B1 visa rejected...compete in World series of Poker

[waqas.anser]

hello everyone

purpose of visit was to participate in World Series of Poker in Las Vegas starting from 31st May...
i have registered myself in 6 poker tournaments...i have wire transferred my funds to organizers and have confirmation mail from them
i am married
bank statement of 4 million
property documents of 20 million
well established construction business
no previous travel history
i had round trip air tickets and hotel reservation for 28 days

interview questions after greeting
VO: what is your purpose of travelling to US?
Ans: i am participating in wsop..i have to play in 6 tournaments starting...( i did not complete my ans ans VO asked me next question )
VO : are you married?
Ans: yes
VO: sorry you are not eligible for a visa right now

I was shocked due to such a short interview..i checked later from NADRA ( national database and registration authority of pakistan ) and came to know that my marital status was not updated and it was still unmarried in their records...now that i have got my status updated..what are my chances for getting a visa now...
is there anything else that might have caused the rejection???

[Libra_14]

Just give it a try once again. But I doubt, they check other government sites for such information (that too so quickly while talking to you).

- Not a legal advice, just MY opinion

[Block01251]

Thanks for the information


mysainsburys

[shlesongh]

216 (a) says married people have the strongest tie to return. Did you check your sheet?

[HFM1919]

applying for something that was cancelled did not help.

[dannyhart]

Wow, I can't imagine how you felt after this. I'm dreaming about visiting World Series of Poker one day

[DockCole]

I'm sorry to hear about your challenging experience with the interviewer. Rejections can be disheartening, but your determination to try the interview again is commendable. It's essential to navigate through such situations with resilience.

[MartinHarris]

Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm going to participate next year, and I hope that everyone will have the chance to do so. But yes, the VISA challenges are not that easy. Yet still, if you have such a dream, then you need to try again. I've been dreaming about that tournament for a long time, and I think my game skills are good enough. I play poker pretty often, most of the time online, as well as slots. I try to play games at different casinos to find the best one for me, and on this page https://casinosanalyzer.com/casino-bonuses/wild.io I found out about wild.io no deposit bonus which made me interested, and I decided to try that platform.I hope that one day, I'll be ready for a real tournament.

[Kurosakii]

he thing with consulates is they don’t always explain the actual reason behind a rejection, and situations like not updating marital status in official records might play a hidden role even if it's not directly mentioned. Reapplying after fixing it and maybe being a little more concise in your answers during the next interview could make a difference.

[chloeh]

Thanks for information!

[Zephlonix]

That sounds really frustrating — especially after preparing so thoroughly. The short interview is actually pretty common for U.S. visitor visas; decisions are often made quickly based on the officer’s impression and whatever’s visible on the system.

It’s very possible the mismatch in marital status contributed to the refusal. When your DS-160 says “married” but the U.S. systems (which sometimes pull data from national databases) show “single,” it can raise a red flag about consistency or credibility — even if it’s just an error.

Other possible factors could include:

• No previous travel history, which sometimes makes officers worry you might overstay.
• Purpose of visit — playing poker for prize money can look more like a business or professional trip than tourism, depending on how it’s explained.

Now that your marital status is corrected, update your DS-160 completely and prepare clear documentation showing your ties to Pakistan — business ownership proof, property documents, marriage certificate, and financials. At the next interview, stay calm, answer concisely, and be ready to show your WSOP registration and return plans.

You definitely have a better chance now with accurate records and stronger preparation — just make sure your story is consistent and focused on short-term travel, not “earning money” in the U.S.

Would you like me to help you draft how to answer the interview questions next time (like purpose of visit, ties to home country, etc.)