It was Monday morning, I was in the office and bit relaxed. Dreams of happy life, quiet life, stabel life, Indian-less life have been looming in my mind since I’ve submitted Passport Re Issue application at HCI London.
Around 11:00 AM I received a call from an Indian High Commission, London office. The person seemed to be South Indian and specially from Bangalore as I’m could guess it easily. At first I though he is someone calling to offer Outsourcing services from Bangalore. Before I could disconnect the call I heard “Indian High Commission” and my heartbeat rate doubled. Here are the details of conversation:
HCI London Representative:
Me: Yes
HCI London Representative: I’m calling from High commission of Indian London office. You applied for Passport Renewal.
Me: Yes
HCI London Representative: DON’T COME ON 10TH
Before I could make out what is the call about it was kind of Big Daddy Dropped on me.
Notice that he didn’t use word “Please”, it was an order and not a request.
Don’t come.
Me: why? Surprised and sensing trouble I asked why what’s wrong.
HCI London Representative: It is not ready yet. We will inform you when it will be ready.
Me: Why it is not ready?
HCI London Representative: There will be delay as it has gone for verification to Bangalore.
Me: okie thank you.
I was smacked. Felt sick, couldn’t concentrate on the work. Took a lunch break went to McDonalds at Piccadilly and tried to calm down and started to plan for the next move.
All dreams were shattered, I couldn’t see light at the end of tunnel. I know how this fucking Indian system works and unfortunately I’ve been always unlucky when it comes to deal with Sick Indian System. Always troubles always problems.
I was at least little bit satisfied that they bothered to inform about the progress. Or else I would have wasted my time to visit on 10th only to find that it has gone nowhere.
I noted down the number from which call was made in case I need to call them back, the number was 020 76323119.
Sometimes later when I tried to call on the above number I found that is it one of those dead boxes which Indian Government offices connect to phone so that no incoming calls are passed trhough. It was one way number.
Hi
I’ve recently sent my wifes passport off to the IHC London, I had very short time as I was travelling to India for a big celebration, once in a lifetime event, which I had explained to these idiots. I should have started by mentioning that before making the application I wanted to find out some information regarding the Affidavit, I got this arsehole which all he could say is “who’s applicant” to which I replied my wife and was told by him that he can’t talk to me and my wife must call, I said even though I haven’t yet meade the application.
Anyway we got now where and he hung up on me, I called again, got the same guy, again same as previous, hung up on me, in frustration I called a third time and this time I said I was the applicant, he asked the same question as the previous 2 times and I stated where I was calling from to which I got a reply back saying “You called me 10 minutes ago” I said “yes I did and each time you told me that my wife needs to call and you hung up on me, so this time I’m telling you that I’m the applicant so you have to talk to me” got an answer “all the information is on the website, our website is the main focal as to what we do” all went on and I told him that I want to find out if I do the affidavit from my Notary Public solicitor then can I send the application via post, strike 2 “why you tell me information is not on website” he proceeded to have a look and as he couldn’t find it he ended the conversation by saying “your wife needs to come to the Embassy” AAAARRRRGGGGGHHH!!!!
Basically I sent the Application, letter from the UK border agency, Affidavit from Notary Public solicitor, 2 passport photo’s a postal order for £84 a self addressed envelope AND the OLD PASSPORT….after double checking the contents knowing that I must get things correct.
A few days later I got the self addressed envelope back with everything I sent EXCEPT the passport, with a note saying that I didn’t include the passport. So this is where the experience of the IHC begins. cut a long story short, application made on Tuesday after much running around with them not accepting the photocopy of the POLICE report I needed to file for now a lost passport case; that I received from the police station where report was reported, they said they would accept everything else except the report and I should find a police station and get an original report, asked where the closest police station was “I dunno”, found police station, can’t get another report as report was from a different constabulary, called police station explained the issue, got them to fax over direct to the IHC, receipt received with NO DATE hand written, I asked when it will be ready, I was told to call in 1 week, I reminded them that I’m supposed to be travelling on the Friday of the following week, received reply “not my problem”.
Called on Friday of the week application was made, was told that they require photo ID from Indian, my wife been in the country for 10 years, anyway asked why nobody called me, no answer given just that they wanted photo ID.
Took another trip to London on Monday of the following week, each trip cost me £60 in petrol, £5.50 Bridge tolls, £8 London Congestion Charge, £24 – £36 in Car Park costs, just to give them 2 UK Photo ID’s. This time they wouldn’t let me into the building just my wife and 2 children (bear in mind it’s a 3 hour drive from where I live to the IHC with children, so we need to set off early at 3-4am). Again my wife asked when it would be ready, reply was call us back on Monday, my wife had said the the man on counter 7 that we were due to fly on Friday and we would still need to goto the home office to get the stamp, they accused my wife of lieing, “you are lieing, if you are flying out on Friday then that is to short of a time for stamp, you don’t know what your talking about, we know more than you”. When she came out I called them from outside the IHC and gave them a piece of my mind and that they don’t know shit as the Home Office WILL do the stamp on the same day at a premium cost of £587, and I want to know when the passport is going to be ready as I’m flying on Friday” reply “so thats not our problem, call back Wednesday then”.
Called Tuesday and explained that my wife’s nan was ill on hearing the news that we may not make it. I was told to fax a letter saying that it was urgent, which I did. On Wednesday I called and called and called, no answer until 4:30pm and was told by a lady that the passport was ready.
As the old passport is lost by them I now need to take my wife and kids to the Home Office and pay £587 to get her “Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK” Stamp issued.
Botom line was I had missed the flight due to their lack of professionalism.
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Grumpy Indian Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Dubsy,
My full sympathy is with you.
I wish you could have done more research (Google search) to find out what the FUCKING documents they needed. These brain fucked people don’t have any common sense let alone dealing with the crappy website and providing information. The clerks working at HCI London are the biggest jerks I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve dealt with a number of fucking Indian offices including passport offices, state assemblies, Ministry of External Affairs etc but I never come across such bunch of idiots who have no idea what the FUCK they spit out from their mouth.
If you read my posts you will come to know that one woman clerk asked me to enquire at “Indian Embassy at Bangalore”. What the FUCK is Indian Embassy at Bangalore?
Anyway I think you have been into same boat as me only lucky that you have to deal with only HCI London and not the fucking Indian offices.
I’ve a big question and perhaps solution to my misery. I’ll send you e-mail.
Another surprise is how did you manage to get to connect to HCI London on phone? That bloody phone is universal mute and doesn’t ring but goes straight to the answering machine?
I’ve never come across anyone who has ever managed to connect to HCI London, Passport wing.
Thanks for sharing your experience; at least it will keep other people enlightened.
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Good morning Gents
I fully agree with what you both have mentioned. Very unprofessional and rude service to their own citizens. And then the ‘f£$king’ prime minister asks, ‘why is there a brain drain in India’? ‘How do we stop these intelligent people from leaving’?
For one, they could start by privatising the Indian Embassy with responsible workers and put them on a salary that they actually have to work for.
Anyway, its good to know that I am not alone. If you guys are in London, lets meet for a drink or two to drown the sorrow away. For those who don’t drink no offence intended, we can maybe have coffee.
Cheerio chaps
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Grumpy Indian Reply:
August 19th, 2010 at 12:04 am
I don’t agree with you on privatizing the Indian Embassy/High Commissions. Private or public, when Indians are given the rein of office work they behave in the same way.
10 years back when I was applying for UK VISA I had to deal with such privatized institutions called VFS. VFS was run by British High Commission and they employed private people.
That was not nice experience either. In my own fucking country, in my own fucking city I’ve to face humiliation from my own fucking countrymen.
Any way that is different story…
Humiliation doesn’t stop. Privatising wouldn’t work either.
You know the solution, I know the solution, talking about it wouldn’t work.
Action is needed and you know what I mean, don’t you?
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Terrible, just called mha india to get clearance dispite holding a british passport and travelled to india many times. What the f$$$$^^7 is going on in that country. Waited outside HCI spoke to a grumpy mr patel visa section (what’s his problem) no luck. I think that these people need to get a life.
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Grumpy Indian Reply:
November 14th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
If you are Paki then you got faire treatment ;)
We certainly don’t need terrorists sneaking into country no matter which passport you hold.
If not paki then blame it to your religion and live with it.
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Just has the miss-fortune of dealing with these bunch of brain-fucks! Applied for a PIO card over 6 weeks ago and must have read through the whole application form 50 times (no joke) to make sure everything was there.
Anyway, completed form and posted it out beginning of September knowing that postal applications take up to 4 working weeks. I just got the application back today and all my documents with a note saying i forgot to include a “Surrender Certificate”. Nowhere in the FUCKING form does it say i need one of those. I called up and spoke to a women at the HCI:
Me: Hello
HER: Yes (no “Hello” …just a “YES”)
Me: I just received my PIO application form back with a note saying i didnt include a ‘Surrender Certificate’
HER: Yes, this is a new process
Me: Can you tell me where it says i need a surrender certificate on the application form?
HER : It doesn’t.
Me: So how the hell are people supposed to send in something if you don’t ask for it?
HER: Sorry (my god..she actually said SORRY!!!)…but this is the new process. You will need to apply for the certificate and then send all the documents back in to us
Me: Well how long will that take?
HER: Another 6 weeks
Me: What?????? I need the card in three weeks time..that is why i sent my application 6 weeks ago!
Her: Cant help you, that is the new process
Me: I put the phone down and just shouted “FUCKING MOORONS”
So now i have to go to the VFS,apply for a fucking Surrender Certificate and then send all my shit back to the fucking HCI via post.
If bagwan exists he will torture every High Commision official / clerk for ETERNITITY!
at times like this i feel ashamed to be Indian…
Jai Hind (nonetheless…)
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Grumpy Indian Reply:
November 14th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
LOL!!
I’m not surprised.
These fucking dumbs live in a developed country which has all fucking modern day technologies at their disposal but these mother fuckers can’t upload such simple information on their website which doesn’t take few minutes to update.
HCI London website is fucking shit. Don’t bother about it.
Whenever you have to deal with High commission of India at London you should check other Indian embassy websites in other countries such as USA, Canada etc and chances are you might find the FUCKING NEW rules there for sure.
Yes you must be ashamed of being Indian but not Bhartiya.
Say Jai Bharat!!
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I am not surprised with all these comments on IHC London.. but now I am more afraid because i have to get my passport renewed(reissue) as it is getting expired in 40 days. Whereas on getting my passport renewed i have to get my visa extended..
I am terrified.. Please pray for me while dealing with these guys..
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Grumpy Indian Reply:
December 12th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Take my FREE advice and get your UK VISA renewed first.
Afterwards it is all hell as these High Commission of India Donkeys will make your life living hell. So good luck.
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Thanks guys. Had same issues. PIO application. Women at counter doesn’t get enough of something so makes you come again and again !!! Surrender certificates ?? Parents this ….parents that….she is full of shit ….3 hour wait to face this woman and she just gives Indians a bad name.Made 3 trips. Says 21 days on Web site ….says 6-7 weeks when you get there. They treat their own countrymen like fools. I may decide never to go back.
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hi. i have a passport expiring in october. and i cant wait as my uk visa gets over in december. i thought i would travel to india and have an agent renew the passport there. rather than have grief here. however that is out of the question for now as i got my dissertation to write up and need access to the library at all times.
if any one knows what documents are required please please post a reply. i plan to send the application in by post.
from the website i got “It is necessary to have a valid visa on the previous passports.” but the ukba issue biometric cards since the past two years.
and “Copies of the passport(s) (except blank pages) should be submitted in all cases along with the application, when applying for any passport service. In case your latest passport is an additional booklet issued to the original passport, you are also required to submit all the additional booklets and the original passport.”
so in a nutshell i need to send in photocopy of my passport and the original (obviously) along with 2 photos and the form with the postal order of £27. and include a self addressed reply envelope. that should be all of it. do i have to send in my biometric card as well?? i will need it in the uk, as that is my only proof of id, if requested by any official i cant say “its with my embassy, here is a hand written reciept for it”
please advise.
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Even better applied for passport, they took and checked all details and then came back saying my appearance has changed in last ten years…….these people are redefining retardation.
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It has been more than 2 months I applied for my passport renewal! havent heard anything from them yet! In fact, they sent my documents back once saying that I needed a affidavit for change of apperance. I did one and posted them back. No one answers the phone, no response to emails, its has been more than 2 months, am extremely worried. I live so far from London and to be honest I dont have enough money to travel to embassy to find out the situation. This is so dipressing and annoying.Can someone tell me how to deal with MF’s! Why our system is so FKD up! why they dont do there job for which they are getting paid, why there is no proper information! a simple tick list will do. I feel like crying! never felt like this before. How on earth I can teach a lesson to these guys?
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Grumpy Indian Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Send them RTI, it costs £1 (50p for Postal Order and 50p charges) plus posting. I hope you have enough money to visit local post office?
Read my other posts on how to send RTI, there is a template provided too free of charge.
Forget about teaching lessons to these donkeys. Can you teach lessons to donkeys? Can you make a Donkey run like Horse? No.
Send RTI and these MCs will reply immediately. At least RTI works up to some extent. In the worst case that fucking passport officer, named Prem Chand, will reply stating “No information Available”. This ass hole has learned a nice way to avoid putting any effort at all in RTI as well. After all these so called slaves of British Raj, aka Civil Servants, are taught how to avoid doing work and fuck their own country men.
If you have more time then you can file a complain to RTI at higher level and state the fact that Prem Chand is a complete asshole, incompetent and doesn’t provide information as requested in the RTI.Keep complaining to the higher authorities in RTI as long as it takes. May be at some point some one might listen, who knows.
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krishna Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Thank you Grumpy Indian,
I spent all day reading your blogs, I feel really sorry and all the pain you have gone through. There is no words describe these MFs!
Do you think it would be better if I go to HCI London first and then file RTI? How long does it take for RTI response?
I have gone through something quite similar back home, I want to sell a property someone else. The buyer requested a document from the local authority which we requested in our local municipality, we didn’t get any response for 8 months, when we went in person to enquire, they said they lost the documents we submitted 8 month back and demanded 5000 rs as bribe(in his office at his desk loud enough that everyone else can hear) if I want the document. he is not bothered at all! I denied to bribe him and he says sarcastically ‘then apply and go, we will work on your application immediately’ and giggles with his workmates! It was like in movies mate. I still haven’t got the document I wanted! And will never bribe him, my entire family and friends are blaming me! They call me ‘INDIAN’ (from the kamal hasan’s movie!). Am a FKNG looser in their eyes, my mom says iam useless and stupid because the job is not yet done(sale of property).
Am sure each and every one of us has such stories in our life!
God Bless India!
[Reply]
Grumpy Indian Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
“Do you think it would be better if I go to HCI London first and then file RTI? How long does it take for RTI response?”
NO, never ever visit High Commission of India at London office, until they ask you to see someone personally. It is a complete waste of your time and money. The only thing you will get from such visits is “Humiliation”.
You can’t just walk in and ask where is your passport, you have to stand in queue for at least 3-4 hours then sit inside, if you manage to get one, for few hours. Then talk to those deaf and dumb assholes, then get involved into heated arguments and so on.
RTI in our case is different than you did for local municipality.
The RTI in our case is covered by Article 21 freedom of XYZ blah blah.. If you see my template for RTI I’ve mentioned all the points. Just copy that template put in words, change the details to be yours, attach 50p Postal order and send to them. And yes forgot to tell, send by recorded delivery. It will cost few quids more but you will have proof. Keep the receipt.
They will have to reply within 48 hours or else they loose their jobs.
The RTI officer will ask Prem Chand to provide information. Prem Chand will supply information if he has any or else this motherfucker will simply write “No information available”. In either case you will get reply within 48 hours that is for sure. Just follow my instructions on
http://www.grumpyindian.com/useful-forms/right-to-information-act-sample-form.html
If you don’t get reply within 48 hours, then raise it to next in command chain.
RTI is the best thing ever have happened to India after we kicked out British.
Look mate, if you can’t beat them join them. Back home only Gandhi works. Whether it is sitting on satyagrah or oiling corrupt assholes with printed Gandhi. Don’t hesitate to bribe. Bribe before you speak. This is how it works. You mom is right in saying that you are a loser ;) you should learn the ways.
You alone can’t fix the corruption. Bribe and get outta there.
I also used be some kind of fuckin honest. Always got fucked. I learned the way. Now when I’m in trouble I bribe. It works.
High Commission of India, London clerks and babus dont’ accept bribe, at least not while they are in the office. Do you know why? The only reason is that they have got security camera there and it covers entire office. Just remove that camera and HCI London will rock. Bribe them and get your work done. So I blame it to the Camera for all troubles ;)
However I’m sure that once they are out of that sick building (Bharat bhavan) they are like any Indian clerk. Find them bribe them and get the work going. Now it is up to you how to find them.
[Reply]
krishna Reply:
September 28th, 2011 at 8:51 am
Than you very much mate!
I will do the RTI ASAP. Once again thanks a lot for the wealth of information you have.
[Reply]
Grumpy Indian Reply:
September 28th, 2011 at 9:32 am
Good luck mate! Keep us updated.
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krishna Reply:
September 29th, 2011 at 8:47 am
Hello mate,
surprisingly I got my new passport delivered yesterday, just a day before the 60 days time! Thanks a lot for your advice and support.
Your efforts to rise awareness is highly appreciated. Society does need people like you!
once again thanks a lot.
god bless India.
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The Indian high commission is one shitty place to be in. They are corrupt and have big egoes. the bugger working as a clerk may be a BC candidate with a graduate certificate and may be sitting there after he has paid his way to get a GOVERNMENT JOB. With the government policy of having reservations for jobs and etc you may be aware that he is there just to work as little as possible and not do anything about his task at hand. He needs constant Sir, Sir, Sir, or a madam, madam, madam pleading spaniel look to satisfy his/her big egoes. One is likely to get very very irritated by their behavior and senseless means of manipulation to earn an extra buck. I sometimes feel cursed to be born into this land of corrupt public servants. Jai hind..
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