India’s top-ranked chess player, Arjun Erigaisi, is facing US visa issues and has appealed to the embassy to expedite the process

Arjun Erigaisi, India’s top-ranked chess player, has made a public appeal to expedite the return of his passport ahead of the World Rapid & Blitz Championships in New York City, scheduled for December 26-31.

Currently ranked number one in India for rapid chess, Erigaisi took to social media to express concern over the delay in receiving his passport, which he had submitted for visa stamping.

“Last week, I submitted my passport for visa stamping, and it has still not been returned. I kindly request that the process be expedited and my passport be returned as soon as possible, as I need it to travel to New York for the World Rapid & Blitz Championship,” Arjun wrote on X.

The upcoming FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships will be the first to take place in the United States.

Set in the iconic Cipriani venue on Wall Street, the event will feature a new tournament structure, including a knockout stage in the blitz format. The championships are expected to draw top global chess talent, including reigning champion Magnus Carlsen, who has been dominant in recent editions.

Arjun Erigaisi is one of four prominent Indian Grandmasters competing, alongside Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, newly crowned world chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju, and Vidit Gujrathi.

As he represents India on the international stage, Erigaisi aims to demonstrate his speed chess prowess against a field of stars, including Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Alireza Firouzja.

With a total prize fund of nearly $1.5 million, the tournament is one of the most lucrative on the chess circuit.

Over 300 players will compete in both the Open and Women’s sections, and the six-day event promises intense action, featuring the traditional Swiss format for rapid play and a newly introduced knockout stage for blitz.