Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Q&A #8 VISA

Q: What has been the hardest part when it comes to preparing to go abroad?

A: Getting a Visa. 


Honestly, getting a visa has been the hardest part of this whole process. I have talked to several other people who have done this and they all agree. You need a CAS number to obtain the visa for this program that does not come until really late in the process. No one is really there to help to get it or to call with questions you may have. The study abroad office will answer you questions to the best of their knowledge, but since rules about getting a visa change so often they may not be up to speed with the right answers. It is really confusing if you talk to different people too because they all give you different information and you dont know who to listen to.  It is important you check processing times of your local embassy before you do the application. You may need to rush it or make an appointment and do it in person. I did the normal visa application and everyone told me it would be fine, but I got an email from the embassy saying they were delayed because of Sandy. I then had to go to the embassy and talk to someone. Eventually, I ended up paying extra to rush it. Make sure when you check processing times before you choose what application to do you also look at the date the processing times were posted. A natural disaster, like Sandy, can changes them in an instant. Get help with your visa. Make sure you have all the proper paperwork done before you submit it. Be familiar with the rules. Be prepared to be independent throughout this process. 

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