...Stupid Requirements...

[Spanishgirl]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

Hehehehehehe!
I have funny storys in the pakistani embassy in Madrid (Spain). I’ve been there three times with my bf and it really sucks. It is like entering another world…

[Umer]

Re: ...Stupid Requirements...

try applying for any country's passport

Bhai sahab: Last year I got my son's passport renewed when I was in Austria. And although they have a new "lengthier" process because of the new biometric passports, his passport was delivered to my parent's home within 24 hours of our application. The documentation they required was nothing unusual. Old passport, birth certificate, my passport copy and residency certificate. That's what I call efficiency.

[mayra_jootha]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

omg! ur so right

it’s such a waste of time and effort futile people

[The_Voice]

Re: ...Stupid Requirements...

incompetency at its best - pak govt

[Shikra]

Re: ...Stupid Requirements...

So many problems... time for some **solution **ideas:

What is the reason for such a tedious+difficult procedure? What is *causing *these issues? And WHAT is the procedure involved in making, renewing a passport that it takes 2, 3, 6 weeks to complete?

The culture + bureaucracy. The same culture that runs passport offices back in Pakistan is responsible for degradation of embassies here in US. There is favoritism, there are bribes, there are back doors - for those who know someone inside.

** What is the solution for this?** Change management+employees... non-Pakistanis should be serving in the embassies. No matter what you are selling, if its passports, IT services or online education, if DESIS find out that you run the show, the first thing they ask for is are you going to give us any discount. Get rid of the back door, bargaining, "mujhey **free **aur **jaldi **mil jaye na kabhi" culture.

When RENEWING *your passport, there should be no forms to fill, other than for tax/fee purposes. Only things required to renew should be: **1.* Expired Copy of the passport, 2. Money/Fee, 3. Valid Address and 4. Proof for that valid address, such as your driver license or utility bill.

Having non-desis working in Pakistani businesses/offices is one solution......another solution (much harder to implement but is the best solution) would be to fix the root cause. That is, have checks and balance system (that actually enforces its rules), have management that audits the work of its employees. For example: If the general consulate is an honest person, he should be strict and as soon he finds out there was delay on purpose by any one of the employees, don't be soft, fire them and appoint someone new. That ought to teach the lesson to:

1. The fired person that this is some serious business
2. The new person - I better be honest and careful here.

But then again, this system is much difficult to implement and I don't see it happening in Pakistan. The whole nation's mentality needs to change.

For my issue on hand: I am going to do exactly what they have on the website: I have gotten 2 cashier's checks (One for $15 and one for $7 - as opposed to their reply) and in addition, I will still mail the self addressed stamped envelopes (even though they asked me not to) because I don't want to take any risk/headaches. They will be mailed on the weekend.

[Shikra]

Re: ...Stupid Requirements...

**UPDATE: **I had written to DC embassy asking Louisiana isn't listed in the jurisdiction of Houston, DC, NY, nor L.A., where should I mail the application. They didn't bother to reply. In the meanwhile, I sent the application to L.A. as I was instructed to do so by Houston consulate. Well, L.A. sent the application back (kept one of the stamped envelopes) saying "mail the original ID with the application".

NOWHERE on any of the websites does it ask for the original ID. For the renewal of NICOP, it only needs a copy of the NICOP. However, for the renewal of passport, it asks for the original NICOP.

Doesn't make much sense to me, but I e-mailed them and basically told them screw you, you need to get your damn website updated. Let's see if they send out an alert in Pakistan and ask them not to approve our card :D

[Krypton]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

kept one of the stamped envelopes)

[Shikra]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

Yeah, kanjoos idiots

[Krypton]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

i blv that bcuz, once we mailed somethign to the embassy and it came back without the **stamps **being like stamped on, i guess?

and moms like keep the envelope we can reuse the stamps gahhahaha, she was joking tho

[Shikra]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

Paindooo

[Lusi]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

@Shikra

I have always hated the governmental procedures, especially Pakistani embassy in US procedures/attitudes. I had to talk to those idiots (pardon me if anyone’s relatives work in the embassy) when I had to get a visa for Pakistan, when I had to get the Pakistan Origin Cards, and most recently, when I am about to get my wife’s passport and NICOP renewed.

Houston embassy has been the most cooperative so far. I’ve been dealing with the Chief via e-mail and he responds the next day :k: Although they are open only for 3 hours each day It’s been 2 days since I’ve e-mailed and called the L.A. embassy - no response. Out of all of their requirements, here are some of their STUPID AND RIDICULOUS requirements, some of which I understand but still!!!

• Fill out the application in BLACK (not blue, red, green etc.) ink and in CAPS
• Fields must be filled BOTH Urdu and English (The card doesn’t have Urdu on it, so what’s the point?)
• Photocopy of NIC (they need a copy of the old one to give you a new card but they need the ORIGINAL card to renew your passport). Doesn’t make sense to me - Shouldn’t that be vice versa?
• Father and mother’s name as well as their ID card numbers (You know, we are over 21, we are adults now, let’s not get mommy and daddy involved!)
• 2 stamped self-addressed envelopes - one to return a receipt back to us and the other for them to mail the card. Ok fine. In addition, they have a $7 “Home delievery charge” - Now, what the HECK do you need that “home delievery fee” for when we are giving you the freaking envelopes that are self addressed and stamped. All the work is done for you lazy s, what is that additional charge for?

My e-mail question was about that charge and nobody has replied yet. These are just the ID requirements. I’ll leave the passport requirements for another day. Oh, and getting a new card may take up to 6 months

Who else is unhappy with these government workers and has had the unfortunate experience of dealing with them?

Shikra, some of the requirements on the site are out dated but if you check the pdf. version of application, it should have the most updated instructions.

I recieved my NICOP few weeks back. I didn’t mail them any $ 7.00, just the $15.00 application fee. They say it takes upto six months (in worst case senario) but for me and my rest of the amily it took like something b/w 2-3 months. They are not making them over here, the cards are actually made in Pakistan, therefore takes this much amount of time.
For a woman, doesn’t she needs to put husband’s name if married?

Edit: just read your updates…lol

[Lusi]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

@James_Bhaand

these smart S’oles are just jokers when it comes to applying logic
I remember last year my wife had to get her passport renewed, she needed a NICOP for that, and her national ID card for the NICOP
They wouldn’t accept the OLD ID card that she had, and insisted on the new compooterized shakhti card - abay Ghooonchooo ab naya card kidhar say laon ? She had to mail everything to Pakistan, her old card and everything, where the new card was processed (While she is in Canada ) and it was mailed to her, she used that to get a NICOP - and then finally the phassphooss was renewed

hmmm…strange… my bro didn’t have any id card, just the passport and he got NICOP on the basis of the passport… but ya these people are strange…

[Shikra]

Re: ...Stupid Requirements...

Lusi, I know they have to be sent to Pakistan. I received a reply to my e-mail to L.A. embassy and they asked me to call Ms. Shameem. I did call her and I had no idea what she was saying, she finally transfered me to someone else and their English was pretty hard to understand. I got fed up and hung up.

DC embassy replied to my question "Do you need the original NICOP or just a copy is good. The website doesn't state that you need the original ID but L.A. embassy says so"..............and DC embassy said just a copy is good. Gave me the main website for NADRA and I tried to file it online, well, their server is down.

[_Iraj]

Re: …Stupid Requirements…

@Shikra

I have always hated the governmental procedures, especially Pakistani embassy in US procedures/attitudes. I had to talk to those idiots (pardon me if anyone’s relatives work in the embassy) when I had to get a visa for Pakistan, when I had to get the Pakistan Origin Cards, and most recently, when I am about to get my wife’s passport and NICOP renewed.

Houston embassy has been the most cooperative so far. I’ve been dealing with the Chief via e-mail and he responds the next day :k: Although they are open only for 3 hours each day It’s been 2 days since I’ve e-mailed and called the L.A. embassy - no response. Out of all of their requirements, here are some of their STUPID AND RIDICULOUS requirements, some of which I understand but still!!!

• Fill out the application in BLACK (not blue, red, green etc.) ink and in CAPS
• Fields must be filled BOTH Urdu and English (The card doesn’t have Urdu on it, so what’s the point?)
• Photocopy of NIC (they need a copy of the old one to give you a new card but they need the ORIGINAL card to renew your passport). Doesn’t make sense to me - Shouldn’t that be vice versa?
• Father and mother’s name as well as their ID card numbers (You know, we are over 21, we are adults now, let’s not get mommy and daddy involved!)
• 2 stamped self-addressed envelopes - one to return a receipt back to us and the other for them to mail the card. Ok fine. In addition, they have a $7 “Home delievery charge” - Now, what the HECK do you need that “home delievery fee” for when we are giving you the freaking envelopes that are self addressed and stamped. All the work is done for you lazy s, what is that additional charge for?
  My e-mail question was about that charge and nobody has replied yet. These are just the ID requirements. I’ll leave the passport requirements for another day. Oh, and getting a new card may take up to 6 months

Who else is unhappy with these government workers and has had the unfortunate experience of dealing with them?

even i always hated those lenghty procedures .
once i had some problems with my passport and i had to get a new id with my pic on it .
but i followed such a long process , i had no other way out
it took me ages to get mt passport