E mail to DOS in Washington, DC

[Larry & Meirong]

Has anyone tried to e mail the Dept of State in DC? I have tried to call them, and their announcement says 15 minute wait times, but an hour is common, with noone picking up the call. There is an e mail address for them at www.travel.state.gov. Has anyone used it, and gotten a response? Tens of billions for a war in Iraq, but no money to even have a decent phone system for the Dept of State.

[Larry & Meirong]

I can answer my own question. I got an automated reply saying they cannot respond due to volume of e mails.

[mari]

I've always got to talk to someone there, and they had been very helpful, I will recommend you to call early in the morning, and remember they're closed at noon on Wednesdays.

[jkobman]

IF you cal the DoS, call about 8.45 or 8.50 am EST. Wait time is 10-15 minutes - sometimes I wait less than that. BUT, unless it's on the computer, the don't know anything.

 

As far as letters, I wrote to the Undersecretary for Consular Affairs - she should have some level of oversight for GZ. But, guess what (I know you'll never believe it), she didn't write back. I guess responding to letters and EMails is not a priority. Usually a Congressman or Senator will get a response, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

[ndjarrett]

I call at 8:30 am their time (sometimes have to call 2 or 3 times before their system does not tell me they are closed). But at that time of the morning I usually only wait 5 or 10 minutes.

[Jim - Portland, USA]

If you have no luck calling them, try try again. Sometimes you do wait forever and forever and end up talking to no one (just hearing a non-stop ringing telephone). But if that happens, hang up, wait a few minutes, then call back. Try try again. Eventually you will get through.

[johnxiaoying]

DOS operators begin work at 8:30 am eastern time. Call at 8:25am and by the time you get through the long recording you should be one of the first in line.

[Bryan_Qunying]

The hours I got for DOS said 8am EST. I have called many times at 8:05am and only waited about 2 to 4 minutes.

 

Just FYI!

[resp]

Hi Larry & Meirong

 

I agree with calling early, i used to call them about 9 am and about two times every week.

They were very helpful some times and other times they were very mean.

 

I did email mr. Powell directly and did not received any responce but about

three weeks later i email him we had an interview date.

 

my advise to you is use all resources.

 

Terrence & linda