appointments for biometric passports

According to the Ministry of Interior's new system, and according to the law, all Israelis applying for passports will now get biometric passports, and one can only do so via appointment and not just walk into the local branch of the Ministry of Interior and apply.

That's ok, on the face of it. I have no problem with that.

What I do have a problem with is the way the appointment system works.

The appointment system for the US Embassy would be one example to look at. On their website they have an online calendar. If you want to apply for consular services, you open the website page and click which day and time you want your appointment and print out a confirmation. That seems to be a logical way of running an appointment schedule.

With the Ministry of Interior, they publish on their website a list of all the local branches around Israel with their email addresses and say to email for an appointment.

So, I emailed a few days ago. I still have not heard back from them.

I have no idea if anyone saw my email.

And even if they did, I have no idea when they will respond.

And even if they respond to me today, I have no idea if the date and time they offer me will work in my schedule, and if I will have an option to change it. Or maybe each communication with them will take 3 or 4 days.

I have no problem with an appointment system, but they should be setting one up in which I can choose the best day available to me and confirm it online, rather than just hope someone sees my email.

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