Originally Posted by
jeffeverde
Understood. But in Canada, you can submit your application online, and make one trip to the consulate to get your passport stamped after your application has been approved. I *thought* this blog that I came across was describing the same thing for the US, but maybe it was referring to Canada.
Aside from avoiding an extra trip into downtown L.A., I've got other trips between now and the PEK trip, and can't be without my passport for the week or two that the normal process takes
Unless things just recently changed, you cannot submit your application online in Canada either. You can book appointments (which are mandatory) online. But you still have to bring a filled out application form to your appointment. Also in Canada you cannot visit a consulate for a visa, they have visa centres that handle the process.