Getting a visa is much more difficult than one would think. For some countries, you either have to go to the Consulate serving your permanent residence or go to the one in NY/Boston. Not every major city has a Consulate--and even if they do, they often keep odd hours. My program took care of my visa, but if they hadn't...I would have had to go to the Consulate in NYC (3 hours from school) or the one in Miami (13 hours from home).
Hybrid Mode
