diego11

That's what I wanted to hear!

I know... I meant do you think do I stand any chance at all, changing the story now, even though I'm coming honest... I really wasn't aware of this possibility.

Thanx, that makes sense. Do you think if it's at all worth the effort to apply with the try out information, changing couple of things in the application regarding the try out date and city and bringing the letter from the team...

Actually, as I applied for B2 I told the officer that I'm going as a tourist to sightsee, without mentioning the tryout. I think you're right in what you're saying, and somehow my assumption now is that it would have been better to mention the tryout, even if that means that I'm obviously planning to stay for a while in US if I pass the tryout.

Did they tell you that you needed to apply for a different visa?

I understand, but I come from a country (Serbia) which is not in the waiver program, and I can't attend the tryout (even if it is for only 2 days) without any kind of visa (whether it's a work or a tourist visa). That's why I applied for the B2 initially, but then I found this information regarding B1 classification :

"(6) An amateur team sports player who is asked to join a professional team during the course of the regular professional season or playoffs for brief try-outs (The teams may provide only for such expenses as round-trip fare, hotel room, meals, and other try-out transportation costs)"

http://www.tnvisabulletin.com/permissible-b-1-visa-business/

or this:

"B-1 visa: This type of visa can be used under certain circumstances for an athlete to visit the U.S. for a specific event such as a try-out or sporting match."

http://www.visanow.com/for-businesses/immigration-services/sports-entertainment-visas

Thanx for a thorough answer! The things is, this kind of sport manifestation is actually an indoor soccer open try out for anyone who wants to take part (including foreigners) as a chance to make the team. You see my problem here - the team from US won't guarantee employment until they see me in try outs, but in order to reach the try out I need a visa, and that's where my confusion comes from at the first place - What is a legal way to do that? As I'm obviously "hinting" - if I do make the team, I'll stay in the US until the end of a soccer season (5 months), and I will change my visa to working visa with the help of the US soccer team (even though I've been planning in either case to go back to homeland and graduate)?

Yes, I know what you mean, because I've heard of many cases of rejected visa with the letter of invitation, and even the official site of the embasy states: "They will most likely have no positive or negative effect on the outcome of your interview."

However, under business visa there's this section:

"Participants in sporting events, in addition to the documents described in "Basic documents and photographs," must also present the following:

Letter of invitation from the event organizers that lists the names of all those traveling
Letter from the relevant sports association that lists the names of all travelers and their role in the event
Documentation showing individual and/or group participation in similar events (for example press clips, awards and old passports with visas)"

I guess it wouldn't be too hard to get those letters (and my passport is full of other visas). However, as I already got rejected for the tourist visa (twice in two months) I'm afraid I'll be a perfect candidate for a "boy cried wolf" even when I do state my true intentions (but I really wasn't aware how would I get to a tryout but with a tourist visa).

Thanx. Yeah, I'm confusing it again in the original post - I got rejected for B2, and now I'd like to apply for B1 adding the invitation letter from the sport team.

I got rejected for the tourist B2 visa, but I'd like to apply for a B1 now, because I really wasn't sure what type of visa do I need (I falsely thought I can't get B2 visa since I'm unemployed and heard that B1/B2 are issued together, anyway). Can I apply for a B2 now, adding a 2-day sport manifestation I want to take part in as a reason of visit (even though I do plan to visit it as a tourist, too). Thanks

In my home country? No. If you mean potentially by the soccer team, then yes, it's a professional soccer team.

I'm an older student finishing my studies, unemployed, from Europe. I wanted to go to the US for so called open "tryouts" organized by indoor soccer teams calling anyone who wants to give a shot at becoming a member of their team.

The thing is, they (soccer teams) can't process work visa until they see me at the tryout sessions, but I also can't apply for work visa based on the assumption "I'm going for a tryout, and perhaps they'll accept me". What should I do?