Indian embassy review: No one answer the phone or email 24

I had been to New York Indian embassy to covert my daughter pio to OCi, I had all the paperwork related to custody and divorce papers but they don’t have lawyers to read these papers. They are just admin people who have no knowledge about Uk court law and said my divorce paper wasn’t complete and my custody papers didn’t have what they were looking for. Please embassy get a lawyer to go through these papers as you have unreasonably rejected my application because the administration people have no knowledge on the Uk law.

Don't expect any help from Indian Embassy. We get better treatment at American Embassies and other American offices than from our own people at Indian Embassy. They outsource Visa services to COX & KINGS GLOBAL SERVICE. I reached the Indian Embassy at 8:55am on Friday, 8/5/2016 to get emergency visa for my Nephew and Niece. I received visa for my niece, even though they give me a little hard time. Since I gave the application with the passport for my Nephew on August 4th at CKGS, I couldn't do the emergency visa for my 2 months old nephew. When I asked the lady at the counter, she pointed me to the CKGS employees that were sitting in a corner to check to see if they brought the application and they said they have it. When I asked them if I can pick it up from the Embassy, they told me to ask the lady in the window and if she says yes, then I can. He also told me it will not be processed until the afternoon. When I asked the lady what time I should come back for it, she said to come back in the evening. I asked the security what time they close and he said 5:30pm. He told me to come back at 5:00pm. I reached the Embassy at 4:55pm and the same lady that was at the counter said that the CKGS employees went back with all the passports and I should go back to CKGS to collect it. I called CKGS and the person that answered the phone said to go there anyway, even though he doesn't see it being processed. He said to call back in 2 hours to see if it got updated. I told him we were leaving on Monday night and I really needed to pick up the passport today itself. He told me to go to the CKGS and ask them. We rushed through traffic to get there and the door was locked. When I called back, he put me on hold several times and told me to come back Monday between 3pm - 5pm to collect it. So now I don't even know what the status of the application is or if I will get the passport and visa in time to get to the Airport on time. We are taking our Mom's ashes to India and we already arranged the Pooja service in Rameswaram and booked the train tickets also to Rameswaram. Now everything will be a mess if I don't get my nephew's passport on time. The Embassy or the companies that they outsource their work to, doesn't give a crap about incoveniencing people.

I have the same experience from Copenhagen embassy, they never reply to mails and do not pick up the telephone. They have given three telephone numbers in the website, and two of them has recorded message saying to call the third one, which they never answer. How difficult is it to answer a mail ? Somethings in India will never change!

It's ridiculous how the officials work at the Indian embassy in New York. Time seems to just stop at the embassy. There is only one person attending to 60 to 70 cases per day. Wonder why there aren't more people to help so that the waiting period is reduced. Also there should be list of documents which needs to be filled for passports, power of attorney etc posted in the waiting area so that people while waiting can check and do the needful instead of going to the counter and filling it up there . Hope some body reads this and do something so that going to embassy is no longer a nightmare .

I followed the steps outlined by mk06 to send emails to Consulate General's email address, it actually worked :
After sending that email, I got a call from someone in CKGS and got my passport/PIO card delivered in 3 days.

I have similar issues, I submitted my daughter's new passport of PIO endorsement and its been 3 months, they are not able to send the US passport back. I have sent several emails and made various phone calls to CKGS, but it seems, they keep sending emails to their Dispatch office, but to no avail...
I just signed the petition online, may be, it will get heard some day. As recommended by someone to send an email to Consul General, I'll try that now.

Hi!
I have the same problem.I have submitted paperwork for OCI by January and there is no reply.We had budget and plan to save on air ticket.As the Embassy made delay, who is going to pay for my extra fare for me and my wife?New Prime Minister and Ministry must look into the matter as it reflects India and Indian people.As is Indians have worse reputation in the world and it must be changed!

The same issues are with Indian High Commission, Wellington, New Zealand. From the First secretary to the Counsellors, the staff is completely non-cooperative, rude and inefficient. Somehow, they have got plum postings abroad but they still work with the same babu attitude and style. Worst thing, they do not keep the sufficient knowledge of their own work. I hope the new Minister of External Affairs will look into the issues and throw out these bunch of fools sitting here and doing absolutely nothing.

Indian embassy reminds of babus in India. I have called them many 100s of times..but they never answer. I thought they have outsourced their work to BLS international and they might do good work..but worst luck. they all suck and I am very upset.

i fully agree, employes in indian embassy in newyork are shameless people, they all don't know how to treet fellow indians, i was waiting full weak with my 2 months old daughter for her indian visa in embassy but no one can bother that it is too difficult with a small baby in this cold winter, even they have no time to talk for this. They are really shamless peopl

In NY they never ans the calls. And people who serve you are bunch off animals, rude, I even got in an argument with one of them and he told me " agar tum India me hotya toh tumhe battata". Indian government need to hire some American born indian to serve there fellow Indians.

I have the similar experience to request a passport renewal service by cgny.org and the outsourced BLS India. There is a long que both when you visit directly or send through post. After all they have Indian blood running into their system. India will never change. In my case it now three months of waiting with no answer or no reply for my emails both to cgny and the blsindia. I don't understand the meaning of outsourcing and collection of addtional charges for their service. God help India.

I had same bad experience: no reply emails, no answer the phone calls. can't believe this happened in the heart of the States. It's said: when you are in Rome. Do as Romans do. Inidan consulates: you are in America now. please show your respects to people and do as Americans do.

totally agree with all these comments. i recently had similar experience in Indian embassy at London. The lady gave me wrong token. inside there was so much chaos... girl at counter talking so rudely to people. no answering the phone at least for 15-20 minutes. even though i paid for tatkal service i had to wait for 1.5 hrs then i came to know i have got wrong toeken... that guju lady gave me worng token... i swear we indian should be banned from working in any of the embassy... the laziness has gone into our blood now... i really have lost faith in Indian system.

.. but we think lil deeper... the kind of people visit everyday i think the people at service window would get annoyed...specialy when forms are not filled properly people do not know english or hindi... so all this adds to govermant servant's frustration...but yes this can not be an excuse and definitly improvement can be done.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/cgny/
This peition should be circulated all over the world and get more signatures to make our voice heard

What can you do to help improve the consulate and make your voice heard?

1) - SIGN THIS PETITION: http://www.petitiononline.com/cgny/petition.html

(2) - If you are unable to get ahold of someone through the phone (as I was) and nobody responds to your email form inquiries (as they did with mine), and your case has been open for a long time, you can email passport@indiacgny.org with a copy to the Consul General cg@indiacgny.org and the Deputy Consul General dcg@indiacgny.org and you are more than likely to get a response. Make sure to put your case number in the email and the length of time you have been waiting for your passport or other service.

(3) - Change doesn't happen by itself. Provide CONSTRUCTIVE feedback on these feedback forms to the Indian government. Try not to name-call or be accusing, people listen more to solutions rather than finger pointing:
http://helpline.rb.nic.in (Complain to the President's Secretariat)
http://passport.gov.in/cpv/complaints.htm (Complain about regional passport offices)
http://cvc.nic.in/lodgecomp.htm (Report corruption)
http://pgportal.gov.in/ (Lodge a public grievance)

(4) - Call 311 and complain about the hazardous conditions of the basement. There is no emergency exit and the embassy makes people block the only public exit with their bags. Also, there are at least a hundred people in the basement at any given time. Although NY Department of Buildings does not have jurisdiction over this place, I believe they still send someone to check it out. Maybe if they get enough NY officials going to check out the situation, the consulate might re-think their public image strategy.

(SEE PRIOR 311 COMPLAINTS)
http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/ComplaintsByAddressServlet?requestid=1&allbin=1041069

I have sent my passport to consulate in Huston. In the site the processing time is 4 weeks. till now I didn't get the passport. I tried to call officials as per web site phone numbers and nobody taking phone and responding email. I am in tense. If some thing happend in my family how can I go? The service is too poor. I am looking for Indian President's/Prime miniter or External affair ministry 's hotline number. I think we can create a community and we need to do something.

I think we should do something about it-are there any lawyers who can guide us? This would be a good community service

Nope. No luck in calling that number. No one answers. ):

I can't wait to not be a citizen of India. The consulate service sucks and has always been painful. Lines are long and not enough resources. The staff is not trained and cannot answer questions. In general the system is flawed, knowing the mentallity of Indians, they need to advocate numbering systems while waiting in queue. The space they have in that basement cannot handle the rampaging Indians who will do anything to cut in line. It's always been a nightmarish experience and I hope this is the last time I have to renew and Indian passport!

I have been trying to get in touch with someone at the Indian Embassy in NYC but no one answers the phone. The only reason I am even calling them is because they have conflicting information on how to request Services by mail on their website. In one place it says to send a certified check/money order with the documents and in another place it says to enclose a prepaid Priority Mail/Express Mail slip. Which one is it?!
Now i have to lake a day off and go down to the consulate. Heaven help if I have an actual real legal emergency.

i wonder WHY cant we indians work effciently, i hate to say this but NYC indian embassy shoudl be ashamed of themselves to do thsi to fellow citizens ..mistreat them .

Johannesburg Indian consulate aint no better. they make me sick! They assume that only they work and nobody else, only their time has value only their effort means anything.

How difficult is it for a person to treat another with respect.

One thing for sure when you visit an Indian office. You might go in with a good mood, you will leave frustration indescribable.

And i wonder why when they speak to the South African Citizens, their tones and expressions are different, respecting another nation and having none for their own people. Stupid British feet kissers !

Just ask any one in The netherland how The Netherland Indian embassy service?Mr.Murukan and Mr.Jaikumar treat like animals please send any journalist than only Indian External Affairs Ministry know the truth