A bad day
By Sam Charles
@S4mmyboy (3266)
Mumbai, India
July 18, 2021 6:47am CST
Yesterday was a very bad day for me. Few days back I applied for reissue of my passport which expired few months back. In our country the cops come for verification to check if the address is genuine. I mentioned my parents address since all my legal documents carry my parents house address. The trouble started when my elder brother's son opened the door for the cops and told them I don't stay over there anymore. So when I visited the police station as asked by the cops, they told me that since I don't stay at the mentioned address I either have to bribe them or wait for another few more months to get all my documents in place and reapply.
Am now in a situation.
Did you ever face such situations in your life that you had to bribe, even after being perfect with your paperwork.
These instances would happen only in the Asian continent
24 people like this
27 responses
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
18 Jul 21
@flapiz actually it got expired in January this year, but due to lockdown I wasn't able to apply. This would be my 3rd passport. I never bribed for my earlier 2 passports. But this time the cop stationed at our place is too corrupted.
I am planning to look for jobs abroad, so for that I need to have my passport ready
1 person likes this
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
18 Jul 21
Actually all my documents are correct there is nothing illegal that I have produced. Since my parents passed away I stay separately as my elder brother family stay in that house. Legally even I have the same rights as my brother. And all my legal documents carry the same address, but still the cops want me to bribe them. Even if I reapply I would have to bribe them, though the amount may be a little less.
In our country, all the government servants are crooked, even after getting hefty package as salary and bonus they are greedy for bribe.
The shameless cop is asking me to either pay 2000/- (almost $28) as bribe or prove yourself that would take atleast 6 months
1 person likes this
@msdivkar (23359)
• India
19 Jul 21
Sorry to hear about your case. It is quite common here in India to give your family address as your permanent address while you stay somewhere else. I too have my family residence address on all my documents while I stay somewhere else. You have to convince the police about it.
1 person likes this
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
18 Jul 21
@id_peace now he asked me to come on Monday. I have to bribe them if I want my passport. No matter even if the documents are correct. The cops stationed this time seems to be very corrupted, I never had this experience before, as this will be my 3rd passport
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137860)
• United States
23 Jul 21
I've never had to bribe anyone for anything. If you get caught asking for or giving bribes, you can go to jail here.
I'm sorry that happened. I think I'd be very upset with that nephew and would have a talk with my older brother about it. Surely your nephew, if allowed to answer the door, understands how things work there.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137860)
• United States
23 Jul 21
@S4mmyboy I'm really sorry that happened.
Yeah, apologizing after the fact doesn't do any good. Your brother should have given you back the money you had to pay as a bribe.
1 person likes this
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
23 Jul 21
@DaddyEvil he said he will, but I don't know when...I can't force him, as he is elder to me
1 person likes this
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
23 Jul 21
@DaddyEvil...I was upset with my brother, because I already informed him of the passport renewal, but still he didn't bothered to speak to his son. My nephew later apologized for his mistake, but it wasn't of any use. I finally had to settle this whole issue for $40.
I paid only $20 as fees for reissue of my passport, and paid an extra $40 as bribe.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (87852)
• Bangalore, India
19 Jul 21
Did your passport expire three years back? For renewal of passport a few months before expiry and within three years of expiry, things are quite simple. We just got our husband's renewed and it was effortless. All could be done online and just a day visit to passport Seva Kendra. Police verification is needed for a new one or one that has expired for more than three years.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (87852)
• Bangalore, India
19 Jul 21
@S4mmyboy Oh! That sounds strange as we got no police verification. Anyway, it is your choice to pay the bribe or not.
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
19 Jul 21
@arunima25 this would be my 3 rd passport... Second as renewal, but the process remains the same as if you are applying for a new one. The only difference is reissue passports arrive in 12-15 days while the new ones takes 25-35 days
1 person likes this
@sjvg1976 (41290)
• Delhi, India
18 Jul 21
This is one of the process which is difficult. It happened once with me too when they come I was not at home so had to go to the police station. And had to go there fo 3-4 times but could not find that cop and finally gave up and could not be able to get the passport made. 
1 person likes this
@prashu228 (37521)
• India
18 Jul 21
such a bad situation ...what are you going to do now?
do your family members know any one there in the local place to get the work done? you can try that way so that work will be done..
1 person likes this
@prashu228 (37521)
• India
18 Jul 21
@S4mmyboy i see..hope there will be some way..
1 person likes this
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
18 Jul 21
As the local saying goes, jewellers rob of the gold of their own relatives, similarly the cops. No matter what....you have to bribe.
Don't have any such contacts to get things done.
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
18 Jul 21
I had no idea renewing your passport could be such a hassle there. If it happened here and the case is reported, those officers would be in a really big trouble.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
20 Jul 21
@S4mmyboy That must be really frustrating.
1 person likes this
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
18 Jul 21
@cahaya1983..we can also trap them, but the chances are minimal and we end getting our passport delayed for a more longer time.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
19 Jul 21
@S4mmyboy
That is not a good thing and why didn't he say that your stuff was there even though you do not live there. I hate when people answer for us and screw things up. I have a sister that we do not speak because she screwed me over very badly and when I did not need to deal with her told her to leave me alone because she was so nasty to me. Things happen everywhere.
1 person likes this
@Hanbinandaeyo (3301)
•
19 Jul 21
Why would your brother say that you don't stay in the same location..
I think you're not gonna stay very long on your paren'ts house so why does he want that..
Now you are stuck in a difficult situation
1 person likes this
@Hanbinandaeyo (3301)
•
19 Jul 21
@S4mmyboy I hope all will be well for you...
Praying for the good thing for you
1 person likes this
@xstitcher (32783)
• Petaluma, California
14 Aug 21
I don't bribe people. As far as my day, yesterday went better than today.
1 person likes this
@S4mmyboy (3266)
• Mumbai, India
14 Aug 21
@xstitcher yes I understand. It happens in our continent.... Glad that you had a good day yesterday
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (16518)
• Raurkela, India
19 Jul 21
Bribery is prevalent every where you have to be upright and not pay it. Recently the bank officials were delaying my family pension even after submitting the proper papers with the expectation of money. I informed the reserve bank and the human rights commission and got my pension.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (16518)
• Raurkela, India
20 Jul 21
@S4mmyboy Yes I can say God helped me .
1 person likes this
@ThatDisha (4010)
• India
19 Jul 21
Bribery is a crime
why don't you report it to the higher authority
I know it is hard for common people to fight for their rights
what i am saying is you do not have to file a case against them just report this case to some concerned authority i.e anonymously, online
1 person likes this
