How to get Visa to China(Not allowed to mail to the embassy)

Hi,
Just found out from the embassy web site that it is not allowed to mail the US passport to the embassy but have to have somebody to apply it for me in the embassy. Surely the embassy caan mail it out to us but we can not mail in for application.
I am living in Teneessee state, so it is really not convenient to fo to Washinton DC to apply visa for myself. Travel agents can do it for me, but the valid period is just 3 months, not 2 years (New policy starting from Sep this year that it can be valid for 2 years).
BTW, from the embassy web site, we have to apply the visa from Washington DC, but some friends told me that they actually applied for it in New York before. Can we still do it now?
There is no contact number to the embassy, cna anyone provide one for me to consult?
Does anybody have an idea to recommend? I plan to go back to China during Christmas.
Thanks!

所有跟帖： 

• 自己去，或者托专门的公司帮你办，托朋友也行。 -专家意见- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/14/2007 postreply 07:27:37

• 有代理公司能办，这点很恶心，能找个住当地的熟人去办，快速方便。 -白豆豆- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/14/2007 postreply 07:36:43

• I used their service this year. -katies- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/14/2007 postreply 07:40:12

• http://www.uschinavisa.com/ -katies- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/14/2007 postreply 07:40:49

• Thanks! Will try this：http://www.uschinavisa.com/ -wenxue06- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/14/2007 postreply 14:18:29