No Chinese player at BlizzCon due visa problem - Page 7

On September 22 2011 01:49 Tula wrote:
It's a shame that esports isn't big enough yet for them to be considered professional athletes. If they were this certainly wouldn't be a problem (have you ever heard of an US Open player being denied a VISA?).

On the other hand, i understand why the US custom regulations have to be harsh, illegal immigrants are a big problem, and there is a fairly sizeable chinese minority already in place in the USA.

I hope Blizzard-Activision helps them, or at least sorts out some kind of solution for such problems in the future. Considering how big a market China is for them, it shouldn't be impossible to invest into a staffer who tries to sort out such problems ahead of time.

On September 20 2011 22:33 Liquid`Jinro wrote:
I dont get why it would be that level of difficult to enter the US as a Chinese citizen.. China is supposed to be the communist nation that is hard to enter, yet you dont often hear of americans denied visas to China -_-

On September 22 2011 04:18 hahaimhenry wrote:
i find it funny that chinese people can't travel to america because of visa problems lol

im chinese, don't think i'm racist.

On September 22 2011 02:14 Trentelshark wrote:

There's numerous reports every year of players either going Canada to US, Europe to US or Russia to US having issues with VISAs when they join NHL teams. They eventually get pushed through (expedited by the NHL as a rule of thumb) but even here, it's not a guaranteed thing they'll be granted one right away, though never heard of a not at all case.

On September 22 2011 04:22 ppshchik wrote:


There are some cases where 6 months / 7 months pregnant Chinese women (with clothings that can cover their belly) seeking to travel to USA so they can give birth to their children there. Chinese will always be Chinese

On September 22 2011 04:51 GhoSt[shield] wrote:
To all those slightly unaware of how travel VISA situation works for Chinese citizens.

VISAs are all issued by the PRC's government. All mainland Chinese citizen's must apply for a travel VISA should they wish to travel/study outside of the PRC. The VISA is required to pass China's border security and without it no Chinese citizen travel abroad.

This has nothing to do with the US government like some uninformed people are posturing. It is an issue with the PRC's VISA issuing government department and their rejection of XiGua's and Uhen's applications for unknown reasons.

How do you decide whether or not to issue a visa?

Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Act states: Every alien is presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to nonimmigrant status...
To qualify for non-immigrant visas, applicants must meet the requirements of U.S. immigration law. Failure to do so will result in a refusal of a visa under Section 214(b). The most frequent basis for such a refusal is failure to overcome the requirement that applicants must possess a residence abroad he/she has no intention of abandoning. Applicants prove the existence of such residence by demonstrating that they have ties abroad that would compel them to leave the U.S. at the end of their temporary stay. The law places this burden of proof on each individual applicant. back to top

Why does the U.S. have such strict visa laws?

The United States is an open society. Unlike many other countries, the United States does not impose internal controls on visitors, such as registration with local authorities. In order to enjoy the privilege of unencumbered travel in the United States, foreigners have a responsibility to prove they are going to return abroad before a visitor or student visa is issued. Our immigration law requires consular officers to view every visa applicant as an intending immigrant until the applicant proves otherwise. back to top

What are strong ties?

Strong ties differ from country to country, city to city, individual to individual. "Ties" are the various aspects of a person's life that bind them to their country or residence: possessions, employment, social and family relationships. Some examples of ties can be a person's job and income, a house or apartment, a car, close family relationships, bank accounts, etc. Consular officers are trained to look at each application individually and consider professional, social, cultural and other factors. With younger applicants who may not have had an opportunity to form many ties, consular officers may look at the applicant's specific intentions, family situations and long-range plans and prospects within his or her country of residence. Each case is examined individually and is accorded every consideration under the law. back to top

Why do all the refused applicants get the same letter of explanation as to why they were refused?

In most cases where an applicant is refused a visa, the applicant fails to show that he or she has strong enough ties outside the U.S. to convince the officer that the applicant will depart the United States after a temporary period. Many refused applicants believe there is a special document or a special way to answer questions that will enable them to successfully reapply for a visa days or weeks later. However, as the problem for applicants refused under section 214(b) lies in their overall situation, no single answer or document exists which would prove satisfactory in all cases. Applicants are encouraged to reapply only when their overall circumstances have changed. For example, an unemployed recent graduate may decide to reapply following a sustained period of steady employment. back to top

Why are the visa interviews so short?

Visa officers handle thousands of applications every year. Based on this experience, they are able to quickly review the application form and supporting documents in order to narrow the range in which questions may need to be asked. Keep in mind, much of the necessary information required to make a decision is already supplied on the application form itself, so there is usually no need for the officer to ask more than a few additional questions. back to top

When I applied for a visa, I told the officer I would return to China after a short stay in the U.S. Why didn't the officer believe me?

Visa officers are required to evaluate the applicants overall situation in reaching a decision. Statements indicating that the applicant intends to return to China are helpful, but under the requirements of U.S. law the statement alone is not adequate to show that they qualify for a visa. back to top

Is a refusal under Section 214(b) permanent?

No. If an applicant has new information which was not presented to the interviewing officer at the time of the first application, or if the applicants overall circumstances have changed significantly since the last application, a new application is appropriate and will be duly considered. back to top

How long do refused applicants have to wait before reapplying?

There is no time restriction on resubmitting an application after a refusal. If additional information or supporting documentation is available which may further demonstrate an applicant’s qualifications for a visa, an application may be resubmitted. back to top

I have a letter (or fax) I would like the officer to read to better understand my situation and my strong ties to China. Can I send it to you so you can read it in advance of my interview?

Any information which is relevant to the visa application should be brought to the interview. Mailing information to the Embassy in advance will not be helpful. The visa interview is the proper setting for the officer to consider all information. back to top

I brought all my documents, but my application was refused anyway. What else should I bring?

The problem is not the documents. Rather, the applicants’ current overall situation (as supported by those documents) was not adequate to overcome the presumption that he or she is an intending immigrant. Remember, U.S. law says that all applicants for nonimmigrant visas are intending immigrant until they show that their overall circumstances would be adequate to compel their return home after visiting the U.S. back to top

What can I do if I have a complaint about the manner in which my case has been handled?

The Embassy does not have sufficient resources to meet with every interested party who wishes to discuss a visa case with a consular officer. Therefore, we do not arrange meetings to discuss individual visa cases. However, all visa applicants are entitled to courteous, efficient, and consistent treatment. If an applicant feels they were treated improperly during the processing of a visa application, a letter should be written to the Embassy describing the circumstances. All legitimate concerns will be investigated and corrective action taken where justified. Our fax number is (86-10) 8531-3333.

Can My American Friend Help?

I have letters of guarantee that I will return to China. Why isn't that considered to be enough proof that I actually will return?

A guarantee letter, like other forms of written documentation, will be considered by the interviewing officer. However, a letter, by itself, does not establish the applicant's ties to a permanent residence outside of the United States. Similarly, pledges from highly placed persons that an applicant will return to China do not automatically enable the applicant to overcome section 214(b). This is because U.S. law does not permit visa officers to delegate to others their authority to evaluate the applicant's actual overall circumstances.

If I am refused a visa, would it help to have a high ranking official or an American friend contact the Embassy?

No. United States law assigns the responsibility for issuance or refusal of visas to consular officers overseas. They have the final say on all visa cases. Additionally, United States law is designed to insulate the decisions in visa cases from outside influences. An applicant can influence a reversal of a prior refusal only through presentation of new convincing evidence of strong ties.

American Citizen Hour for Non-Immigrant Visa Inquiries

U.S. citizens wishing to ask questions regarding the visa process may meet with a member of the Non-Immigrant Visa Unit staff every Monday between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm, except U.S. and Chinese holidays. All Americans present at the U.S. Embassy Beijing’s Consular Entrance, located at No. 55 An Jia Lou Road, Beijing, China 100600, at 4 pm will be able to speak to a staff member that day; no one will be admitted after 4:15 pm. Please bring your U.S. passport for entrance into the non-immigrant visa unit.

These sessions are designed to be informational only and are not an opportunity to submit a visa application or to re-adjudicate a prior refusal. Before attending the American Citizen hour, please consult the information on our website, and our Frequently Asked Questions. Americans and others may also send questions, including case-specific inquiries, via e-mail to ciubeijing@state.gov. There is also considerable information on visa issues available at the Department of State’s Consular Affairs website, http://www.travel.state.gov/.

Please note that Embassy Beijing only issues non- immigrant visas. Please check the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou’s website, http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/, for information on immigrant visas.

On September 20 2011 23:46 Shen_ wrote:
China loves making it hard to leave China....because people often don't want to go back. This isn't unique to e-sports.

On September 22 2011 05:49 Bluerain wrote:


have u ever been to china? its a great place to live and has its pros and cons when compred to the US. get your borderline racist comments out of here.