The Smile hitmaker was forced to cancel all her U.S. tour dates in August 2007 after being stopped from entering the country over a scuffle with a photographer that March - which resulted in her arrest on allegations of assault.

Her detention meant she had to pull out of a planned performance at that summer's MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas.

But Allen is now preparing a new tour of the States after her visa application was approved on Tuesday (07Oct08).

Speaking at the BMI Awards in London later that day, where she picked up a gong for Smile, she told People.com, "I got my U.S. visa today, yay!

"It means I can go and tour there and finish what I started, which is something I've wanted to do for a while."

Allen is due to release the follow-up to 2006's Alright, Still album next February (09Feb09).

The disc was previously due to be called Stuck On The Naughty Step - but she's now changed her mind about the title.

She adds, "It will be out February 9 and... it's called It's Not Me, It's You."

But Allen is remaining coy about what fans can expect from the LP.

She says, "It's different. It's just... different."