Unexpected Appointment Change

[Drew927]

I recieved an unusual call from the company that schedules the appointments (Abtran). They informed me that the appointment for my sister in July 2011 will have to be changed because the Consulate informed them of a schedule conflict. Her new appointment is now Feb 2012.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[johnnyonthespot]

Well, that really sucks!

Maybe she can call back and insist they put her on a list to be inserted at the first available appointment which may open up after a cancellation. Other than that, I don't know what else can be done.

[rgaetano]

Yes, that does really suck, sorry to hear that. Maybe you should call the consulate to confirm that it had to be changed? I recently received an email from abtran confirming my appointment "between april and june 2011", and it apologized for sending the email twice (it was forwarded from an earlier date in april), but I never received that first email. My point is, maybe weird things are going on with the abtran system? Might be worth following up a little to make sure what they are saying is true.

[KarenChristino]

Drew,

I jut got the same call for NYC. Our initial appointments were for August. Now they're telling me, very stubbornly, that they have to reschedule in February of 2012! When I wouldn't immediately agree to change it, he suggested giving me someone else's cancellation date if it comes up. He thought there was a possibility that that might bump it up to May or June. I agreed to this because I think I either need an initial appointment to figure out what exactly they'll ask me to do, or more time to make corrections to my documents. My mother's birth certificate, though non-direct line, is a mess and I haven't had much luck finding documents to correct it yet. And there are other issues as well. I am both annoyed and relieved.

I wonder what's going on? Layoffs? From what he said I first assumed that people would be on vacation, but to delay it 6 months suggests otherwise.

Karen

[beauac]

Same exact call for me just now. Had July, now it is January. WTF, I'm quittin' once again, too many problems time after time. I can't deal anymore, lol. I really can not recommend anyone trying to do this process, it is just such a pain in the ass and nothing of it makes any sense. With a short and straightforward line without mistakes sure, but how many people have that?? Why couldn't I have been Swedish or German or something...

[ForzaItaliaPgh]

Wow, could this process be more of a pain in the rear? I haven't gotten a call yet (anyone have this problem with the Philly consulate?) but it does always seem to be something...

[KarenChristino]

Even though my appointment is now technically in February (ten -- count 'em -- ten months away) rather than August, I couldn't get to sleep last night worrying that they would call me at the last minute to come in for a cancellation! This is pathetic because I don't really expect they'll be calling with any cancellation but that he just said that to get me off the phone. Who knows? I think the unpredictability rather than the delay is what throws me the most.

[beauac]

The service called me back. The guy said he pulled some strings and now I am able to go in August. Earlier he had told me the embassy cancelled all appointments for July and August so how do I have August now? Well I had July to begin with, then I thought I had January, so I really can not complain now. He explained after calling back that they plan to operate under a very restricted schedule now during the summer. Anyone know why this stuff is happening?

[KarenChristino]

Beau, I think you've got my August appointment! Actually it was three -- for myself, my brother and sister. Some key person is probably just taking their usual month-long summer vacation. And then where could they reschedule except in the newest slots? But you're on a return visit, right? So that would take less time than three initial slots. What did you do to get them to reschedule you earlier -- just call Abtran and ask?

[beauac]

I have August 16th. Why would they cancel somebody and then fill the place in with another, doesn't that defeat the purpose? I really do not know how I got it. When the man called the first time I explained to him that I was very angry and disappointed (with the Italian embassy, of course) and he told me he would try to look for a cancellation. I did not believe that at all, I thought that was just something they are trained to say to soften the blow. Then an half hour later he called back so I knew he had done something good for me and he said he managed to get me in August, I did not want to ask him how he could do it, I was just happy and surprised.

[KarenChristino]

It's very odd We actually had August 18. They cancelled 3 appointments for us. Maybe they'll really have someone's cancellation for me before February. I guess it could happen.