Hidden Fees Galore
It was fairly easy to complete the application and didn’t need to send in my passport until the very end after approval. The process took a little longer than I expected, needing to resubmit a new photo. On the pricing side, more expensive than it might be worth, and including many hidden fees. The base service fee is $185, a threefold increase in their price 10 years ago with mostly the same service. Also $140 that the consulate charges for the visa, $58 for shipping my passport there and back. Hidden fees include $10 “consular processing fee”, $45 “passport replacement coverage” that I declined in the application, and $37 “digital photo service” that weren’t disclosed when applying. I was able to get the $45 and $37 refunded due to California’s SB 478, but they need to do a better job at price transparency.