ThomasSmrs

I need to send 4 US passport(family of four) to a foreign consulate in NYC for visa applications. NYC is the nearest one and it's 1200 miles away, so driving there in person is not feasible.

Which is more secure for sending these 4 passports? FedEx or USPS Registered Mail?

Thanks!

Yoshi212

Does the Consulate have a recommended/required form of shipment? Some do.
If you have the option I'd select FedEx.
I live in NYC and have a very well earned distrust of the USPS. After several dozen letters, packages and other forms of post lost, damaged or directly stolen by USPS employees I do avoid them for important items. Also items sent via USPS (even priority and express mail) often take an extra day to be delivered here with the only response give of "Well you got the package in the end right?"
If you have to use USPS do use Priority Service with additional insurance (comes with $50).

nrr

Registered US mail, makes its way through the postal system in much more secure way than regular mail. It is supposed to transmitted separately. See: https://about.usps.com/publications/...pub370_012.htm.
An interesting side note: the HOPE DIAMOND (one of the rarest and most expensive) was sent to the Smithsonian in Wash., DC via registered US mail.

Yoshi212

For that shipment the postage was $2.44 and insurance was $142.85 for the declared $1 million value. All dollar values for 1958. It was also more than just registered mail. It was a prearranged shipment with the USPS with specific transfer points and delivery time to avoid possible theft.

seawolf

For your particular purpose, I don't think FedEx or USPS makes a difference in terms of more secure.

Priority mail will probably be most cost effective. Flat rate letter envelope should be under $5.50 and comes with tracking with label printed online.

State Department mails out new passports with priority mail and return originals with first class mail.

lmsalman

My recommendation is to use whatever the consulate suggests or requires. My father once had a visa application rejected because he used the wrong type of shipping to send them the passport and application.

bchandler02

I use CIBT for all of my business travel document needs, and have always used Fedex with them. Never one issue, always on time.

piper28

I think the advise of making sure the consulate you're sending to doesn't have a preference/requirement is a good idea. I know a number of years back I was dealing with one, and they'd only accept US Express mail (and for payment, would only accept a us postal money order).

6P&E

In this this case you have a choice. But here's some advice:

When you apply for a passport renewal, you are pretty much stuck with the USPS as you are mailing your old passport along with application to a PO Box.

So with some apprehension, last November I mailed my passport via USPS using a traceable method, complete with the tracking number. The package showed picked up at local post office and delivered to nearby USPS processing center, and that was the last update ever entered. Never showed forwarded beyond that, never showed delivered. After several days I went back to the local post office. The agent seemed unconcerned saying that happens with some frequency- that updates just don't get made. And without updates, there is no way anyone really knows where the package is.

My passport made it to its destination, but not without worry on my part.

So if you have a choice, use FedEx or UPS as I cannot imagine their being so lax about a tracking number.

seawolf

I think you will run into similar tracking issue with any carrier. I've had UPS marked a package being sent to me as delivered when it clearly was not. In fact it didn't even show up until two days later. I've also had USPS delivered a package without a "delivered" status.

moyeung

better check to see if they even accept applications by mail
i know first hand that the brazil and the peoples republic of china consulates must be done in person in NYC
brazil requires the fee to paid by US postal money order only and china accepts credit cards or cash only

N1120A

I'd use whatever the consulate says to use, but I would actually default to Priority or Express Mail (I don't call it Priority Mail Express). They deliver to more places and are usually cheaper. Additionally, FedEx actually relies heavily on USPS for last mile shipments anyway. Not just SmartPost either - there is a reason you see a lot fewer FedEx trucks doing residential delivery anymore - they have the Post Office do them.

Often1

1. Registered mail is for items with intrinsic value. The item is signed into and out of each station and Registered Mail moves in separate bags and is stored in separate secure locations. But, passports have no intrinsic value (besides their replacement cost), so Registered Mail is of no use, takes longer and costs a lot.

2. As between the rest, any will do. USPS Express or Priority or any of the overnight carriers.

But, as others note, make certain that the Consulate with which you are dealing accepts deliveries for this purpose via the method you are considering.

mre5765

While usps has become better with respect to tracking, I have always used fedex. As others say though, the preference of the consulate matters the most.

Blogndog

My 0,02 is not to send directly to a consulate, but to use a visa service. Unlike the consulate itself, you will have a client service provider relationship with such an agency and they will be more responsive. Secondly, they have had extensive experience with all the consulates , and can help ensure your application goes through -- they will know which countries have rejected photos because the background is white instead of blue, or because form is filled out in blue instead of black ink.

Finally, usually i am getting more than one visa at a time, e.g., Mozambique and Malawi, or Cambodia and Vietnam. If you deal directly with the Consulate, you have to send it to country 1 first, then have them send it back to you, then send again to country 2, etc. Very often these consulates are practically next door to each other. a visa service will collect your passport from country 1's embassy and walk it next door for processing by embassy 2 before returning it to you. so you save time and DHL charges.