From: shaker@Virginia.EDU 
Subject: Re: passports ... Tamil Nadu ..
Followup-To: soc.culture.tamil
Keywords: unbelievable delays ...HELP
Reply-To: shaker@Virginia.EDU
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 20:05:02 GMT

vyju@kind.ecn.purdue.edu (Vyjayanthi Manian) writes:
: 
: My parents, whose passports had expired in June of this year, applied
: for new passports in June in Madras. They were asked to come back in
: Sept/October to collect their new passports. When they went there last
: month to enquire, they were told that there were "indefinite delays"!
: No idea when the passports would be released. The crowd in the
: passport office is so great that no one is being allowed inside. 
: 
: My parents have made trips putside the country (that is active
: passports)- so I can't imagine why the police enquiry would take so
: long. 
: 
: One theory being floated is that many Srilankans are trying to flee to
: the west using Indian passports - and logically they would use the Madras
: office. The work load has apparently increased tremendously for doing
: the background checks, etc. 

Like Americans here who blame every problem on the black males,
Indian Tamils are beginning to blame Sri Lankan Tamils for 
every problem they have there. 

: Has anybody else experienced this problem? I am expecting a child next year
: and it would be nice if they could make it here by then. 

I wasted one full week out of my four weeks vacation in
Shastri Bavan (passport office in Madras) just for renewing
my passport. Here is how it works for renewal:
	1) Stand in line to get the application form. (10AM - 12:30PM)
	   I didn't waste time here. I got it from a travel agent.
	   Naive villagers and people who want to go to gulf
	   live here for two or three days to get their application
	   form.
	2) Fill the form and stand in line to get initialed
	   by a superintendent. This bureaucrat does nothing
	   but to put his initial in green ink on your form.
	   This guy really enjoys his job.  At that time, the
	   person applying for passport must appear in person
	   in front of our bureaucrat friend.
		Again my travel agent and a guy who works
		in the Food Corporation India across the
		street from Sastri Bavan helped me get his
		initial in one day. Others will be spending
		at least 3 days here.
	3) Take the initialed form and stand in another line to
	   find out what the fees are. The clerk will use a
	   black pen and writes the amount that you have to pay
	   on your form.
	4) After that stand in yet another line to pay your
	   fees and don't forget to get a slip. The cashier
	   will ask you to come after two days and every 
	   day after that to come and check whether your passport
	   is renewed.
               Luckily, on my second day I bumped into my brother-in-law's
	       friend who works in the FCI across the street. His
	       friend in the passport office helped me with
	       items 3 and 4 above for me.
	5) Two days later, I came back for my passport. This time
	   there was no line. But, there was a huge crowd in front of the
	   desk which issues your passport. Names would be called out
	   from 4PM to 6PM. But people assemble there at 2PM itself.
	   Lot of people like me returned home disappointed on the first
	   day. Anyway, now that you have become a veteran, you can
	   enjoy watching other people going through the
	   same Indian bureaucratic mess that you went through not
	   long ago.

	   Next day, I came back. Finally, around 5.45PM just
	   when I was beginning to think that they must have lost
	   my passport in paper landfill in the Sastri Bavan,
	   I was called. I proudly wade through people in front
	   of me. "Slip", the clerk shouted. I searched my
	   pocket. I realized that I had left the slip in the pocket of the
	   shirt that I wore the day before. I asked the clerk
	   to identify me by the photograph in the passport. The
	   clerk was amazed by my audacity and really thought that
	   I was trying to fool him.
		I ran back to the my FCI buddy,
	   actually my brother-in-law's buddy who had become mine by
	   then. Lucky for me, my friend had overslept and he was still
	   asleep on his desk. I woke him up and dragged him to the Sastri
	   Bavan.
		The watchman at the passport office won't let us in.
	   I pulled my Virginia driver's license and showed it to
	   him as if I were an important officer. He didn't even check
	   what it was. He let us in with a salute. Quick thinking on my
	   part or what. No time to pat myself on my back.

		Finally, when I got my passport, I was filled with a
	   sense of achievement that I had never felt before. 

Folks, if your passport is about to expire get it renewed here in USA.
It will save you quite a bit of time. Good luck.



	   

	  
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