MoistCr1TiKaL “infuriated” as US visa issues force him to drop top Apex Legends roster

Charlie ‘MoistCr1TiKal’ White, stream content creator and esports organization owner, has revealed he has been forced to drop the Moist Esports Apex Legends roster due to repeated U.S. visa denials so the mostly Australian lineup can compete at the 2024 ALGS Split 1 LAN.

Moist Esports first encountered trouble with their visa status at the start of the season as the Australian players were denied entry into the United States to compete in the North American ALGS. Moist was the only team impacted by the country’s immigration office and was forced to play the online league from Canada.

At the time, MoistCri1TiKal slammed the government and said that their immigration agent working on their claim was out of touch with gaming and didn’t understand esports.

The team’s problems didn’t end there, however. The team owner revealed in a YouTube video that despite repeated attempts to get the players their papers to be in the country, and bringing in expert lawyers and executives from EA to work on their case, their paperwork has not been approved.

“Even with the goddamn Avengers on our side, U.S. immigration slams the door in our face… They’re Australian gamers, we are not trying to sneak in Viltromite aliens. What is the issue,” MoistCri1TiKal said in the video.

Timestamp: 1:32

The team had so much support from EA because Moist is one of the best pro Apex Legends teams in the world, and earned one of the top seeds from North America at the ALGS Split 1 Major. However, to be able to compete at the Los Angeles tournament the players will need to be unaffiliated with Moist Esports and compete in the country on different visas.

MoistCri1TiKal said his organization worked with multiple other esports orgs to help move the visa process along and said that their agent gave little feedback on why their attempts kept getting declined or how to fix their applications.

The owner proposed a theory that the team was denied due to the organization’s name, and how it could have made those working at the government uncomfortable.

“It might be the only reason we were rejected. At U.S. immigration it falls onto your particular agent. It is entirely their discretion whether or not you are allowed into the country with whatever you are submitting or doing… It is highly possible, and according to some lawyers, not unusual for them to decline things on very trivial reasoning,” he said.

The creator also said that the agent never outright said the team name was an issue because it would be “embarrassing” to have that in writing.

“The ice cream machines at McDonalds work better than the U.S. immigration process,” MoistCri1TiKal blasted.

The now-former Moist players said they will be at the Los Angeles tournament in time to compete and that the organization is one of the “greatest” they have worked with.