Help me mail my stuff securely!

April 10, 2008 5:59 AM

I need to mail a passport and possibly other important, hard-to-replace legal documents from one Canadian address to another. Deadline is within the coming week. What is the most secure way to do this? If you have personal experience with this, please describe how long it took, cost, risks, etc.

Thanks very much in advance.

posted by catburger to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

Surely you have registered mail in Canada?

This is how passports are mailed in Australia. They arrive at the local post office for your collection. You must provide adequate identification and sign for the article.

Talk to your local post office.
posted by mattoxic at 6:16 AM on April 10, 2008

I've used purolator within the past few months to mail my passport within Canada and to the US. Never had any problems. Within Canada was 1-2 days. Sorry, I don't remember the cost but think it was less than $15 for a small padded envelope. You get a tracking number and it needs a signature to accept delivery. I imagine the service is similar if you were to use Fedex or UPS or whoever.

The advice I had was to copy the main page with photo / passport number etc. I've no idea if that would help you if it did go missing, but it's probably not a bad idea. If you've got any visas that are important it might be worth copying them as well.
posted by valleys at 6:18 AM on April 10, 2008

I would use FedEx, they are much easier to work with should the shipment become misplaced.
Good luck!
posted by strangelove at 6:24 AM on April 10, 2008

Canada Post XpressPost works fine. Tracking, can also require signature. About $11 for a small envelope for national, 2-3 days guaranteed. I never had a lost package sending or receiving with XPresspost.
posted by splice at 6:31 AM on April 10, 2008

Anyone have experience with Canada Post?
posted by catburger at 6:31 AM on April 10, 2008

As stated above; I have used both XpressPost (which is fine) with added signature requirements. Purolator is also good, but more expensive.
posted by Shepherd at 6:53 AM on April 10, 2008

DO NOT use Purolator. NOT NOT NOT. I have never, ever had a good experience with them when time was of the issue. Seriously, just don't.

FedEx is pure gold. Use them.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:58 AM on April 10, 2008

I've recently mailed a number of very important immigration documents to offices in Ottawa, Vegreville, AB and Buffalo, NY. In used Canada Post's XPressPost every time and I've never had a problem. I got a tracking number and delivery confirmation. It was between $10-15 per mailing, nothing larger than a standard manila envelope.

Next time I've got to send immigration documents, I plan on using the same service.
posted by Nelsormensch at 7:18 AM on April 10, 2008

Regular mail is VERY reliable -- I say this as someone who mailed dozens of important documents a day for work over the last few years. If that's not good enough, then registered mail is rock solid and will certainly cover your needs. Of course nothing is 100% secure, but there's no point worrying over a 0.001% chance of losing your documents.
posted by randomstriker at 9:42 AM on April 10, 2008

I'm always sending documents around for work, often important things like contracts and such, and at one time or another, I have had both Purolator and XPressPost packages lost forever. And, for that matter, I've also had DHL, FedEx and UPS drop balls from time to time. I think they're all in the 99 percent success bracket.

Loosely, I'd rank them from best to worst: FedEx, XPressPost, UPS, Purolator, DHL.

But none have been perfect. :/
posted by rokusan at 12:04 PM on April 10, 2008

Oh, and if you use a service that offers an OPTIONAL signature-required, be sure to pay the extra fee. UPS leaves packages on doorsteps sometimes, which infuriates me, since anyone walking by could just take home my new gizmo.

XpressPosts are delivered to the wrong (adjacent) house, or even the right number, wrong street.

Signature is essential.
posted by rokusan at 12:06 PM on April 10, 2008

Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and experience. I decided to go with Canada Post Xpresspost because the other options aren't as convenient at my apartment.

Extra thanks to valleys for reminding me to photocopy passport/other important files before I mail them!
posted by catburger at 6:48 PM on April 10, 2008