Yeah, this question hits home because I've actually had a friend stuck since he couldn’t get a visa appointment when the consulate site was down. The short answer is, they technically shouldn’t refuse help, but lots of times they do when tech fails.

From what I've seen, most consulates put most of their services—like visa bookings or even basic info—online. So if their site is having problems, like the Krakow US consulate was last week, you’re pretty much stuck. The staff sometimes just repeats 'check the website' or 'try again later,' which is super annoying. Legally, they’re supposed to provide access to essential services like protection or emergency passports. But for everyday stuff, they can and do delay things until their tech is fixed. I've even read people discussing this online after long waits for family visits!

If you get stuck, I’d try contacting them by phone or email and explain. Sometimes showing up in person helps, but a lot of the time, they still make you wait for everything to go back online. It’s crazy that basic government stuff can get blocked by a computer glitch.