In the end, it got the job done, but I needed to intervene at two critical junctures where I did not expect. This could have been problematic if I had overlooked things. 1) the Electronic form I initially filled did not properly translate into the target country visa form (I was identified as female and my maiden name my last name, etc.), which I needed to correct with a pdf editor. 2) I was asked for an itinerary to my destination, even though I had accepted to pay 25$ to have one generated for me. Upon my replying I had paid, I was nonetheless asked for the details that were already in my application. Had I been out of reach or without access to emails, this would have cost the application another day of delay. For the amount of money I paid VISA HQ in fees (more than 300$, excluding visa fee and shipping costs), I was expecting a complete hassle-free experience. I'll likely give them another chance, perhaps with a simpler visa application.