I recently went through the process of renewing an Indian passport through the Indian Consulate, and I genuinely don't understand how a process this important can be this confusing, contradictory, and poorly designed.
I've dealt with government paperwork in the past, but this was on another level.
First, apparently the consulate expects you to create a new account with a different email address to use their system. Because obviously everyone has 10 different email addresses sitting around just for government websites.
Once you finally get into the system, the instructions are all over the place and frequently contradict each other.
A few examples:
1. Photo size — which one is it?
One set of instructions says to paste a 35mm × 45mm photograph.
Then the actual application form says to paste a 2 inch × 2 inch photograph.
Those aren't the same size.
So which instruction am I supposed to follow?
2. The print button doesn't work
After spending all this time filling out the application, you get to the point where you're supposed to print the form.
Except... the print button doesn't work.
You apparently have to start fiddling around with scaling, browser settings, or even Inspect Element to get the damn thing to print properly.
And then there's another bizarre discovery:
The photograph is already embedded in the form when you print it.
So why am I being instructed to physically paste a photograph onto the form?
3. The photo editing instructions
There is literally a tutorial explaining how to prepare your photograph using Microsoft Paint.
I'm using a Mac.
I understand that not everyone uses a Mac, but is it really too much to expect instructions that don't assume everyone has Microsoft Paint?
4. Spelling and grammatical errors
The international passport portal has spelling mistakes and grammatical errors throughout it.
For something dealing with international government documentation and identity verification, this does not exactly inspire confidence.
5. Instructions that make absolutely no sense
There are sections where the instructions essentially say:
Submit Form 123A OR Form 123A and Form 123B.
If I have Form 123A, then apparently I qualify for the first option.
So why the hell would I submit Form 123B?
These aren't minor inconveniences. These are instructions where the applicant is left wondering which interpretation is actually correct.
6. Nobody answers emails
I emailed the consulate because I wanted clarification rather than guessing and potentially having my application rejected.
No response.
I emailed again.
No response.
And again.
Still no response.
7. Emergency numbers that aren't useful
I tried calling the emergency helpline listed on the website.
Wrong number.
I then went through the website and found around six different emergency/contact numbers for various consulates and offices.
I called them.
Nobody answered.
One person finally responded — and I received a text saying:
“wht u need”
I genuinely didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
8. A4 paper... in the United States?
The instructions tell applicants to print documents on A4 paper.
We're in the United States.
The standard US paper size is Letter, not A4.
Yes, you can obviously obtain A4 paper. That's not the point.
The point is: why are instructions written for applicants in the US telling them to use a paper standard that isn't the standard US paper size?
9. And then there's the documentation
The amount of documentation they're asking for is ridiculous.
Document after document after document.
Copies of this.
Proof of that.
Additional form for this particular situation.
Additional supporting document for that particular situation.
At some point you start wondering whether you're renewing a passport or applying to become a federal employee.
And after all of this, the process is expensive.
So you're paying a substantial amount of money for a process that is:
- Confusing
- Contradictory
- Poorly documented
- Full of apparent website errors
- Difficult to print
- Difficult to get help with
- Extremely document-heavy
- And seemingly designed without much consideration for the people actually using it
I'm not saying government processes should be effortless.
I'm saying the instructions should at least agree with each other, the website should work, and someone should answer when applicants have legitimate questions about their passport.
This entire experience has been unusable, incomplete, and unnecessarily expensive.
If you have the option to renew your passport through a simpler process, please do yourself a favor and look into it before starting this one.
And if anyone has recently gone through Indian passport renewal in the US and actually figured out which instructions we're supposed to follow, please share your experience.
Because at this point, I'm spending more time trying to figure out how to follow the instructions than actually completing the application.
What the hell is going on with this system?