture of you...but you know what's missing from it? A red lightsaber!



Hhahaha thx! Actually it's weird since my wife took that photo with an HTC down the harbor in Hamburg ... and damn, I asked her about how to hold the light saber but she said: Alex, just put it away on at least one pic and be serious ... I knew that was wrong!


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## Mike Greene (Oct 8, 2010)

Waywyn @ Fri Oct 08 said:


> I found the ASCAP contact(s) to be one of the most unfriendliest people I have ever mailed with (in a serious sense). I explained in - I think decent english - why I would like to join ASCAP and they told me to stick with GEMA. Then I pointed out my already well described problem again and I just received a harsh ... sorry, stick to GEMA!


They told you to stick with GEMA because that would result in the least amount of work for whoever you talked to. Those people there are some of the laziest people I've ever seen.

More than once I've had to go over someone's head to get him to get off his lazy ass and do their job. Even now, I've been waiting about three months (with a couple reminder emails along the way) for them to handle a problem where a show is missing from my royalty statements. They *know* they're gonna have to handle eventually (it's not like I'm going to just "let it go,") but still, until I again go over someone's head, it's going to remain perpetually on the back burner.


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## midphase (Oct 9, 2010)

If contacting LA ASCAP leads you to crappy service...try the NYC office. Sometimes they can be better (or worse).


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## germancomponist (Oct 9, 2010)

Waywyn @ Fri Oct 08 said:


> Hey Tanuj,
> 
> I am from germany so I could join GEMA, however I don't want to due to several reasons. ...



This is very interesting, Alex.

Can you tell me why...?


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## Waywyn (Oct 9, 2010)

germancomponist @ Sat Oct 09 said:


> Waywyn @ Fri Oct 08 said:
> 
> 
> > Hey Tanuj,
> ...



Pretty simple, because I was (and still am) doing game music ... and the GEMA treats game CDs as music releases (because music is on the DVD :roll: )
I know they are a bit stupid and have to learn a lot. However BMI (or ASCAP) is leaving out mechanical credits, so I don't have to worry about that.


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## vlado hudec (Oct 9, 2010)

vibrato - I am with BMI... firstly you need an ITIN number, so you need to fill W-7 form and then W-8BEN form and that's all, I think.


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## thov72 (Sep 24, 2016)

ok everyone.Hope I am set now: 
I send W-8BEN an my application to BMI.

Then I send the W-7 to the IRS?? to get an ITIN?? together with payment documets from the libraries???? And a copy of my passport.
correct???


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## Tanuj Tiku (Sep 24, 2016)

Wow...seeing my thread after 6 years! I joined BMI in the end. They were very helpful. AFAIR, the W-7 was sent to the IRS by BMI themselves. 

You can call them or e-mail them, very helpful. I called the LA or New York office, can't remember. 

Of course, in my case for any US based royalties there is a witholding tax. So they shave off 30%. But, I can use that to show against my taxes. Could be better if I got the whole amount directly and figured out my taxes locally. 

But, BMI has been great. They are prompt with royalties and the web site works well.


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## dannymc (Oct 4, 2016)

> Hey Tanuj,
> 
> I am from germany so I could join GEMA, however I don't want to due to several reasons. I asked at ASCAP and BMI and while BMI was almost happy to get me signed up I found the ASCAP contact(s) to be one of the most unfriendliest people I have ever mailed with (in a serious sense). I explained in - I think decent english - why I would like to join ASCAP and they told me to stick with GEMA. Then I pointed out my already well described problem again and I just received a harsh ... sorry, stick to GEMA!
> 
> ...



i see this thread is 6 years old. i hope things have changed since. anyway i have to say i had the complete opposite experience to this. i had never joined a PRO before but since audiosparx was one of the first music libraries i joined they suggest ASCAP as one of the PRO's to join. ASCAP couldn't of been more friendly and helpful to me and i'd say they got me signed up and sorted with an IPI in super quick time. i'd the whole process took about 6 weeks in total. if things slow at all i would suggest giving them a call. i found them very easy and pleasant to deal with. mybe its an Irish thing 


Danny


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## WiseRockstar (Jun 9, 2019)

Hey guys,

I know it's an old thread, but I have to up it cause it's the only one I found on google that's completely related to my current problem.

I'm a non-US citizen too, and I was planning to join BMI instead of the PRO of my own country, because they are famously inefficient.

And I have two questions related to that tax thing :
-First, is that I don't understand anything of all that W 7, IRS, ITIN. What is that and what should I do ? I'm seriously lost, even after reading the thread.

-Second, I'm asking myself a question : as, seemingly, the US government is taking a percentage of your earnings regarding to where you're from, my question is,
are they taking this percentage only for your US related work, or are they taking it from ALL the royalties they're collected, from the 5 continents ?

Another way to say this : let's say a song I compose ends up in a local tv show in my country. Will there be a difference between the % taken by the PRO regarding to if I was with my local PRO or with BMI ?

Thanks a lot in advance, I'm really confused so answers would really help

Cheers,
D.


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