England Olympiad teams announcement

[Peter Kirby]

Guernsey have 5 / 6 visas, the last one is due by the 20th.

[Nigel Short]

Still no sign of the remaining 8 English visas...

[Peter Kirby]

The last Guernsey visa is now due by the 28th.

[NickFaulks]

If mine doesn't come through I shall stay on the original plan and show up at Baku Airport with the letter of invitation which we all have. I wish thay hadn't changed that at a late stage to a better plan.

[Alex Holowczak]

My visa arrived on 21st August, along with this message:

"Please note that the visas demands were treated by the Organizers in the order of receiving the complete visas documents, if any visas for the members of your Federation are in the process of issuing."

So acquiring a visa seems to be a function of how quickly your application was accepted; if you were asked to have another go at photographs, you may have gone to the back of the queue.

[Nigel Short]

We now have our visas, using the photos they rejected en masse for inexplicable reasons.

[John Moore]

We now have our visas, using the photos they rejected en masse for inexplicable reasons.

That's good news - I was worried that Alex H might have had to make his international debut!

[Colin Patterson]

Probably just stalling you all while they stocked up on ticker-tape!

[NickFaulks]

We now have our visas, using the photos they rejected en masse for inexplicable reasons.

Bully for you, I haven't got mine. I must say that the rewards for being a Kirsan stooge are looking a little disappointing at the moment.

[Nigel Short]

We now have our visas, using the photos they rejected en masse for inexplicable reasons.

Bully for you, I haven't got mine. I must say that the rewards for being a Kirsan stooge are looking a little disappointing at the moment.

Yes, you really ought to give up on it. Incidentally, rumour has it that there will be no Bermuda Party this year. Is that true? Is Nigel planning a run for President or something?

[LawrenceCooper]

We now have our visas, using the photos they rejected en masse for inexplicable reasons.

Bully for you, I haven't got mine. I must say that the rewards for being a Kirsan stooge are looking a little disappointing at the moment.

Yes, you really ought to give up on it. Incidentally, rumour has it that there will be no Bermuda Party this year. Is that true? Is Nigel planning a run for President or something?

It's on the schedule: http://www1.bakuchessolympiad.com/content/36 but maybe we'll have to make do with a Baku party instead

[NickFaulks]

Incidentally, rumour has it that there will be no Bermuda Party this year.

Come on, we all know you can make up a better rumour than that.

http://www1.bakuchessolympiad.com/news/20/129

[LawrenceCooper]

Some of the teams that receive help with funding and travel are still awaiting their flight tickets and visas

[NickFaulks]

Some of the teams that receive help with funding and travel are still awaiting their flight tickets and visas

I don't think it has ever been the intention that the organisers would provide money upfront for tickets. That would introduce, shall we say, a moral hazard. The travel fund, which is a recent and welcome innovation, will reimburse teams on arrival.

As to visas, which could certainly have been handled better, the organisers are providing anyone whose visa is stuck at the Ministry with a Letter of Invitation which will get them a visa on arrival at Baku Airport. I am potentially in that position myself, and am not at all troubled.

[LawrenceCooper]

Some of the teams that receive help with funding and travel are still awaiting their flight tickets and visas

I don't think it has ever been the intention that the organisers would provide money upfront for tickets. That would introduce, shall we say, a moral hazard. The travel fund, which is a recent and welcome innovation, will reimburse teams on arrival.

As to visas, which could certainly have been handled better, the organisers are providing anyone whose visa is stuck at the Ministry with a Letter of Invitation which will get them a visa on arrival at Baku Airport. I am potentially in that position myself, and am not at all troubled.

Sadly at least one country is physically waiting to be sent tickets so I suspect a communication breakdown has occurred at some level.