I had the embassy of a certain African country sit on my visa request for five months, gathering more and more information in support of that request (but never hinting at possible denial), before finally denying the request once it was too late. My passport was mailed (deliberately?) the day my flight was to leave (initially to a third country for which I had a valid visa), rendering the entire trip "kaput". US$5,500 in airfares, prepaid hotels, et cetera.