Thu 14th Dec 2017 Visa Update from the HPA Letter received on 14 December The following letter was sent to HPA members and Clubs this morning: Visa Update 14 December 2017 As you know, in 2016 the Home Office suspended the HPA’s power to issue any visa endorsements for non-EEA grooms and players. However, the Home Office’s concession last season allowed the HPA to endorse:  (1) non-EEA grooms to work in polo below 15-goals (low goal), but only for those sponsors who had previously employed non-EEA grooms (limited to a maximum of two)  and (2) non-EEA players with a handicap of 4-goals or higher to play polo 15 goal and up (medium and high goal) with the assistance of their non-EEA grooms during the 2017 season. That concession was set to expire at the end of 2017, blocking any further HPA endorsements. The HPA has now been informed that the Immigration Minister has agreed to extend this existing visa concession for a further twelve months, until the end of 2018. The HPA is awaiting formal notification by the Home Office of the decision. Until that time, the HPA will not be able to provide endorsements for the forthcoming 2018 season, but we have been informed that the Home Office decision will be communicated to the HPA shortly.  We realize members may have had to put their plans on hold, and we wanted to pass this good news onto you as soon as possible. The HPA will start to process visa endorsement requests as soon as we receive the Home Office’s decision and endorsement criteria for 2018. We will inform you of that decision and the 2018 endorsement criteria as soon as we can. The extension has been achieved through extensive lobbying of, and negotiations with, the government by the HPA and the Federation of International Polo (FIP). We realize that there is much work to be done yet, and that will continue during 2018, in order to try and find a satisfactory permanent solution for both non-EEA grooms and players at all levels of our sport. These efforts will further be aided by the recently formed All-Party Parliamentary Group for Polo (APPG), consisting of Members of Parliament who are supportive of polo and willing to promote and advance the interests of our sport with the government. In the meantime, it is hoped that once we have received the detail of the extension of the 2017 concession those members who wish to apply for endorsements will be able to start to get organized for 2018. For more information, please visit www.hpa-polo.co.uk

Other top stories Fri 26th Apr 2024 Tomas Panelo Raised to 10 Goals in USA USPA 2024 Outdoor Handicap Raises Tue 23rd Apr 2024 Second 2024 WPL Win for Park Place The WPL Triple Crown of Polo Mon 22nd Apr 2024 La Dolfina Win US Open Polo Championship 10-7 win against Valiente in Final Fri 19th Apr 2024 La Dolfina & Valiente Reach US Open Final Cambiasos will do battle once again Wed 17th Apr 2024 Polo Times April Issue Out Now This issue packed with insights, reports & features Mon 15th Apr 2024 US Open Polo Championship Semi Finalists Last spot being decided today Thu 11th Apr 2024 Synergy Clothing Lift Thai Autumn Cup Narrow 8-7 win in Final Wed 10th Apr 2024 Free Pony Changes During Extreme Heat UK Rule Change Tue 9th Apr 2024 2024 English High Goal Teams 22 teams will take part in this season Mon 8th Apr 2024 US Open Polo Championship Update Today’s action between Dutta Corp vs Valiente Wed 3rd Apr 2024 Milly Hine & Mia Cambiaso Reach 9 Goals in US U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship winner & finalist recognised Tue 2nd Apr 2024 WPL Palm Beach Open Finalists Travieso vs Casablanca on Sunday 7 April Mon 1st Apr 2024 US Open Polo Championship Sunday Results Wins for La Dolfina & Dutta Corp See all news in: April 2024March 2024February 2024January 2024December 2023November 2023October 2023September 2023August 2023July 2023June 2023May 2023April 2023March 2023February 2023January 2023December 2022November 2022October 2022September 2022August 2022July 2022June 2022May 2022April 2022March 2022February 2022January 2022December 2021November 2021October 2021September 2021August 2021July 2021June 2021May 2021April 2021March 2021February 2021January 2021December 2020November 2020October 2020September 2020August 2020July 2020June 2020May 2020April 2020March 2020February 2020January 2020December 2019November 2019October 2019September 2019August 2019July 2019June 2019May 2019April 2019March 2019February 2019January 2019December 2018November 2018October 2018September 2018August 2018July 2018June 2018May 2018April 2018March 2018February 2018January 2018December 2017November 2017October 2017September 2017August 2017July 2017June 2017May 2017April 2017March 2017February 2017January 2017December 2016November 2016October 2016September 2016August 2016July 2016June 2016May 2016April 2016March 2016February 2016January 2016December 2015November 2015October 2015September 2015August 2015July 2015June 2015May 2015April 2015March 2015February 2015January 2015December 2014November 2014October 2014September 2014August 2014July 2014June 2014May 2014April 2014March 2014February 2014January 2014December 2013November 2013October 2013September 2013August 2013July 2013June 2013May 2013April 2013March 2013February 2013January 2013December 2012November 2012October 2012September 2012August 2012July 2012June 2012May 2012April 2012March 2012February 2012January 2012December 2011November 2011October 2011September 2011August 2011July 2011June 2011May 2011April 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010May 2010April 2010March 2010February 2010January 2010December 2009November 2009October 2009September 2009August 2009July 2009June 2009May 2009April 2009March 2009February 2009January 2009December 2008November 2008October 2008September 2008August 2008July 2008June 2008May 2008April 2008March 2008

End of Polo Times news page