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I wish to express my utter disappointment with the VFS Mumbai Stars and Stripes Lounge service or more appropriately "dis-service"! I did not appreciate their representatives employing scare tactics and deceit to get people to pay for a service that was not only unnecessary but also resulted in my aged mother having to wait much longer than was necessary, the very thing that the service purports to eliminate.
When I submitted mandatory forms to the VFS center in Mumbai prior to my mother's US Visa interview I was offered the service by one of the VFS representatives but was not interested. I was advised that hundreds and possibly thousands of people would be in line and the wait would quite possibly be up to 2 hours. By availing of the Stars and Stripes Lounge service my mother would not be subjected to the long lines and would not have to wait. She would enjoy a comfortable seat, refreshments, locker facilities, restroom facilities and "return" shuttle service. She would be taken to the American Consulate just in time for her interview and SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER APPLICANTS!!!
The reality was quite different. She got a very dry sandwich and an incredibly small cup of tea while waiting at the VFS center Stars and Stripes lounge. She was denied a second small cup of tea and even water when she asked for it because she was only entitled to one cup and water was not part of the deal! Then they forced her to put her very small ladies pouch with just a pen and house keys into the locker, even though the American Consulate does allow a small ladies pouch to be carried. She was then taken to the American Consulate at 12:55 pm for her 1:00 pm interview. There she had to stand in line and wait for over an hour and a half, behind people who had the good sense to go directly to the American Consulate. She was given a token which put her right at the end of the line because the VFS Stars and Stripes Lounge Service delayed her arrival at the American Consulate. The interview itself was a breeze. She was done in a matter of seconds, no questions asked! Then the ordeal to get back to the VFS center began. There was no shuttle waiting to take her back as promised. Also, the VFS center threatened a fine of Rs. 100 if she got back later than 3:00 pm to collect her pouch from the locker!!! So, not only was there no ride to get back to the VFS center after the interview, but to add insult to injury there was the added stress of having to pay a fine if she did not get back in time. There was no one to help her immediately when she managed to make her way back to the VFS center on her own! She had to wait - AGAIN!!!
It's such a bitter irony that after paying for the Stars and Stripes Lounge service that was supposed to make the US Visa Interview process more comfortable, it was actually a total waste of time and money and in fact, resulted in much longer wait times and very poor service overall, leaving one feeling very frustrated and cheated. It turned out to be the only aggravating part to a process that was otherwise quite simple.
Shame on the VFS Mumbai Stars and Stripes lounge (dis-)service!
When I submitted mandatory forms to the VFS center in Mumbai prior to my mother's US Visa interview I was offered the service by one of the VFS representatives but was not interested. I was advised that hundreds and possibly thousands of people would be in line and the wait would quite possibly be up to 2 hours. By availing of the Stars and Stripes Lounge service my mother would not be subjected to the long lines and would not have to wait. She would enjoy a comfortable seat, refreshments, locker facilities, restroom facilities and "return" shuttle service. She would be taken to the American Consulate just in time for her interview and SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER APPLICANTS!!!
The reality was quite different. She got a very dry sandwich and an incredibly small cup of tea while waiting at the VFS center Stars and Stripes lounge. She was denied a second small cup of tea and even water when she asked for it because she was only entitled to one cup and water was not part of the deal! Then they forced her to put her very small ladies pouch with just a pen and house keys into the locker, even though the American Consulate does allow a small ladies pouch to be carried. She was then taken to the American Consulate at 12:55 pm for her 1:00 pm interview. There she had to stand in line and wait for over an hour and a half, behind people who had the good sense to go directly to the American Consulate. She was given a token which put her right at the end of the line because the VFS Stars and Stripes Lounge Service delayed her arrival at the American Consulate. The interview itself was a breeze. She was done in a matter of seconds, no questions asked! Then the ordeal to get back to the VFS center began. There was no shuttle waiting to take her back as promised. Also, the VFS center threatened a fine of Rs. 100 if she got back later than 3:00 pm to collect her pouch from the locker!!! So, not only was there no ride to get back to the VFS center after the interview, but to add insult to injury there was the added stress of having to pay a fine if she did not get back in time. There was no one to help her immediately when she managed to make her way back to the VFS center on her own! She had to wait - AGAIN!!!
It's such a bitter irony that after paying for the Stars and Stripes Lounge service that was supposed to make the US Visa Interview process more comfortable, it was actually a total waste of time and money and in fact, resulted in much longer wait times and very poor service overall, leaving one feeling very frustrated and cheated. It turned out to be the only aggravating part to a process that was otherwise quite simple.
Shame on the VFS Mumbai Stars and Stripes lounge (dis-)service!
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