Visas = the bane of my existence

I really didn't think too much about my study abroad advisor's cheerful email telling us to "Consider this process a learning experience, discovering French government and how it functions. It may be frustrating at times... but in the end it will prove to be worth it!" Ha. I would not be surprised if it was this bad or worse to apply for a US visa, but luckily I have avoided this wonderful slice of bureaucracy for 20 years. The visa application is a 3-step process: apply for a CampusFrance certificate proving that you have registered as a student at a French university (pay $60), journey to your local French consulate with a stack of about 30 different documents to apply for your long-stay student visa (pay $150), and then once you get to France, submit a proof of US residence form and undergo a MEDICAL exam by a French doctor. And maybe present a translated birth certificate (pay $40/page). And hope that you don't forget a piece of paperwork because, lucky for you, you have to make consulate appointments 3 weeks in advance and drive all the way to San Francisco.