I haven't actually applied for it yet, but I have the application filled out (which is really easy), and then all I have to do is take it down to the post office on Monday. Thankfully, this post office does everything required right then and there. That is, they take the application (obvioiusly), and they also will take your picture and all that. Of course, the application fee is $110, plus $25 to the postmaster for a reason I forgot, and $15 for the picture. I guess they used to require 2 photos, so they still print off 2, but they only need 1 these days. However, get the picture taken professionally, because they're very picky about what it looks like. You CAN do it yourself, but...well, that's difficult and you may not get it exactly right. Otherwise, they say it'll only take about 10 minutes to do once I bring in the application form.
Another thing, it seems that the best places to go for passports are post offices (if you can find a big one like this one, and get lucky enough that they even do pictures and everything there), or the county clerk. I'm pretty sure in most cases they probably do everything right then and there. Don't take me word for that, though, since there's always exceptions and I never actually ended up going to one, because it turned out this post office would do it all.
So then, once you pay that great sum of money and turn everything in, unless you want to pay more so it'll come in faster, it should take about 5 or 6 weeks to come in.
Now, I know we also need a Visa, but at this moment I'm still not entirely clear on what that is (I mean, I get the idea, but I'm not sure about the details). Well, isn't it something you need every time you go overseas that lasts and/or shows the amount of time you'll be in that country? Anyway, I'm pretty sure JCMU said they'd handle getting the Visa thing, so it'll take less time to get, so that's good. I think it also said it's easy, just takes a lot of time.
On a side note, I've started thinking more about what I need to bring, and what I can just buy once I'm there. Clothes are the big thing, and I need some that are appropriate for each season. I think it also said I'll need dressier clothes appropriate for each season for some fancier things we may have to go to, or something. I figure I could maybe just buy shampoo and stuff once I'm there, though. At this point, with as little as I've traveled via airplane, I just don't know all the restrictions and requirements. However, I'm sure within the next few weeks I'll be able to explain most everything about this. I'm certainly going to be asking a TON of questions. I'm thinking it'll be a bit overwhelming, planning it ot, especially since it's my first time studying abroad (or for that matter, going to another country aside from Canada), but it will be so, so worth it.
Another thing, it seems that the best places to go for passports are post offices (if you can find a big one like this one, and get lucky enough that they even do pictures and everything there), or the county clerk. I'm pretty sure in most cases they probably do everything right then and there. Don't take me word for that, though, since there's always exceptions and I never actually ended up going to one, because it turned out this post office would do it all.
So then, once you pay that great sum of money and turn everything in, unless you want to pay more so it'll come in faster, it should take about 5 or 6 weeks to come in.
Now, I know we also need a Visa, but at this moment I'm still not entirely clear on what that is (I mean, I get the idea, but I'm not sure about the details). Well, isn't it something you need every time you go overseas that lasts and/or shows the amount of time you'll be in that country? Anyway, I'm pretty sure JCMU said they'd handle getting the Visa thing, so it'll take less time to get, so that's good. I think it also said it's easy, just takes a lot of time.
On a side note, I've started thinking more about what I need to bring, and what I can just buy once I'm there. Clothes are the big thing, and I need some that are appropriate for each season. I think it also said I'll need dressier clothes appropriate for each season for some fancier things we may have to go to, or something. I figure I could maybe just buy shampoo and stuff once I'm there, though. At this point, with as little as I've traveled via airplane, I just don't know all the restrictions and requirements. However, I'm sure within the next few weeks I'll be able to explain most everything about this. I'm certainly going to be asking a TON of questions. I'm thinking it'll be a bit overwhelming, planning it ot, especially since it's my first time studying abroad (or for that matter, going to another country aside from Canada), but it will be so, so worth it.