Consulate of Guatemala

Que lastima y que verguenza que uno estando fuera de su pais con el consulado es con lo unico que uno cuenta. para que al llegar te den un mal servicio supestamente cierran a las cuatro y dejan de atender a la una y media??? La verdad por gente como esta que tienen trabajando aqui esta nuestro pais como esta.

The phone number listed on their website is incorrect. They never answer!

Took my wife here for her Passport renewal it’s right in between Van Ness and Polk St, on the left side. We were lucky to find parking on Golden Gate Ave. Make sure you take plenty of change for parking its 5 minutes per quarter Grrrr :/​with a meter limit of 15 minutes so plan on going out frequently to feed the meter. As soon as you go in it’s the first office on the right hand side suit # 100 no one is there to help you get around so you need to figure it out, you need to grab a number that’s immediately to your left on a post you can’t miss it. Then you approach the open window that has like 3 workers there giving instructions and helping people, just tell them why you are there and they will give you a form to complete and call your number to be helped. Make sure you take exact amount of money $ 65 because they do not have any change if your there for a passport. We were in and out within the hour the service was very fast and not much people there. Good Luck, you should receive your passport within 3 weeks.

I’ve been calling them at all three numbers listed online and have had no one pick up the phone for over a week (calling them at all hours between 8 am — 7 pm). I’ll try visiting them next.
Also, don’t bother emailing them — they won’t email you back.

Es mejor llegar en persona. No contestan el teléfono ni los correos electrónicos. Para renovar un pasaporte necesita el nuevo, es decir el de «Renan».

This consulate office is not professional. I don’t think they know what they are doing. If you need a VISA, please contact other consulate (Colorado one is good).
They hold my passport and they LOSE it. They did not return my passport. I ended up did not go to Guatemala because of it.
All their phone numbers are not working. Useless people!

What an experience, lack of customer service they care more about greeting each other than take care of the customers.
There is four or so people there and it seems that out of all you couldn’t make one :-((((

This place sucks this ppl are not helpful at all with there own ppl the line are crazy and never can get a hold of them they are no help when shit gets lost like your passaport and my husband had to go back for a new passaport and never even gave him a refund. very rude and ppl act like they are doing you a favor and i hope someone see this comment and can do something about costumer service and actually realy helping ppl beacuse they want to and have a heart to help but if u do come make sure u come here with nothing to do all day because pretty much ill be here for ever lol bring books to read and music and make sure you park your car some were safe and that u wont get it inpound

I had a great experience applying for tourist visa here. The process took only a few minutes and the staff were extremely nice and friendly. Can’t wait to go explore the country.

The only number I had luck getting through was 415−251−0711. They said they are open from 9am to 2pm Monday through Friday.
I asked for an appointment but they said no appointments, just come in a take a number.
Seems like the run it exactly as they run the offices in Guatemala.
* Poor customer service.
* They make you feel as they are doing you a favor by doing anything for you.
* They are slow and they don’t care what you think or if you ever come back
So, if you go in with low expectations and a book or iPod/​iPad/​Laptop etc you wont be disappointed.
The only thing that is missing is them taking bribes to speed up service, which I did not try, but this is the only way to get great customer service and go to the front of the line in Guatemala.
By the way, the people taking your blood pressure and blood sugar is a community service organization that tries to help people with out health insurance, they are actually nicer and open earlier than the consulate.

This is the most recent contact information.
Consulado General de Guatemala
544 Golden Gate Ave., Suite 100
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94 102
Tel. (415) 563‑8319
Fax: (415) 896‑9186
e-​mail:
Circunscripcion Consular: Norte de California,
Estados de Oregon, Washington, Idaho y Alaska.
I had a quick question about Visa requirements and they were quick to respond via email.

Correct contact no…415−563−8319

The ineptitude of the search totally embarrassing. It’s beyond me that anyone would use you for accurate information. If I ask about places in San Francisco you would probably send them to Alaska.

for everyone that have not received their passport call this number 1 855−236−4472 this is the place that issues passport and are allot nicer than the office in San Francisco also if everyone complains maybe something can be done to replace these people and get better service

My mother has been waiting for her passport for over 6 months now and the workers at the consulate have been so uncooperative and rude. Their system for renewing the passports are very sketchy and suspicious. After all my attempts I have failed to obtain my mother’s documents or any assistance.

Hi I wanted to ask here if it’s true that it takes now 3 months to receive your new guatemalean passport? Im trying to renew mine to get employed, I heared it usually takes 3 days for you to receive it, but recently someone told me you have to wait 3 months. Is this true?

The Consulate of Guatemala has moved. As of November 1, 2012, they’re located at 544 Golden Gate Ave, between Polk and Van Ness. I discovered this when I showed up at their old location on Market St to get my passport renewed.
The consulate has no online presence that I’m aware of, so the only way to get information is over the phone: 415−251−0711 and 415−896−9181. I’ve found that the most helpful thing when dealing with them is to set one’s expectations: be prepared for long waits and/​or troublesome bureaucracy, so that when things move swiftly and easily, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The consulate staff are friendly folks dealing with limited resources.

Okay!!! We have been trying for 6 years to get the documents done to make our daughter a citizen of Guatemala and the office staff here has no clue what they are doing!!! Today we went for our 7^th time and we were told by GINA that we have to have new birth certificates to process our paperwork and yet other people were processed using their old ones! In 2006 we were told to get a passport for our daughter. Done. went back and had to deal with confusion over the fact that my birth certificate is not issued out of CA, because I’m form Texas!!! When we went back in 2009 I was then told that I had to get my passport as well, but all the other times we were there no one ever said that I needed one! ??? 2010 they said that my husband needed to send for an updated birth certificate from Guatemala because «the computer system is updated so we can’t input the old one». we were told this by GINA. $ 300 later, we got the new birth certificate for my husband and went to the office today. While we were waiting today we saw many people, using their old birth certificate, get processed without a problem then when it came to be our turn i was told by GINA that now I have to send away to Texas for a new birth certificate because mine’s is too old??? After she reviewed all of our other documents she said that she doesn’t need the copy of our daughter’s passport!!! and GINA said that all of our other paperwork was fine. I reviewed the copies of our daughter’s birth certificate and sent my husband to ask if, because its dated in 2001, it would be okay to use when we come back with my newly issued one and he was told no because her’s needs to be new as well !! GINA just told us that everything else was fine!!! I don’t know if they think its fun for people to come and wait 3 hours to be misinformed by them but this GINA person is very rude and to be the assistant to the consulate she doesn’t seem to know very much about this process.
Over all of this time we have spent $ 1435 doing all the things that they keep telling us we need to process this paperwork and mind you we live in Union City so its a long drive to go and wait and then be treated this way. If anyone has info on how I can file a formal complaint I would love if you could post it because I don’t understand why we are turned away every time we go there and told to bring documents that are not needed. Thank you very much for reading this review.

This place is a joke. Yes, I understand it is the consul for Guatemala and not the US or (insert any western European country here). But seriously, I feel really bad for Guatemalans that this is the best their government can do for them. Find modernity, get some phone lines, answer them, and pretend that you like your job.

I came in to get my passport renewed. I got there early right when it opened at 8 AM! First they have a waiting area where there is a person questioning what your there for. Then gives you the correct papers to fill out and a number. What I didn’t understand was that they took my blood pressure and my blood sugar. For what? Don’t know.
Then we had to wait until 9 am for the other room to open where you process your papers. I don’t understand why it opens an hour later! I suggest bring a book or have an iPod or phone to listen to music while you wait.
once the main room opened they had us go and wait a little big more. After my number was called I gave my forms, The person at the window didn’t even need the paper with my blood pressure at all!
It cost me $ 75 dollars. Bring exact change since they don’t have any! (Doesn’t make sense to me!!!) Then I had to sit down again and wait to be called so I can get my picture taken. After 15 mins I was called, took my picture and they gave me a paper. I had to ask in how long I would receive my Passport. She told me 3 days.
Personally, I think these ladies, there being 2! Could Be more nicer, more informative and better prepared! I think the whole process should have taken faster. There weren’t even a lot of people. Only 10 on a Thursday morning! I know other days get super busy, I suggest not going on a Monday if you can avoid it.
I was out by 10:30! Quick according to my mom who went a month earlier and had taken her half of her day.
Oh and I tried calling a day before for opening hours and no one answered the phone!
And I did Get my passport in 3 business days! which is my reason for the 3 stars!

What a waste of my time. Went down here to try to get some information and nothing. Why bother having hours when no one is there?

I am trying to reach them at the number given but I keep getting the message that the number is no longer in service. WTF! I have searched online and only see the one number. I have been trying to email them but so far have gotten no response. I need to know the hours the office has. It’s of dire importance!!! This is so frustrating.
Update: my father went and told me the service was terrible! What a shame!!!