Response to My Letter

This is the response I received from the United States Department of State. Its far from satisfactory, in fact, if they wouldn't have responded it would have made no difference! See for yourself and decide.

Dear ----

This is in response to your letter, dated May 4, which was received in our office on June 7, regarding your concernts about your experience with the Immigrant Visa section at the US Consulate in Mumbai, India.

We can appreciate the furstration you must have felt while inquiring about your husband's fiance visa. We regret that the services provided by the Consulate in Mumbai did not meet your expectations. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We can assure you that the visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis according to criteria specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and related regulations. It is our objective to provide courteous and helpful service to all persons seeking consular services, and it is United States policy to treat all applicants fairly and equally. Consular offiers are required to deny visas to applicants who cannot qualify under the law and to issue visas to those applicants who do qualify. We certainly regret any inconvenience this may have caused you
and your fiance.

We hope this information was helpful.

Public Inquires Division Visa Services
http://travel.state.gov/

Well it wasn't helpful because nothing came out of it. Some person who has no authority over anything, other than the fact to read letters like mine, must have read it, and then given me the standard reply.

Further information will follow on ill-treatment at the US Consulate in Mumbai.

Jai Hind.

Letter Written to US Government

I wrote this letter on 7th June, 2005 to the Director of the Office of International Operations in Washington DC, USA. Its regarding the misbehavior of a US Consulate employee in Mumbai via the conversations I had with him/her through email.

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am a US Citizen who has recently filed a K1 visa petition for my fiancé to come to the United States. We have gotten the second Notice of Action that explains that the visa petition has been approved. In the last week, I have been corresponding with the Mumbai Immigrant Visa Department from the US Consulate in Mumbai, India for more detailed information about the requirements that my fiancé needs to fulfill before his final visa interview.

My experience with communicating with the Mumbai Immigrant Visa Department has been far from satisfactory. The response from the Mumbai Immigrant Visa Department has been quite rude, and it shows very obviously that the person does not really want to help me with my queries. I have asked for more detailed information on how to get the police certificate that is required, and if there are any alternatives if the police certificate cannot be attained. The response that I received was that if I wanted my fiancé to receive the visa, he will have to get the police certificate. Today, I had emailed once more on another issue that I have been unable to find the location of the District Police Office so that my fiancé is able to attain the
police certificate that the Consulate has required. The response that I get from the Mumbai Immigrant Visa Department is that “you will have to find it yourselves”.

I am a business professional myself and do know how to conduct myself with customers, and I did not find that to be an appropriate answer. I had my fiancé go directly to the US Consulate office in Mumbai to discuss the requirement in person, and his interaction with the person at the General Information Window was as unsatisfactory as mine with the email communication. I feel that this is quite dreadful that these people are representing the United States Consulate office. If the US Consulate is advertising their email address on their website, then they should
provide the correct service. I am an Indian myself, I know how India works, but this is unprofessional at its highest. I have interacted with the USCIS and the NVC employees here in the United States, and each person has been pleasant and helpful.

I was very unhappy with the treatment that I received from the US Consulate in Mumbai, specifically the Mumbai Immigrant Visa Department, and felt the need to file to this complaint. It is only my intention to bring this matter into light. If any action is taken where the employment hiring of such individuals is stricter to those who want to represent the United States at its highest level and standard, then that would be a positive outcome of this letter.

If there is a need to contact me, please email me at the following: abc@abc.com

Thank you for your time.

Best Regards,

First Post!

This blog will be about experiences faced when interacting with other desis (Indians from India).

Experiences will begin with:

• US Consulate - Mumbai
• Regional Passport Office - Mumbai

Aim of blog?

To shed light on how Indians behave with their fellow man. Its important to understand how you will be treated when you go to such places. Preparation is key and hopefully this blog will provide it.

If this blog gets publicity and brings changes to such places, then that's an added bonus. For now its informational base where experiences can be shared.

Keep posted!

Jai Hind.