With a new addition to the family and the impending trip to India this summer, it was time to get the needed paper work for A to travel without any issues. It was time to make a visit to the CGI office in NYC. Even though this was my first visit to the CGI NYC office, I had visited their DC office before. I always dread for the amount of time you end up spending for a small work which ultimately affects your schedule for the entire day.

I never like to make a visit to any Embassies or consulates on Monday (being the first working day of the week) as more people come by to submit their applications. Not sure what made me change my plan to drop the application on a Monday which I had been carrying in my bag for the last few days. After riding the 6 Lexington Ave subway got down @ 68th (hunter college) and walked few blocks to the CGI office( don’t worry you can spot the Indian Flag outside).

I didn’t see any big lines outside, for a moment thought it was my day. Boy I was wrong. As usual, had to go underground and saw a pool of people, hanging around the small consular area with their documents. Comparing to DC I felt the CGI was well managed. A nice well dressed gentleman greets you and guides you to the right person. The person then verifies the documents and gives you a token no that would be called and then you submit the application and get a receipt. This looks like just 10-15 minutes work but nope it took almost an hour and half to get the documents submitted. I won’t say the staff is inefficient but it’s the folks who visit the CGI who delay the things.
From my observation, below are the conclusions that I came to:
Well educated folks who don’t read the instructions properly from the website and throw tantrums and try to act smart with the consular office.

For Example: This Gentleman (GM) had come to submit a passport renewal application and forgot to print the online application form the internet. Below is the part of conversation he had with the Welcome Officer (WO).

WO: How can I help you?
GM: Here to apply for passport renewal.
WO: Show me the documents.
GM: Here

(WO goes through the document and says no online application form, please fill & print it from the internet and bring it back.)

GM: I read through the website and there was nothing mention of any form. This is what I was told on the website to bring.

(WO. Pointing to other people standing in the line for passport renewal.)

WO: Look they all have completed the form. They all got from internet.

(GM: address towards the people in the line.)

GM: They all are smart, I am dumb.

(Everyone in the line giggles)

WO: Don’t say like that, everyone is smart in USA no one is dumb. Go fill the form and come back. We will take your application.
GM: Can you give me one so that I could fill the form.
WO: No, only internet.

See a 1 minute work took 5 minutes. Now this are well educated folks.

Then the next sets of people are those who are not internet savvy. They have no clue of what online is or have a no comprehend over English language. We can’t complain about these folks. Seriously the CGI should do something for this folks.

The third sets of people are the folks who don’t come with all the documents. They want the token no before they have the application completed as someone has gone to the photocopy shop to get the documents photocopied or pictures taken. As usual our people love to glance into other people’s documents so everyone will crowd around the window area. These are the folks who drive everyone crazy.

I always thought Indian immigrants played by the rules and I wouldn’t come across an illegal desi but I did come across some. People who had over-stayed beyond their I-20, people who had overstayed their B-1 visa period and guess what they are successfully running business in this country. A total mockery of the immigration system.

With fewer working days this week (Holi bash) I am expecting to pick the documents this Friday and it going to be another episode of visiting the CGI.

*It’s so bad to get a thumb imprint of a 6 month old on an application form.

UPDATE (on Friday)

Went Friday evening and as expected they messed up the names on the document. I ask, how tough is it to refer the application and get the info onto the document. So once more visit and hope I can get the document.

On this day..

• Visiting Washington DC - a Brief Intro - 2007