As most fans know, eSports are huge overseas, and while it’s starting to finally catch on in the U.S., the numbers aren’t even close by comparison. Now, with a number of high profile tournaments happening on our side of the pond, it’s no secret that international players want to participate, but what might not be common knowledge however, is that it has become increasingly difficult for these players to even get into the country, let alone play in the tournament itself. That is what made this article I just found over at Gosugamers all the more interesting. Here is an excerpt:
The Dota 2 scene is no stranger to visa issues and complications have arisen multiple times causing teams to miss out on tournaments. The U.S. is infamous for its difficult visa application, and players from the CIS countries and China usually have a tough time obtaining the visa the first time round.
Individuals intending to apply for a B1/B2 visa will have to fill in the DS-160 form on the US immigration website. Among the long list of questions asked on the form is if the applicant has been denied a US visa twice in the past two years. Assuming the answer is yes, the immigration officer would take a closer look at your application before making the decision to approve it. At times, luck may also play some role in visa application, like if the officer is an avid follower of the eSports scene.
However, luck was not on on the side of Natus Vincere’s youngest member Akbar ‘SoNNeikO’ Butaev. After failing his second application at the U.S. Consulate in Moscow, Natus Vincere’s Director of Photography Moritz ‘Moose’ Zimmerman tweeted that Valve will be assisting Butaev in making it to United States.
Valve is doing everything they can and pulling every string possible to get Butaev into the country to compete in The International 5.
I wish them the best of luck! It just goes to show you that eSports is more than just a mere “hobby” and is actually gaining enough traction in the mainstream world to be taken seriously. This is just one small step, and there is a long way to go, but it’s a good start. If you want to read more about this story, and how a certain high profile Government official is lending a hand to “fix” this issue, click here.
