Consulate General of Italy, Mumbai review: Tourist visa processing delay

I applied for short term tourist visa on 13th October 2023.

It's been 41 days of waiting as of 21-Nov-23. I am still waiting for my passport.

I have tried contacting embassy helpline via phone and email thousands of times. Pin drop silence from there end.

I have to go to USA now to be with my wife because we are starting resident visa process. But I am in no position to do that. My wife is being pursued by our immigration laywers asking when I will show up there to start the resident visa process.

The decision to apply for this Schengen visa, which I thought was a good idea to drop by Milan and meet my sister and niece has proven to be a nightmare.

I have reiterated numerous times to just give me passport back. I don't care about my Italian Schengen visa right now. That moment has long gone. I have complained to the External minister affairs office as well but they remain apathetic to the situation.

I have so far spent 112,000 INR for NOTHING. I have incurred a huge financial loss by rescheduling my tickets twice. There has been zero updates from Italian Mumbai embassy. I cannot wait till the end of this month because if I do so, my wife will be forced to quit the immigration proceedings in USA and return to India. So please please please just send me my passport back home.

It is absolutely illegal to hold me hostage in my own country with my passport.

I hope this complaint is read by someone and some action is taken on it. Although not quite positive looking at earlier complaints.

Anyways just leaving this complaint here for posterity so that anyone deciding to apply for Italy Schengen visa can steer clear of the Mumbai Italy consulate office.