Department of State Reviews 12

Zero. zero for this dis-service!
It deserves zip, zilch, no cigar. 🥺
I cannot wait for AI robots to take the jobs of the belligerent nincompoops, who are incapable of acting like polite professionals or just being decent human beings, trying to get things done. Male security guards were great, people at reception were nice, the cashier on first floor was pleasant but the majority of bureaucrats and consular officers were of the lowest caliber. A British reviewer commented: “robotic, unhelpful and extremely rude people with a bad attitude work there.”
UK nationals must be dismayed, as Americans abroad wholeheartedly acknowledge how Brits’ idea of Americans did not match the stark reality of the belligerent people they encountered at the US Embassy Visa & Consular services. I concur: the abysmal service is inadequate and staff are utterly insulting. It is a conveyer belt of appalling misery. The “standards” of conduct are lowest. Those grim faces of uncouth employees are a sight to behold. 🫣 They do have a pulse which helps. 🙄The atmosphere is tense. The whole experience is dreadful. Do not take it personally. These “workers” are treating everyone like garbage.
We the People/American Taxpayers are funding atrocious bureaucrats.
Time to make formal complaints to my 🇺🇸Congress Representative and my 🇺🇸Senator!
To the embassy employees -
We the American Taxpayers are paying your salaries. You work for us. You are not there to interrogate or to demean visitors. You are not that powerful. Your jobs are easily eliminated by AI. 🤔

I really wanted to be positive about the experience here, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a good one.

You’ll book an appointment time, but ignore it, as you’ll just be joining a large queue and kept outside for as long as it takes staff to leisurely set things up.

Once you’re in, staff temperaments vary. Generally impatient, impolite and clearly pressured to get people through the process as quickly as possible. Basically just a conveyor belt/production line.

You’ll eventually be face-to-face with a very robotic, uninterested, unhelpful, judgmental visa officer that asks basic questions and gives no time for proper explanations or a balance to people’s situations; very disheartening. They do not give a toss. Couldn’t care less. But why would they? Not their problem…

If these people and this process is an ambassador for the United States itself, then frankly it’s an embarrassment. With the amount of visa officers there and the inefficient, careless attitudes displayed, it doesn’t instil any confidence that the right people are being allowed in/wrong people are being kept out of the country. Scary.

The fact Google won’t publish this review also raises eyebrows. Corrupt to the core and an absolute disgrace. Is being critical of the US not allowed, even though apparently it’s the staple of the free world? Oh the hypocrisy…

Imagine being informed you’re denied due to not having any ties to return when I’m a mother of 1 and on contract working , these are enough ties to return, as well she seem so harsh at the ending , making the interview so dry and rude.
What’s the purpose paying money going through all of that an to be denied, I can understand if I have no responsibilities, but I have or is it cause I’m black and your white. The struggles I faced just to arrive on time and make it through just to still have long line that’s fine. Getting busses,train , plane and yet still to be inform no ties, not giving you enough time to explain your purpose , I’m highly disappointed in my experience and decision
She was very rude and I’ll never forget her face.

I applied for a passport card on 4/6/2026 through my local post office and paid $144.50. Instead, the department of state sent me a passport book that they already issued only two weeks before I applied for the card. I called them many times to let them know I received the wrong document, but they argued I sent them the money for a passport book though it shows on the app I checked mark the card book. It turned out that the post office charged me the wrong amount, and obviously the state of department did not check my application to see what exactly I was applying for. I spoke to the supervisor, Tammy who hung up the phone on me, and Vivian who did the exact same thing. After losing a whole day of work and spending eight and a half hours on the phone hoping I can solve this peacefully, it got me nowhere. So, I contacted my bank and asked them to dispute the $144.50, which they did. The department of state ego is too high to admit they made a mistake and think they’re untouchable.

Could not get past the automated answering system when trying to get information on my inquiry. There are extensions for related services that play an automated message to look for answers on the website, which also doesn’t have answers to my specific question.

I am trying to request birth certificates as part of my genealogy research. I contacted the local embassy via email. Rude is an understatement. No help to specific questions told to check the link sent. I even told them I lived in the UK but still told check the link. The link provided give you the address to write to in the state, but no email link to raise questions, it would take weeks to get a final answer, if ever. 😡

Terrible service and rude officer. Was a many times as student and visitor in US. Never break any rules or law, never overstay in country. Have a lot of friends there, some persons over 70 and for them is too heavy travel for now. To request new visa, I was declined by ESTA, than in embassy I got answer "we think you want to remain in US". I explain, I live and work in UK, my child growing and study here, and I was there many times and came back. After my words no more comments from officer with return passport. I love US as my part of life there and have good friends, but this completely disrespect to people who following by law. If someone from US government read this, kindly ask please take note of my words.

I had to apply for a VISA and unfortunately for me, my mum had booked the holiday for September through the CO-OP Travel, which failed to mention anything about ESTA's or VISA's, which she didn't ask either. Me, being quite the prepared, avid, solo traveler, fully expected her to check the Entry Requirements before paying...

Unfortunately for me, I failed to qualify for an ESTA as I have a criminal record for affray, a minor to moderate public order offence, which is considered spent. It took me about 3 hours to complete the application form DS-160 as the website kept kicking me out every 10 minutes, even though I was not inactive...

Eventually after processing my form, the confirmation page came up to show that they'd received my application. I read all the text and followed all the links. It was extremely bad, you literally have to find out for yourself what to do next as this website tells you nothing. It's an absolute outdated, unhelpful, shambolic, mess. I eventually found where I had to pay for this VISA (an external website), which this website looks like it has a footer at the bottom, therefore looking like you cannot scroll down...

Want help? Forget it. FAQ's and contacts pages are no where to be seen. If they are found, they're probably about as old as the internet itself and as helpful as a handless kettle.

Account made and ready to book myself for an interview. I have to send my passport, but doesn't actually tell you this, it tells you that your passport will be readily available to collect from the consulate that you've applied at... Brilliant (/s)... next page, payment. £161 PAID. Interview dates, nothing until Mid-November. Well you know what, forget it, I won't get an interview in time, so I'll cancel the holiday. But hang on, I've just lost £161 for absolutely nothing. No refunds btw.

AWFUL AWFUL EXPERIENCE.

Thanks for putting me off going to America ever.

Absolutely useless service. How is it possible to have only 2 locations to cater for over 6 million non-EU foreigners living in the UK. The Belfast location has absolutely no visa appointments - been checking for a month now! And the London office has a 6 month wait time!!! This is absurd. It is clearly evident that there is absolutely no capacity planning or forethought that goes into their operations. Really shocking!

If I could give less than one star I would!
My American wife was shocked at the operators on the phone and how they spoke to me, telling me to 'shutup and listen' as they barked orders at me over the phone.
Normally people who work with people should be friendly and helpful, but no-one in that office seems to think that way! These people are there to direct you in the right direction, but instead they're rude, obnoxious and useless.
Save your time and go through a visa specialist if you need any help, because the operators know nothing about customer service or the government that they 'work' for.
In short, if you need help, don't call their switchboard for help on where to be directed to.

This is the most frustrating useless service anyone can imagine. These people who work there are the most rude unhelpful people one could ever wish to meet.

The service is the worse of the worse. We must be mad to even want to go the US the land of ignoramouses.

Got through to an advisor, she was extremely rude, always answering with attitude and put the phone down on me mid way through my sentence.

I love the US and I love the customer service but this really let me down because I travel to the US in two weeks and I needed advice.

1/5 stars