shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

Question: does anyone know which courier service can ship my passport to
another country?

Reason for asking: I'm going to a conference abroad, and therefore will have to renew
my US visa with my I-20. But! I don't want to take any chances. Instead, I want to
send the stuff in and ask a friend to drop it at the embassy, pick it up, and send it
back to me. The US embassy in my country allows this impersonal submission (dropbox
procedure).

I've checked DHL and other courier mails and they all explicitly state NO PASSPORTS
or other documents. Just wondering if there's anything that can do
it.

Thanks in advance.

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

"Denis A. Nadolnyak" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > Question: does anyone know which courier service can ship my passport to another
    > country?
    >
    > Reason for asking: I'm going to a conference abroad, and therefore will have to
    > renew my US visa with my I-20. But! I don't want to take any chances. Instead, I
    > want to send the stuff in and ask a friend to drop it at the embassy, pick it up,
    > and send it back to me. The US embassy in my country allows this impersonal
    > submission (dropbox procedure).
    >
    > I've checked DHL and other courier mails and they all explicitly state NO PASSPORTS
    > or other documents. Just wondering if there's anything that can do
    > it.
    >
    > Thanks in advance.

Use Federal Express

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

Thank you! I'll give them a call tomorrow.

"Lisa" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Denis A. Nadolnyak" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > > Question: does anyone know which courier service can ship my passport to another
    > > country?
    > >
    > > Reason for asking: I'm going to a conference abroad, and therefore will
have
    > > to renew my US visa with my I-20. But! I don't want to take any chances. Instead,
    > > I want to send the stuff in and ask a friend to drop it at the embassy, pick it
    > > up, and send it back to me. The US embassy in my
country
    > > allows this impersonal submission (dropbox procedure).
    > >
    > > I've checked DHL and other courier mails and they all explicitly state
NO
    > > PASSPORTS or other documents. Just wondering if there's anything that
can do
    > > it.
    > >
    > > Thanks in advance.
    >
    > Use Federal Express

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

I remember reading that it is ILLEGAL to mail your passport internationally. Of
course this depends on the country that issued your passport. Check the rules out
before you think of mailing it to your friend.

Siva

"Denis A. Nadolnyak" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Question: does anyone know which courier service can ship my passport to another
    > country?
    >
    > Reason for asking: I'm going to a conference abroad, and therefore will
have
    > to renew my US visa with my I-20. But! I don't want to take any chances. Instead, I
    > want to send the stuff in and ask a friend to drop it at the embassy, pick it up,
    > and send it back to me. The US embassy in my country allows this impersonal
    > submission (dropbox procedure).
    >
    > I've checked DHL and other courier mails and they all explicitly state NO PASSPORTS
    > or other documents. Just wondering if there's anything that can
do
    > it.
    >
    > Thanks in advance.

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

i just sent a passport to england, using regular mail although i filled out a
customs declaration asking what the contents were... i just told them documents.. i
did not say passport...i know mailing passports are illegal...and my coz got it
9days later...

"Denis A. Nadolnyak" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Question: does anyone know which courier service can ship my passport to another
    > country?
    >
    > Reason for asking: I'm going to a conference abroad, and therefore will
have
    > to renew my US visa with my I-20. But! I don't want to take any chances. Instead, I
    > want to send the stuff in and ask a friend to drop it at the embassy, pick it up,
    > and send it back to me. The US embassy in my country allows this impersonal
    > submission (dropbox procedure).
    >
    > I've checked DHL and other courier mails and they all explicitly state NO PASSPORTS
    > or other documents. Just wondering if there's anything that can
do
    > it.
    >
    > Thanks in advance.

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

Right so, just called FedEx and guess what! Passports are prohibited, and there's no
way to ship this item legally overseas. However, the woman sort of didn't mind me
just shipping "documents" and ensuring them for as much as I want.

Still, FedEx is not an option, I guess, as they might be more suspicious when the
item is being mailed back. Which brings me to the question: what are the odds that a
US embassy in an Eastern European country will not renew my expired F-1 student visa
given ALL the necessary documents are present (like I-20, a letter saying I'm doing
research that's paid for, &c.)?

I'd really appreciate a feedback on this one (except the hate mail of course
    :)).

P.S. I read somewhere here that in Hungary they just won't issue an F-1 no matter
what. I got my first F-1 in Budapest relatively easy, but my impression was I'd
just lucked out.

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

"KS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    >
    > I remember reading that it is ILLEGAL to mail your passport
internationally.

Do you remember where you read it? I've read such things in this newsgroup and other
similar places. I'd like to read it somewhere that carries some weight, or here with
a clear statement from someone about which nationality's passports may not be sent
internationally according to which legal jurisdiction.

The US Embassy in Britain offers a service to revalidate visas for people while they
are in the USA, and mail them back. Can we get them arrested? How long will they be
locked up for?

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

"fdigu123" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:kxEu8.32104$G72.21976@sccrnsc01...
    >
    > i know mailing passports are illegal...

How do you know that?

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

"J. J. Farrell" wrote:
    >
    > "fdigu123" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:kxEu8.32104$G72.21976@sccrnsc01...
    > >
    > > i know mailing passports are illegal...
    >
    > How do you know that?

It's probably one of those things everyone assumes is not allowed and therefore must
be illegal. A search on the web using google revealed nothing but that the practice
may be considered illegal (didn't save the link). The most likely place for this info
seems to be the Dept of State web page but I don't have the time to read it

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

"J. J. Farrell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >
    > "KS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > I remember reading that it is ILLEGAL to mail your passport
    > internationally.
    >
    > Do you remember where you read it? I've read such things in this newsgroup and
    > other similar places. I'd like to read it somewhere that carries some weight, or
    > here with a clear statement from someone about which nationality's passports may
    > not be sent internationally according to which legal jurisdiction.
    >
    > The US Embassy in Britain offers a service to revalidate visas for people while
    > they are in the USA, and mail them back. Can we get them arrested? How long will
    > they be locked up for?

Here is a an excerpt from the website of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco (which
is one of the places I read)
http://www.indianconsulate-sf.org/vi..._services.html

"Passport should not be sent out of any country by post. It should be in the custody
of the holder or especially authorized by the holder. It must not be altered or
mutilated in any way. Loss, theft or destruction of Passport should be immediately
reported to the nearest passport authority in India or Mission abroad and to the
local police authorities."

I don't have my passport in front of me to check, but I wouldn't be surprised if it
is printed there as well. I believe a formal/legal statement of this rule can be
found in the "Indian Passports Act", 1967.

As I mentioned earlier, this obviously is governed by the rules/laws of the country
that issued the passport. But my gut feeling tells me that a similar rule applies to
most (if not all) countries, particularly since most couriers/postal authorities
would not accept a passport for international shipments. The OP must check the rules
of his country.

As to the US embassy in Britain acception passports for revalidation, I am not sure
whom you want "arrested." Obviously not the US embassy personnel I suppose.

Siva

Re: shipping a passport & other docs internationally
 

"KS" wrote:

> I remember reading that it is ILLEGAL to mail your passport internationally.

On the other hand, Canada (for example) DEMANDS in certain situations that a
Canadian MUST mail his/her current Canadian passport interna- tionally in order to
get it renewed.

If a Canadian citizen living in the US wants to renew his Canadian passport, he MUST
send the application to an office in Canada, since Canadian embassies and consulates
in the US do NOT issue passports or accept applications for passports.

An application for a Canadian passport MUST include the applicant's current Canadian
passport (if it was issued less than five years ago and has not yet expired).

Reference: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/passport/howto_e.asp#usa

Rich Wales [email protected] http://www.richw.org/dualcit/ *DISCLAIMER: I am not a
lawyer, professional immigration consultant, or consular officer. My comments are for
discussion purposes only and are not intended to be relied upon as legal or
professional advice.