HYDERABAD: India’s number one chess player Arjun Erigasi has appealed to the US Embassy and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to expedite his visa process, enabling him to participate in the World Rapid & Blitz Championship in New York from December 26 to 31. He also appealed to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandviya and All India Chess Federation (AICF) members to intervene.
The chess prodigy, who hails from Warangal, is ranked fourth worldwide, as per the FIDE live ratings. “All the formalities, including biometrics and passport submission, were done in Hyderabad and the later interview for the visa was done in Delhi in November,” he told TNIE. He submitted his passport to the US Embassy in the national capital on December 13.
“Since then, my team and I have had a few different sources but nothing has been working out. So, we decided to appeal to social media,” Arjun added.
Taking the situation to X, he tagged: “@USAndIndia Last week I submitted my passport to you for visa stamping and it still has not been returned. I request you to please expedite the process and return my passport as soon as possible as I need it for my travel to New York for the World Rapid & Blitz Championship.”
Speaking further on the developments, a member of Erigaisi’s team informed TNIE, “All the process, including interview, was done before he went to play Qatar Masters (from December 2 to 13). He had taken back his passport to travel to Doha for the same tournament and later submitted it back last Friday, December 13. Since then we have inquired and appealed through various sources but to no avail.”
Notably, the World Rapid & Blitz Championship would be Erigaisi’s first-ever tournament on US soil while most of his peers have featured before. “It is my first time applying for a US Visa as well,” Erigaisi said. In 2024, the 21-year-old became the second Indian after former world champion Viswanathan Anand to break into the 2800s rating.