Immigration & Dubious Entry
Responsible for processing citizens, stamping arrivals, and asking unnecessary questions with confidence.
Chief Inspector of Suspicious Persons & Unregistered Fruit: Chief Banana Officer
Established by Questionable Authority
THE BLACK
OCTOPUS REPUBLIC
One Night of Temporary Sovereignty
On Saturday 19 September, the Black Octopus Republic shall declare itself temporarily independent, issue its own currency, process incoming citizens, and conduct ceremonies of questionable legitimacy.
Proudly unrecognised by all sensible governments.
Ministry of Sound & Questionable Entertainment
Live Music
Official Republic Entertainment Decree
By authority of the Black Octopus Republic, and with the full endorsement of the Department of Historical Affairs, the following act has been engaged, contracted, and subjected to a standard maritime background check.
The Republic proudly presents
The One Eyed Sprat
Live & In Person — 19 September 2026The Republic is pleased to confirm that live musical proceedings will be provided by The One Eyed Sprat for the duration of Speak Like a Pirate Night. Their engagement has been recorded in the official register, noted by April, and approved under Section 7 of the Republic's Entertainment & Dubious Performances Act.
The programme shall include sea shanties, nautical songs, and other material of questionable maritime origin. Citizens are strongly encouraged to sing along. Those who do not know the words are expected to improvise convincingly. The Republic considers enthusiastic inaccuracy preferable to dignified silence.
Citizens are encouraged to dance, sing along, or stand near the back looking mildly affected. All three responses are considered acceptable by the Office of Public Appearance.
Official Document — Do Not Fold
Official Proclamation No. 001
By authority not recognised by any responsible government, the Black Octopus Republic hereby announces its temporary independence for one evening only.
All who enter shall be processed, named, stamped, taxed, photographed, recorded, and where necessary, ceremonially confused.
The official languages of the Republic are Pirate English and Latvian. Latvian is considered the language of advanced proceedings and is more reliably spoken following sufficient quantities of Bombo or Balsams. Both are acceptable. Neither is required to make sense.
The Republic's border crossing is located at the Latvian Centre, Belmont, and is open for the duration of the evening only. Citizens arriving by other means are still subject to processing.
Failure to comply may result in public naming, loss of Occi coins, or referral to the Department of Historical Affairs.
Signed and sealed under questionable authority, 19 September.
By Order of the Provisional Government.
Border Control
Entry Requirements
Before crossing the border, all prospective citizens should note the following conditions of entry.
Border crossing located at: The Latvian Centre, Belmont. Open for one evening only. No prior appointment necessary. Processing unavoidable.
Pre-purchase your ticket and receive an official Republic Visa by mail, Duty Free. Pre-purchase is strongly encouraged. Citizens arriving without a valid visa will be subject to a border penalty of 4 Occi Coins, payable on the spot. No exceptions. No excuses. No rubles.
-
1
Present yourself for processing at the border.
-
2
Bringing one wrapped unwanted gift for the National Redistribution Lottery is a prerequisite for entry. The gift will be displayed. Lottery ticket purchase is mandatory for all citizens.
-
3
Display your official name badge, if already issued.
-
4
New citizens may be required to take the Occi Oath.
-
5
Occi coins are the only recognised ceremonial currency.
-
6
The official languages are Pirate English and Latvian. Latvian proficiency is considered more achievable following Bombo or Balsams.
-
7
Complaints must be submitted in triplicate to someone who is not listening.
⚠ Notice to Empty-Handed Arrivals
Citizens arriving without a gift may be refused entry at the border. Alternatively, an emergency gift may be purchased at the crossing using Occi Coins, subject to availability and the judgement of whoever is standing there at the time.
Department of Revenue, Extraction & Ceremonial Surcharges
Fees, Charges, Taxes & Levies
The Black Octopus Republic, as a sovereign nation of temporary standing, reserves the right to collect fees, impose levies, apply surcharges, and invent duties at will. The following schedule has been reviewed by no independent authority and is considered final.
Schedule A — Republic Visa
What Your Ticket Covers
One ticket. One Visa. One night of temporary sovereignty.
Entry & Border Processing✓ included
One Official Meal✓ included
Two Drinks (wine, beer, or soft drink)✓ included
4 Occi Coin Exchange Note✓ included
Total$50 AUD
Your Visa is stamped at the meal and at each drink. Included items can only be claimed once per citizen. Additional drinks and all other Republic services are purchased in Occi Coins.
Exchange Rate: 1 Occi Coin = $2.50 AUD | $50 = 20 Occi Coins | Rubles: $0. Non-negotiable.
Schedule B — On the Night
Occi Coin Transactions
Once your included items are stamped, Occi Coins are the only accepted currency. More coins may be purchased on the night from the Chief Officer of Merriment.
Extra DrinksOcci Coins
Lottery Tickets1 OC each
Pool TableOcci Coins
Fines & Administrative PenaltiesAs decreed
BribesNegotiable
Other CurrenciesNot accepted
Your enclosed 4 Occi Coin Exchange Note — included with every Visa — is valid for any of the above. It arrives by post and is considered legal tender within the Republic only.
How to Obtain Your Republic Visa
Official procedure as approved by the Department of Immigration & Dubious Entry
01
Submit Your Application
Complete the Apply for Entry form at the bottom of this page. Provide your full name, Occi name (if known), contact details, postal address for Visa delivery, party size, dietary requirements, and confirmation that you are bringing a wrapped unwanted gift. Incomplete applications may be filed under "Pending Indefinitely."
02
Await Official Notification
Upon review, you will receive an email confirming your application has been accepted by the Republic. Bank transfer details will be provided at this time for the transfer of $50 AUD. This covers your entry, one official meal, two drinks, postal despatch, and a genuine 4 Occi Coin Exchange Note enclosed with your Visa.
03
Transfer Confirmed & Visa Despatched
Once your transfer has been received and registered by the Department of Revenue, your official Republic Visa will be prepared and sent by post. Enclosed with your Visa will be a genuine 4 Occi Coin Exchange Note — valid currency for use within the Republic on the night.
04
Present Visa at the Border
Arrive at the Black Octopus Republic border on 19 September 2026 with your Visa and your 4 Occi Coin Note. You will be processed, stamped, and recognised as a citizen of considerably reduced administrative nuisance. Your Visa will be stamped at your meal and at each included drink. Arrr.
The Genuine 4 Occinote — enclosed with every Republic Visa
Backed by the ink of the Dirty Squid. Signed by the Quartermaster. Issued Winter 2025. Legal tender within the Republic only.
The Republic accepts no responsibility for exchange rate fluctuations, postal delays, buyer's remorse, or the discovery that you have been charged twice. Rubles remain unrecognised at all checkpoints. No refunds. No appeals. April has the files.
Ministry of Occi Coin Regulation
The Occi Economy
The Republic recognises only one currency for the evening: the Occi Coin. It may be used for extra drinks, lottery tickets, pool table games, fines, bribes of no legal value, and other ceremonial duties as announced by the Ministry of Occi Coin Regulation. Additional coins may be purchased on the night.
The exchange of all other currencies into Occi Coins is strictly regulated by the Chief Officer of Merriment. All conversions are final, ceremonially binding, and conducted at a rate determined entirely by mood.
Official Exchange Board
| 1 Occi | Questionable value |
| 2 Occi | Small favour |
| 3 Occi | Lottery entry |
| 5 Occi | Suspiciously generous |
National Lottery Authority
The National Redistribution Lottery
All entrants are required to bring one wrapped unwanted gift. The gift will be displayed at the Lottery Table prior to redistribution. Items shall be numbered, entered into the lottery, and redistributed with great ceremony before being freely bartered or traded at the end of the evening.
Lottery ticket purchase is mandatory for all citizens. There are no exceptions. Any exceptions discovered will be revoked.
A few real prizes may accidentally be included to maintain public confidence.
⚠ Arriving Empty-Handed
Citizens without a gift may be refused entry. An emergency gift may be purchased at the border using Occi Coins, subject to availability and the opinion of whoever is at the door.
- Mystery jars
- Sardines
- Bombo files
- A single flipper
- Fishing gear of uncertain history
- Household objects nobody admits owning
Office of Public Administration
Departments of the Republic
Eleven departments. Minimal oversight. Maximum confidence.
Ministry of Occi Coin Regulation
Supreme Treasurer of Entirely Made-Up Money: Chief Officer of Merriment
Oversees the issuance, exchange, and occasional confiscation of Occi coins.
Names, Badges & Titles
Grants citizens their official Republic name, badge, and an entirely unearned sense of importance.
Grand Dispenser of Unearned Importance: Kaptain Krayfish
Department of Unwanted Gifts
Receives, numbers, and ceremonially redistributes items nobody wanted in the first place.
Undisclosed Custodian of Regrettable Items: Name Unspoken
National Lottery Authority
Conducts the Redistribution Lottery with great solemnity and minimal fairness.
Minister of Improbable Outcomes: Spare Oar
Bureau of Official Portraiture
Documents citizens for the historical record. Flattering angles not guaranteed.
Keeper of Unflattering Historical Evidence: Spotted Grouper Indy
Ministry of Maritime Nonsense
Maintains the Republic's nautical dignity, such as it is.
Admiral of Tentacular Jurisdiction: Eddy the Octopus
Department of Historical Affairs
Files, archives, and occasionally invents the Republic's official history.
Keeper of Files Nobody Requested: April
Office of Ceremonial Confusion
Supreme Gatekeeper & Velvet Rope Custodian: Skip
Ensures that no ceremony proceeds in a manner anyone fully understands.
Office of Public Proclamations
Issues, reads aloud, and dramatically delivers official proclamations of the Republic. Volume is considered a virtue. Brevity is not.
Chief Announcer of Things Nobody Asked to Hear: Skipette
Department of Recruitment
Identifies, pursues, and enthusiastically processes new citizens into the Republic. Resistance is noted but rarely effective.
Chief Wrangler of the Mildly Reluctant: Mae B Skindiver
Order of Proceedings
Ceremonial Moments
The evening's official programme, conducted with full pageantry and minimal clarity.
The Declaration of Temporary Sovereignty
The Republic formally comes into being, briefly.
Occi Oath for New Citizens
Newly processed arrivals accept their name, badge, and obligations.
Naming and Badge Recognition
Returning citizens are acknowledged by the official record.
Official Portrait Opportunities
For the historical archive, whether flattering or not.
Lottery Draw and Redistribution
Unwanted booty changes hands with great ceremony.
Public Proclamations
Announcements of variable importance and dubious accuracy.
Fines, Awards and Suspicious Honours
Distributed by officials accountable to absolutely no one.
The Republic takes ceremony very seriously, especially when no one knows what is happening.
Office of Public Appearance
Dress Code
Pirate, maritime, island republic, dubious official, retired admiral, customs officer, shipwreck survivor, bureaucrat at sea, suspicious diplomat, or anything that might pass inspection at the border.
Hats, badges, medals, stamps, eye patches, scarves, striped shirts, and fake authority are strongly encouraged.
Citizens wearing the Occi Striped Top are recognised by the Republic as persons of dubious but celebrated character. The Department of Historical Affairs has noted, without further comment, that horizontal stripes have featured in seventeen known incidents of nautical confusion since 1987. Wearing one is not compulsory. It is, however, noted in the register.
April — Keeper of Unflattering Historical Evidence
Permit of Record
Event Details
Official Permit
- Date
- Saturday 19 September
- Time
- To Be Advised
- Location
- Latvian Centre, Belmont
- Host
- Black Octopus Republic
- Status
- Temporarily Sovereign
- Recognition
- Pending, Unlikely
- Screening
- Pirates of the Caribbean or equivalent nautical propaganda. Attendance optional. Enthusiasm mandatory.
- Live Music
- The One Eyed Sprat. Live and in person for the duration of proceedings. Included in your Republic Visa. No additional levy applies.
- Alcohol Trading
- The Republic Bar shall be open for the duration. All transactions conducted in Occi Coins. The Republic accepts no responsibility for decisions made after the third round.
Ministry of Sustenance & Provisions
Republic Rations
The Black Octopus Republic shall provide official provisions for the duration of the evening. All items have been approved by the Ministry of Sustenance, inspected by no one in particular, and are considered fit for ceremonial consumption.
A vegan option is available for citizens who do not hunt or fish. This must be declared upon application. The Republic makes no further judgement, but reserves the right to raise an eyebrow.
Republic Alcohol Trading Post
All beverages purchased exclusively in Occi Coins. The Republic Bar is open for the duration of proceedings.
- Octi-Piddle The Republic's unofficial house pour. Provenance contested. Composition uncertain. Effect reliable. Acquired at the border and consumed before anyone asked questions.
- Bombo The traditional nautical remedy of the Black Octopus fleet. A sovereign blend of rum, water, and conviction. Historically credited with at least three questionable decisions at sea.
- Dzintars Rare — Sampling Only A single bottle of this celebrated Latvian amber elixir has been secured by the Department of Historical Affairs under considerable diplomatic effort. Available for ceremonial sampling. Once it is gone, it is gone. The Republic will not be held responsible for grief.
No BYO Alcohol.
The Republic Bar is open for the duration. All drinks are purchased in Occi Coins. Citizens arriving with outside alcohol will be regarded with suspicion, processed accordingly, and may receive a formal Republic Proclamation read aloud in their presence. The Republic takes no responsibility for the social consequences. Occi Coins remain the significantly less embarrassing option.
The Republic Bar is open for the duration. All drinks are purchased in Occi Coins. Citizens arriving with outside alcohol will be regarded with suspicion, processed accordingly, and may receive a formal Republic Proclamation read aloud in their presence. The Republic takes no responsibility for the social consequences. Occi Coins remain the significantly less embarrassing option.
Department of Immigration & Dubious Entry
Apply for Entry
Complete the form below to begin processing. Review is conducted by officials of uncertain qualification, on a schedule known only to them.
Successful applicants will receive an official Republic Visa by mail, Duty Free, prior to the event. Present your visa at the border. Arriving without a valid visa incurs a penalty of 4 Occi Coins.
Processing Required for All ArrivalsApplication Received & Filed
A Message from the Republic
Your application is now in the hands of the Department of Historical Affairs.
Expect minimal correspondence. Arrr.