The Consulate

[Teacher Mark 53]

I have a friend who works there. The other day he told me that a delegation had visited there because they were a model of efficiency that was going to be used as a model for other consulates. I told him there were quite a few that didn't think so highly of them. I cited a couple of examples of what I consider violations of the law and personal liberties. What do you think? Is the Consulate doing a good job? Why or why not?

[ScottThuy 140]

I have a friend who works there. The other day he told me that a delegation had visited there because they were a model of efficiency that was going to be used as a model for other consulates. I told him there were quite a few that didn't think so highly of them. I cited a couple of examples of what I consider violations of the law and personal liberties. What do you think? Is the Consulate doing a good job? Why or why not?

I hardly think they are efficient when it comes to customer service.(Yes we are actually customers since we are paying for a service) Too many cases are having to wait an absurd length of time to get a case reviewed.. Frank is a current example and Fred is a good one from last year.

If one considers efficient as having the skill to give customers vague scripted responses read from a monitor, then yes they are very efficient.. they are getting really good at brushing off people that ask questions... and in some cases flat out igoring them. They actually only spend approx 3 or 4 hours total each week answering questions of customers that have an issue with case handling. An Hour Tuesday and Hour Wednesday and an Hour on Monday mornings to respond to emails recieved a couple of weeks prior. And if they recognize the case#, delete the email so they dont have to respond. We have a couple of members that have not been responded to since January... Yep thats efficient.

Its not all about efficiency... effectiveness is a key that seems to be quite lacking.

If they were not the only game in town, they would be out of business. If I had treated my customers the way they do, I would have gone out of business the first year.

[lindal24 1]

The responses you'll get for this fueled question will vary greatly depending on the person that reponds and the results that they have received, in addition to a number of other external factors...

My response is greatly biased (as I got the result I hoped for), and so I do believe that the Consulate is doing a good job. Do I think they could do a better job? MOST DEFINATELY.

In my case:

• I received responses to my emails (automated response within 1 day, personalized typically within 5 days)
  
• The personnel in VN standards were professional and polite
  
• My case went through AP and came out with an approval--so at least in one case their review system works.
  

Maybe what they considering as "a model of efficiency" is the rate of denials that come out of this consulate as to hopefully reduce the number of heads as which our new healthcare system (ultimately us the tax-payers) will be responsible for paying.

[vietazn 1]

Very efficient and fast response time. Quality could improve with better standardization of the correct format

for Vietnamese names. Vietnamese workers in the consulate could be a little more friendly. But of course the Americans there could make them be more friendly since they control the consulate but obviously they don't want them to.

[Bernie C 24]

Receiving approval does not sway my opinion of the process. I have some good, bad and indifference.

Indifference

1) I emailed the consulate quite a few times and I received replies within the time frame I expected (two weeks). This is what I expected so I was not disappointed. I do not know how many people they employ and how many are alloted to respond to these questions. I do feel that it could be improved however by implementing some form or priority response system based on applicants dates, status and things of that nature. I would have to examine the current policies and procedures in place and fully evaluate the current system before I could provide a truly objective opinion and/or recommendation.

Good

1) On two occasions when I personally went to the consulate, the two different staff members I talked with were very cordial and actually gave me explanations to my questions that I was very satisfied with. On one occasion I felt that I could have been given some additional information as far as timing but I understood what I was told and received the information I was looking for.

2) On the day of the interview, the CO who attended to my fiancee was very polite and cordial and I was very pleased to hear that her interview experience went well and that she was treated respectfully by the CO.

Bad

1) My fiancee was treated very rudely by other workers. I do not know what their positions were as I was not present. What I gathered from what she told me was that they were not CO's, but I do not know what type or level of staff they were.

2) After approval we were given a 221g. I felt that this whole situation was handled very poorly. After personally visiting the consulate I was able to find out that the problem was nothing of our origin. How they handled the situation the way my fiancee was talked to and treated was deplorable. In the end, I found out that they just dont have a form to deal with a particular situation such as ours. The whole situation could have been addressed in a better way and prevented alot of stress and questions as to what was happening in our case.

3) The consutes need to do a much better job at maintaining information on their website and keeping things updated with changes at the USCIS also. This day in age, with the access to the web, it should be quite simple to check on holiday hours, hours of operation and times of availability. This area needs some work.

Overall for us the experience was not too bad. But there is certainly opportunity for improvement.

Since I have become friends with other couples I have seen and heard of things that make no sense also. I feel, from getting to know some others who did not receive favorable decisions that there are many flaws in the system. Maybe there should be a more formal acceptance criteria for the approval and denial process. It seems that there is to much left in the hands of the CO.

I know of one particular couple who were denied. I met them while I was in Vietnam and had the opportunity to spend some valuable time with them. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that their relationship was true and real. Hopefully now that they are married and applying again they will be successful. I dont know what the CO based their decision on at the time but if they are not approved the next time around it would be a complete and total injustice (The fact that the USC moved to Vietnam to be with her is certainly a testament to love and devotion).

I suppose I could go on and on about others I have come to know over the past year, some just here on VJ and some more personally. It does have an impact on us as we feel for and with them everyday.

I understand that there may always be some objectability open for the eyes of the CO to divulge and scrutinize and as I mentioned before, it would take some time, research and evaluation for someone from outside the system to step in and perform this work. However, someone within - who sees the inconsistencies and understands the process should take the bull by the horns and make their best effort to bring these facts to the eyes and minds of those who can make a difference.

Best Wishes and Good Luck to Everyone - Its never to late to change and its not to early to start.

[BinhJerome 14]

Fast maybe at getting us to the consulate, but slow then on out, and far from any model that I would want. We are the customers, and they lie to us just for their own personal reasons, and make false statements to back up their decision, I dont know about other people, but the only way I would want this consulate used as a model is that it was used for training purposes of what NOT to do

[luckytxn 2,264]

Personally I have had nothing but good dealings with the consulate. Always was fast to get back to me on email inquiries. The time I went there to sign in when I visited they were very nice to me. I talked to the lady in front and told her that my babe was going to be getting a visa nd if she could tell me what and where and she spent time answering me and my babe in Vietnamese to her.

On my babes interview it was the mean old Korean lady and she did try to trip my babe up a few times but was unsuccessful. She came back to turn in her timeline and list of relatives and the same lady was very nice and gave her her pink that day. My babe did say the CO was nice and professional regardless but she did not like the Vietnamese workers there. They treated all VN badly and rudely. She also told me they were northerns (Meaning communists)Since then I have found out that the VN workers are true comrades and onlt comrades acn get permission to work there by the VN government.

Overall I will give them a B minus.

[Dang Lang Thang 0]

It seems galling to me that the HCM Consulate is nominated for accolades when they practice un-accountable poor judgment, indifference, and obfuscation.

They are government worker. Therefore they are public servants. Their role is to serve the US public. We are the US public citizens that they should serve. Yet they view their roles as public masters. Giving brush-offs and scripted regurgitation as if their judgment and decision are omnipotent.

Those guilty of the above should be fired and made to vie for livelihood like the common public of Vietnam. We will see how quickly they will change their cavalier attitude.

end of rant :-)

-DLT