sending docs from UK - what's the best method - Royal Mail or courier?

[MDSB]

Hello everyone

Just about to send my fingerprints to USA and Australia for my police clearance checks and have concerns about them getting lost in the post. 

Just wondering if anyone has had good or bad experiences of using couriers/Royal mail to send docs from the UK to these countries and/or Canada. 

Any tips/advice would be very much appreciated...

Was thinking about using Royal mail "Airsure", any thoughts?     

thanking you in advance 

[MandiF]

I just used royal mail to send mine to Australia and they got there fine.

[MDSB]

Thank you, that's good news.

 How long did you have to wait for your Australian police clearance?

[Jen85]

I wouldn't use DHL from what I read earlier today.  http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/delivery-refused-t66171.0.html

We used ParcelForce Express to get our package to Mississauga.  I didn't like Airsure as it isn't guaranteed and parcels can still get lost.  Also  I am not sure but I think you cannot track Airsure outside of the UK.

[MDSB]

I wouldn't use DHL from what I read earlier today.  http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/delivery-refused-t66171.0.html

We used ParcelForce Express to get our package to Mississauga.  I didn't like Airsure as it isn't guaranteed and parcels can still get lost.  Also  I am not sure but I think you cannot track Airsure outside of the UK.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind for my final package.  It says you can track Airsure overseas... but I guess it's all a game of luck...  Will def avoid DHL though

[MandiF]

Thank you, that's good news.

 How long did you have to wait for your Australian police clearance?

I waited ages for my fingerprinted clearance, I think it was close to 2 months, although they needed to send back to UK, but my Queensland traffic history was really quick.

[MDSB]

I waited ages for my fingerprinted clearance, I think it was close to 2 months, although they needed to send back to UK, but my Queensland traffic history was really quick.

Thank you MandiF.  That's what I expected with the police clearance...so not too disappointed. Hopefully the victoria traffic history will be just as quick... 

[whitehorsejk]

I used Airsure to send our applicaiton to Canada, it only tracks in the UK...once it leaves you can't track it, but it does tell you when it is delivered in Canada or the destination country.  I think it took about 5 days to arrive. 

[Canooknic]

Avoid Royal Mail 'international signed for'!!!!
That's how I sent mine, on the advice of the woman behind in counter in the Post Office and when I logged on to check that it had been received I found out that it is only tracked until it leaves the UK! What is the point of that??? £16 NOT well spent.
Luckily our application did arrive, and we're just waiting to land now so it worked out ok, but it's a really bad service! I contacted RM about it and basically got a 'oops, sorry'...very helpful!!

Good luck with your app, hope it is processed quickly xx

[Baloo]

Avoid Royal Mail 'international signed for'!!!!
That's how I sent mine, on the advice of the woman behind in counter in the Post Office and when I logged on to check that it had been received I found out that it is only tracked until it leaves the UK! What is the point of that??? £16 NOT well spent.

I got bad advice from Canada Post a while ago, I complained and they refunded the fee (but still made the delivery) - service with a smile.

[Canooknic]

I got bad advice from Canada Post a while ago, I complained and they refunded the fee (but still made the delivery) - service with a smile.

Stop bragging 'eh?!?

[MDSB]

Thanks everyone for your speedy responses and good advice... so much to think about already and this is only the beginning for me!   

Fingerprints sent to FBI today... I used Airsure... but mainly for the speed of delivery rather than the tracking.   Will send off Australia as soon as I have sorted out the payment (a cheque affiliated by an aussie bank )   It's a "locked bag" so I am guessing I can only use regular post for that...

Thanks for the good luck wishes Canooknic and GOOD LUCK to all of you and congratulations to those who have already survived the process

[Baloo]

Stop bragging 'eh?!?

IMO - CP service is good, but they can be slow on outbound international mail.

[Miguel de Cervantes]

Avoid Royal Mail 'international signed for'!!!!
That's how I sent mine, on the advice of the woman behind in counter in the Post Office and when I logged on to check that it had been received I found out that it is only tracked until it leaves the UK! What is the point of that??? £16 NOT well spent.
Luckily our application did arrive, and we're just waiting to land now so it worked out ok, but it's a really bad service! I contacted RM about it and basically got a 'oops, sorry'...very helpful!!

Good luck with your app, hope it is processed quickly xx

I have a question about this because just today I discovered that if I look up on the Canada Post site the tracking number that the Romanian Postal Service gave me, it shows me the rest of the details. (I would have loved to have known that back in December when I was waiting for the package to get to CIC!) When I looked it up on the Romanian Track and Trace it showed me just until the airport. But then when I used the same number on the Canada Post site (which for some reason they don't tell you about at the post office), it worked, and showed when the package had arrived, and who signed for it. I'm curious to know if it would work the same from England!

[Baloo]

I have a question about this because just today I discovered that if I look up on the Canada Post site the tracking number that the Romanian Postal Service gave me, it shows me the rest of the details. (I would have loved to have known that back in December when I was waiting for the package to get to CIC!) When I looked it up on the Romanian Track and Trace it showed me just until the airport. But then when I used the same number on the Canada Post site (which for some reason they don't tell you about at the post office), it worked, and showed when the package had arrived, and who signed for it. I'm curious to know if it would work the same from England!

It should do, I have had Royal mail track and trace numbers "available" in Canada Post's tracking site.