One thing is work visas; another is college visas. I remember being told (as a European) in the equivalent of high school(?) that if I wanted to go to an Ameri

One thing is work visas; another is college visas. I remember being told (as a European) in the equivalent of high school(?) that if I wanted to go to an American college, I would have to start preparations a year and a half in advance - mainly due to the time spent on processing visas. I would have loved nothing better than to go to an American college, but, at least at the time, that made it neigh-impossible to apply for an American college, when studying at a national university or, hell, another university in Europe or Britain seemed so much easier. I don't know what other people's experiences are, and it may be a cultural thing; maybe the process is otherwise facilitated in, say, India and China. EDIT: FWIW, this was after 9/11. Just to account for whatever that may have changed.