Mumbai - Visa

rock4blaqkhearts · June 8, 2016

I think you'll get the visa by Friday at the latest.

That's the first I'm hearing about Mumbai consulate not being organized. Is your mom coming on an immigrant visa? Everyone I've PM'd about Mumbai has said it went smooth and there is a separate line for Immigrant visas. There is waiting involved which I've already warned my husband about.

Is it actually organized or India's "organized"? :no:

The culture is just different. Here in the US, we give each other personal space and don't cut in line. That has not been my experience anywhere in India.

LinJoe · June 8, 2016

Is it actually organized or India's "organized"?

The culture is just different. Here in the US, we give each other personal space and don't cut in line. That has not been my experience anywhere in India.

LOL, you make an excellent point! Thanks for the laugh! how could I forget! :rofl:

BearInABox · June 8, 2016

I think you'll get the visa by Friday at the latest.

That's the first I'm hearing about Mumbai consulate not being organized. Is your mom coming on an immigrant visa? Everyone I've PM'd about Mumbai has said it went smooth and there is a separate line for Immigrant visas. There is waiting involved which I've already warned my husband about.

Hmm, maybe we experienced breakdown that day. In any case, me and my mom were sitting on the pavement with rest of the IV applicants for a good 2 hours. Good thing it was early in the morning, otherwise we'd have melted by mid-day! I was already drenched in sweat by the time I got in. The day started around 7 when one of the Consulate workers came to us on the other side of the street. He was thronged by the crowd immediately! After much hassle and frustration he said only tourism visa applicants for 8am appointment form a line and cross the street, rest stay back and I will come get you. We were shocked because we thought IV would at least get same treatment as non IV. Needless to say we sat there waiting and saw the massive queue snake its way into the building. Then inexplicably another line formed out of nowhere and snaked in. Then another. I had enough and my mom skipped breakfast because she wasn't feeling good. It was around 8:45 now, and we crossed the street and I asked one of the security guys whats going on? We have an IV appointment for 7:30 and we're being roasted in the sun out here. He says, well, "go in!" lol. Seriously! He said that. People saw me and my mom going in and came and formed a line behind us. They checked our papers and let us in. I spent lot of time in the screening area because people kept setting off the metal detector. Ufff you guys! I lost good 15 minutes there. Finally inside the compound, we formed a quick group and went into the Visa section, got the token. To our surprise, there were already a big number of IV applicants sitting there for inexplicable reason!!! How did they get in? We'll never know! One of the greater mysteries of India! Sat for 1:30 hours for a pre-interview, and then sat another 2 hours for the consular interview which went really quick and smooth.

So I don't know if this is normal for everyday and like I said maybe we experienced a breakdown that day. But I was concerned for my mom. If for some reason I didn't plan to come to India to be with her I dont know how she would have managed. People were sitting without food or water for close to 6 hours that day, some in the sweltering heat. It's bad system (if it's indeed the system). I would just advise your husband to be prepared for anything and carry bottled water. I hope he experiences much pleasant experience than we did. Good luck!

LinJoe · June 8, 2016

Hmm, maybe we experienced breakdown that day. In any case, me and my mom were sitting on the pavement with rest of the IV applicants for a good 2 hours. Good thing it was early in the morning, otherwise we'd have melted by mid-day! I was already drenched in sweat by the time I got in. The day started around 7 when one of the Consulate workers came to us on the other side of the street. He was thronged by the crowd immediately! After much hassle and frustration he said only tourism visa applicants for 8am appointment form a line and cross the street, rest stay back and I will come get you. We were shocked because we thought IV would at least get same treatment as non IV. Needless to say we sat there waiting and saw the massive queue snake its way into the building. Then inexplicably another line formed out of nowhere and snaked in. Then another. I had enough and my mom skipped breakfast because she wasn't feeling good. It was around 8:45 now, and we crossed the street and I asked one of the security guys whats going on? We have an IV appointment for 7:30 and we're being roasted in the sun out here. He says, well, "go in!" lol. Seriously! He said that. People saw me and my mom going in and came and formed a line behind us. They checked our papers and let us in. I spent lot of time in the screening area because people kept setting off the metal detector. Ufff you guys! I lost good 15 minutes there. Finally inside the compound, we formed a quick group and went into the Visa section, got the token. To our surprise, there were already a big number of IV applicants sitting there for inexplicable reason!!! How did they get in? We'll never know! One of the greater mysteries of India! Sat for 1:30 hours for a pre-interview, and then sat another 2 hours for the consular interview which went really quick and smooth.

So I don't know if this is normal for everyday and like I said maybe we experienced a breakdown that day. But I was concerned for my mom. If for some reason I didn't plan to come to India to be with her I dont know how she would have managed. People were sitting without food or water for close to 6 hours that day, some in the sweltering heat. It's bad system (if it's indeed the system). I would just advise your husband to be prepared for anything and carry bottled water. I hope he experiences much pleasant experience than we did. Good luck!

wow. I've been reading the reviews for the embassy and no one mentioned anything close to this. they all mentioned there being multiple lines and Security saying that everyone coming for Immigrant visas to form a line separately and then being led to the correct area. Interesting...thanks for sharing.

rock4blaqkhearts · June 8, 2016

Hmm, maybe we experienced breakdown that day. In any case, me and my mom were sitting on the pavement with rest of the IV applicants for a good 2 hours. Good thing it was early in the morning, otherwise we'd have melted by mid-day! I was already drenched in sweat by the time I got in. The day started around 7 when one of the Consulate workers came to us on the other side of the street. He was thronged by the crowd immediately! After much hassle and frustration he said only tourism visa applicants for 8am appointment form a line and cross the street, rest stay back and I will come get you. We were shocked because we thought IV would at least get same treatment as non IV. Needless to say we sat there waiting and saw the massive queue snake its way into the building. Then inexplicably another line formed out of nowhere and snaked in. Then another. I had enough and my mom skipped breakfast because she wasn't feeling good. It was around 8:45 now, and we crossed the street and I asked one of the security guys whats going on? We have an IV appointment for 7:30 and we're being roasted in the sun out here. He says, well, "go in!" lol. Seriously! He said that. People saw me and my mom going in and came and formed a line behind us. They checked our papers and let us in. I spent lot of time in the screening area because people kept setting off the metal detector. Ufff you guys! I lost good 15 minutes there. Finally inside the compound, we formed a quick group and went into the Visa section, got the token. To our surprise, there were already a big number of IV applicants sitting there for inexplicable reason!!! How did they get in? We'll never know! One of the greater mysteries of India! Sat for 1:30 hours for a pre-interview, and then sat another 2 hours for the consular interview which went really quick and smooth.

So I don't know if this is normal for everyday and like I said maybe we experienced a breakdown that day. But I was concerned for my mom. If for some reason I didn't plan to come to India to be with her I dont know how she would have managed. People were sitting without food or water for close to 6 hours that day, some in the sweltering heat. It's bad system (if it's indeed the system). I would just advise your husband to be prepared for anything and carry bottled water. I hope he experiences much pleasant experience than we did. Good luck!

"He was thronged by the crowd immediately!"

Yeah, I can picture it now. Poor guy.

BearInABox · June 8, 2016

"He was thronged by the crowd immediately!"

Yeah, I can picture it now. Poor guy.

No wonder he never came back to get us

KierenHby · June 9, 2016

..and we crossed the street and I asked one of the security guys whats going on? We have an IV appointment for 7:30 and we're being roasted in the sun out here. He says, well, "go in!" lol.

A case of 'squeaky wheel gets the grease..'? I've often wondered if they delight in ignoring the masses until pushed otherwise.

Irrespective of the sweltering heat.. or any weather condition.. lines outside the embassy have always been huge from what I've read. IV, B, F, H visas are popular in any season.

Edited June 9, 2016 by KierenHby