Registering at FRRO (Sri vs Indian Bureacracy, Round 2)

Registering yourself a foreign resident in India (why this is required I don't even understand) is a farcical exercise worthy of Jonathan Swift novel.

The experience has led to me to conclude that the sole purpose of Indian bureaucracy is to maximize frustration of anyone that comes in contact with it. They have a time-tested recipe for accomplishing this:

Step 1: Obfuscation
Registering yourself as a foreign resident requires an extra-ordinary number of documents (1 original and 3 copies of each). Some are straight forward--passport, visa--others are not, your boss's passport copy, the original of your employment contract, your electricity bill etc.

The required, supplemental online form gave me hope that perhaps the office may be somewhat efficient. No, once I got to the office, they made me fill out the exact same form again and print it out (despite already doing it at home).

Step 2: Physical Exhaustion
No one knows where the FRRO office is in Mumbai (including my cabbie who didn't understand even after being told by the FRRO receptionist). Eventually, I found the Special Branch of the CID office (apparently the real name of the FRRO) after roaming aimlessly in South Mumbai in 100 degree weather for 30min.

Once you get there, you have to climb up to the 4th floor (broken elevator) then wait in an overcrowded room without air conditioning for hours. I suppose, this is at least better than the fate of the Pakistani and Bangladeshi Nationals who have to wait outside (See below):

Step 3: Mental Exhaustion
Then you wait, wait, wait, and wait. Then they call you in, then ask you wait again. This process keeps repeating. Each time, there's no transparency on (a) why you're being called in, (b) how many more times you will be called in, (c) why it is taking so long, (d) how long it will take, nor (e) why they can't do all the first time they call you.

During the process, I messaged friend of mine well-versed in the troubles of FRRO, "will I get this done today?" He replies, "Call me from the FRRO tomorrow, we'll catch-up."

Guess what? Even if I had to for 5 hrs in that balmy 90 degree room, I got it done today! This round, Sri 1: Indian Bureacracy 1.