Answers.Body: <p>The rules are described in <a href="https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B042020" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Transfer Regulations &amp; Rules of Eligibility for Players (effective from December 01, 2020)</a>.</p>
  <p>Basically there are three components:</p>
  <ol>
  <li>First, the player must have a connection (not just some billionaire paying them a lot of money) with the new federation. I couldn't just decide that I would like to play in an Olympiad and, say, the Turks and Caicos Islands has a team that is weak enough for me to get in so I would like to transfer federation to them.</li>
  <li>Second, an administrative fee has to be paid to FIDE</li>
  <li>Like in football (soccer), a transfer fee has to be paid to the old federation. In the case of strong players an additional &quot;compensation&quot; fee has to be paid. Although these do not apply in cases where human rights are involved - e.g. Russia or Iran, or where the player has never represented their federation in a FIDE event (e.g. continental or higher event).</li>
  </ol>
  <p>So,</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>1.1. A player may initially be registered by a Federation only if he or she has citizenship, naturalization or residency in the country of that Federation.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>Rapport has Hungarian nationality and, according to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich%C3%A1rd_Rapport#Personal_life" rel="nofollow noreferrer">his Wikipedia entry</a> (not always the most reliable) is resident in Belgrade, Serbia with his Serbian wife. Before he can transfer federation to Romania he will either have to establish residency in Romania or the Romanians will have to grant him nationality. As far as I can see residency can be for as short a time as a month, maybe even a few days. A utility bill is enough to demonstrate residency.</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>3.1. All transfers shall be the responsibility of the new Federation and must be submitted to the FIDE Secretariat on the prescribed form in Annex A “Notification of change of Federation” together with the supporting documentary evidence of date and place of birth, citizenship and residence. <strong>A Notification Fee of € 50 is payable for all transfers</strong>.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>This is cheap and reflects the current administration's promise to stop ripping off players. In the <a href="https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B042013" rel="nofollow noreferrer">previous rules</a> it was €250!</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>4.1. When the last representation date is 5 years prior to the transfer date or earlier, then the eligibility date is set 1 year after commencement of residency in the new federation without payment of the Transfer Fee and the Compensation Fee.</p>
  <p>4.2. When the last representation date is less than 5 years prior to the transfer date, then the eligibility date is set 2 years after commencement of residency in the new federation without payment of the Transfer Fee and the Compensation Fee  ( subject to 2.6.3 above ).</p>
  <p>4.3. A FIDE flag player who has never been registered with a National Federation is eligible to participate in FIDE events immediately after the transfer date.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>So, if Rapport wants to represent Romania within 2 years of his transfer then the transfer and compensation money will have to be paid to Hungary. If most of us here want to transfer federations then no such money will be required, just the €50 fee to FIDE.</p>
  <p>Where the length of residency in the new federation is 12 months or less, as in Rapport's case, the transfer fee is €5000. This drops through the various titles to €500 for a WIM or untitled player rated 2100 or over.</p>
  <p>The compensation fees are rather more eye-watering. They depend on rating and go from €50000 for a 2700+ player like Rapport down to €1000 for a 2100-2199 player.</p>
  <p>Bottom line, Sacha Dragic will have to pay the Hungarian federation €55,000 and FIDE €50.</p>
  <p>The Hungarian can object to the transfer, but it will cost them €500.</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>5.1. Any objection or protest regarding transfers that is submitted to the FIDE Secretariat must be accompanied with a fee of € 500, which shall be refundable if the protest is upheld. The FIDE Presidential Board shall decide upon all protests.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-06-17T16:42:38.997Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2022-06-17T16:57:37.457Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2022-06-17T16:57:37.457Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Brian Towers
Body: <p>Richard Rapport started his <a href="https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/fide-candidates-2022/1/1/1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">first game in the Candidates</a> today still under the Hungarian flag despite reports a month ago that he and his Serbian wife were going to switch federations to Romania and he might even play the Candidates under the Romanian flag.</p>
  <p>According to <a href="https://hungarytoday.hu/hungarian-chess-player-richard-rapport-romania-romanian-colours-flag-change-best-chess-players/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hungary Today</a> back in late May:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>The father of the Hungarian chess player confirmed this information when asked by 24.hu. He said:</p>
  <p>The main sponsor of the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2022, Sacha Dragic, Serbian-born billionaire and owner of the Superbet company, has made him an irresistible sponsorship offer that would give him a real chance to win the world title in the coming years. As far as I know, Ricsi has made up his mind and accepted the offer, which also includes a future seat at the table in the Romanian colors.”</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>What are the rules for players changing federation like this?</p>
  
Tags: <rules><fide>
Title: Richard Rapport to switch federations to Romania - what are the rules?
ThreadText: # Richard Rapport to switch federations to Romania - what are the rules?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-17)
  
  Richard Rapport started his [first game in the Candidates](https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/fide-candidates-2022/1/1/1) today still under the Hungarian flag despite reports a month ago that he and his Serbian wife were going to switch federations to Romania and he might even play the Candidates under the Romanian flag.
  
  According to [Hungary Today](https://hungarytoday.hu/hungarian-chess-player-richard-rapport-romania-romanian-colours-flag-change-best-chess-players/) back in late May:
  
  > The father of the Hungarian chess player confirmed this information when asked by 24.hu. He said:
  >
  > The main sponsor of the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2022, Sacha Dragic, Serbian-born billionaire and owner of the Superbet company, has made him an irresistible sponsorship offer that would give him a real chance to win the world title in the coming years. As far as I know, Ricsi has made up his mind and accepted the offer, which also includes a future seat at the table in the Romanian colors.”
  
  What are the rules for players changing federation like this?
  
  **Tags:** rules, fide
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_0 on 2022-06-17. Score: 4
  
  The rules are described in [Transfer Regulations & Rules of Eligibility for Players (effective from December 01, 2020)](https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B042020).
  
  Basically there are three components:
  
  1. First, the player must have a connection (not just some billionaire paying them a lot of money) with the new federation. I couldn't just decide that I would like to play in an Olympiad and, say, the Turks and Caicos Islands has a team that is weak enough for me to get in so I would like to transfer federation to them.
  2. Second, an administrative fee has to be paid to FIDE
  3. Like in football (soccer), a transfer fee has to be paid to the old federation. In the case of strong players an additional "compensation" fee has to be paid. Although these do not apply in cases where human rights are involved - e.g. Russia or Iran, or where the player has never represented their federation in a FIDE event (e.g. continental or higher event).
  
  So,
  
  > 1.1. A player may initially be registered by a Federation only if he or she has citizenship, naturalization or residency in the country of that Federation.
  
  Rapport has Hungarian nationality and, according to [his Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich%C3%A1rd_Rapport#Personal_life) (not always the most reliable) is resident in Belgrade, Serbia with his Serbian wife. Before he can transfer federation to Romania he will either have to establish residency in Romania or the Romanians will have to grant him nationality. As far as I can see residency can be for as short a time as a month, maybe even a few days. A utility bill is enough to demonstrate residency.
  
  > 3.1. All transfers shall be the responsibility of the new Federation and must be submitted to the FIDE Secretariat on the prescribed form in Annex A “Notification of change of Federation” together with the supporting documentary evidence of date and place of birth, citizenship and residence. **A Notification Fee of € 50 is payable for all transfers**.
  
  This is cheap and reflects the current administration's promise to stop ripping off players. In the [previous rules](https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B042013) it was €250!
  
  > 4.1. When the last representation date is 5 years prior to the transfer date or earlier, then the eligibility date is set 1 year after commencement of residency in the new federation without payment of the Transfer Fee and the Compensation Fee.
  >
  > 4.2. When the last representation date is less than 5 years prior to the transfer date, then the eligibility date is set 2 years after commencement of residency in the new federation without payment of the Transfer Fee and the Compensation Fee ( subject to 2.6.3 above ).
  >
  > 4.3. A FIDE flag player who has never been registered with a National Federation is eligible to participate in FIDE events immediately after the transfer date.
  
  So, if Rapport wants to represent Romania within 2 years of his transfer then the transfer and compensation money will have to be paid to Hungary. If most of us here want to transfer federations then no such money will be required, just the €50 fee to FIDE.
  
  Where the length of residency in the new federation is 12 months or less, as in Rapport's case, the transfer fee is €5000. This drops through the various titles to €500 for a WIM or untitled player rated 2100 or over.
  
  The compensation fees are rather more eye-watering. They depend on rating and go from €50000 for a 2700+ player like Rapport down to €1000 for a 2100-2199 player.
  
  Bottom line, Sacha Dragic will have to pay the Hungarian federation €55,000 and FIDE €50.
  
  The Hungarian can object to the transfer, but it will cost them €500.
  
  > 5.1. Any objection or protest regarding transfers that is submitted to the FIDE Secretariat must be accompanied with a fee of € 500, which shall be refundable if the protest is upheld. The FIDE Presidential Board shall decide upon all protests.
  
  
  ---
  
  