Appointment booking has largely moved online in most countries, through the agency's own portal or a national appointment system, though some offices still take phone bookings or early-morning walk-in queues. Worth knowing: slots are often released in batches, so if the calendar looks full, checking at the same time each morning frequently turns up cancellations and fresh releases.
On timelines, honest answers beat precise ones. Simple tasks like address registration are often same-day once you are in the door. Residence permits, family reunification, and anything requiring background checks are measured in weeks to months, and quoted processing times on official sites tend to reflect the best case. Big-city offices are usually slower than provincial ones for identical procedures.
Build buffers around anything that depends on a document being issued, and never let a permit run to its last week before renewal. If a deadline is at risk because the office has no slots, document your booking attempts; many systems accept that as protection against late-filing consequences.