Feeling unusually hopeful on last week Wednesday, I called Home Affairs to check up on the status of my recent ID book re application. More on the saga here and here. I always start with the toll free enquiries line, and move from there. Bad news.
Once again, my application has been sent from Harrison street, and not received in Pretoria. This is a process that should take 2 days, and it's been over 3 months. Call center conclusion? I should go to Harrison street, figure out how they are sending my application, obtain 'some kind of tracking number or something' and then find out what went wrong.
I mull on this advice for a day, check with a friendly immigration-lawyer-friend to see if he can shed any light on the situation, and Thursday, I call Harrison street directly, in hopes that I won't have to go there in person. There are 3 numbers listed for the office on the dha website. Between Thursday of last week and this Tuesday, I spent 11 hours (count them, 11) calling them (automatic redial on skype), and nobody picked up.
So this Tuesday, I called the cell phone of the regional manager. She was polite, helpful, and sounded like she knew what was going on. Apparently, what is taking so long is that they must confirm my permanent residence permit. Issuing my permanent residence permit took 6 weeks, and confirming it has now taken 11 months, but nevermind. I should go to the first floor of Harrison street, and ask to talk to the supervisor of the ID section, who used to be (but is no longer) Thandi.
Once again, hoping to save myself a trip to Harrison street, I phoned, and this time, miraculously, got someone to give me a direct number to the ID section (I feel like this is a heavily guarded state secret). I am told that the applications generally take 3 months to reach Pretoria, and I should phone back next week Thursday. I've had the 'phone back next week Thursday' conversation with DHA many times before. I think it's the Home Affairs equivalent of 'don't call me, I'll call you'. I feel rejected. And may have to trek back to Harrison street one of these days. At least when my belly enters a room 3 steps before I do, I get some sympathy standing in the queues.
Once again, my application has been sent from Harrison street, and not received in Pretoria. This is a process that should take 2 days, and it's been over 3 months. Call center conclusion? I should go to Harrison street, figure out how they are sending my application, obtain 'some kind of tracking number or something' and then find out what went wrong.
I mull on this advice for a day, check with a friendly immigration-lawyer-friend to see if he can shed any light on the situation, and Thursday, I call Harrison street directly, in hopes that I won't have to go there in person. There are 3 numbers listed for the office on the dha website. Between Thursday of last week and this Tuesday, I spent 11 hours (count them, 11) calling them (automatic redial on skype), and nobody picked up.
So this Tuesday, I called the cell phone of the regional manager. She was polite, helpful, and sounded like she knew what was going on. Apparently, what is taking so long is that they must confirm my permanent residence permit. Issuing my permanent residence permit took 6 weeks, and confirming it has now taken 11 months, but nevermind. I should go to the first floor of Harrison street, and ask to talk to the supervisor of the ID section, who used to be (but is no longer) Thandi.
Once again, hoping to save myself a trip to Harrison street, I phoned, and this time, miraculously, got someone to give me a direct number to the ID section (I feel like this is a heavily guarded state secret). I am told that the applications generally take 3 months to reach Pretoria, and I should phone back next week Thursday. I've had the 'phone back next week Thursday' conversation with DHA many times before. I think it's the Home Affairs equivalent of 'don't call me, I'll call you'. I feel rejected. And may have to trek back to Harrison street one of these days. At least when my belly enters a room 3 steps before I do, I get some sympathy standing in the queues.
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