Roger Ver is an ex-con who made a bunch of money selling used computer parts online, and now he’s preaching the gospel of Bitcoin. At least, that’s how he claims he got the nickname “Bitcoin Jesus” — from being one of the payment network’s biggest supporters. Unfortunately, Ver — who was actually born and raised in Silicon Valley — renounced his U.S. citizenship last February and moved to the nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, presumably for the lovely weather, and not because that’s a good way to get out of paying federal income tax. (He has been living in Japan since getting out of prison ten years ago.)
In eight days he’s applied for a tourist Visa three times, and has been denied under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which states:
“Every alien shall be 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 a nonimmigrant status”
Essentially, since he’s not from the Caribbean and he only just moved there, the U.S. Embassy in Barbados doesn’t want to chance that he’ll skip out on his new homeland to return to North America.
@iamsunbird, The @USEmbassyBbdos staff specifically told me it was because I didn't prove I have strong enough ties outside of the USA.
— Roger Ver (@rogerkver) January 7, 2015
Specifically, Ver wants to attend a conference in Miami about Bitcoin next weekend. But he was also blocked from attending the Consumer Electronics Show this week. Obviously any American speaking engagements or conferences — not to mention his family, including his uncle that is apparently in stage four cancer treatment — will be difficult to get to if he can’t enter the country.
Ver seems to be blaming the United States for this, but considering he tried to start a Bitcoins-for-Citizenship site in St. Kitts as soon as he moved there, and the local authorities shut it down, perhaps he’s not necessarily welcome back to his second home on the islands.
Currently there is no appeal process for his denied Visa. He must apply again. Although it may be too late for the Bitcoin conference.
via ArsTechnica