India’s no.1 chess player Arjun Erigaisi faces US visa trouble, urges embassy to expedite process

India’s top-ranked chess star Arjun Erigaisi has issued a public plea to expedite the return of his passport ahead of the prestigious World Rapid & Blitz Championships, set to take place in New York City from December 26-31.
Erigaisi, currently ranked number one in India for rapid chesstook to social media to highlight the delay in his passport’s return following its submission for visa stamping.
“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 World Rapid & Blitz Championship,” Arjun wrote on X.

The upcoming event marks the first time the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships will be held in the United States.
The competition, hosted at Wall Street’s Cipriani venue, features an updated tournament structure, including a knockout component in the blitz format.
The championships are set to attract the world’s top chess talent, including defending champion Magnus Carlsen, who has dominated the event in recent years.
Erigaisi is one of four leading Indian grandmasters registered for the competition, alongside Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, new world chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Vidit Gujrathi.
Representing India on the global stage, the young GM hopes to showcase his speed chess skills against a star-studded lineup that includes renowned players like Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Alireza Firouzja.
The tournament offers a combined prize fund of nearly $1.5 million, making it one of the most lucrative events on the chess calendar.
With over 300 players competing across Open and Women’s sections, the six-day championship promises high-stakes action, featuring both the traditional Swiss format in rapid play and a newly introduced knockout stage in blitz.