best way to mail documents to russia

[Abell 11]

I wonder what is the best way to mail documents to Russia, USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL?

I recently heard they have a mail piling up at customs right now, would it matter if I send document envelope or one of those document sized boxes?

[abycadaby 1]

DHL is cheap,fast and reliable. Their online tracking is accurate.

[St&Sv 33]

I've used USPS exclusively with great success. Awhile back there was someone on these forums that was complaining about an issue with DHL and not being able to use them. Not sure if that is still the case though.

Edited June 4, 2013 by St&Sv

[jft 12]

I'm going with FedEx though I expect the cost to be extremely painful. But if it gets my fiancee here a couple of weeks sooner it's worth it IMHO.

BTW if you work for a large company check with your shipping department to see if you can pay to ship it on the corporate account. If you can do that you'll save something like 60% with FedEx. My old company let me do that, all I needed to do was write them a check. Unfortunately my current company has no way to do that so I'll be paying full price (minus something like 2% for setting up an individual FedEx account).

[san diego 407]

I would definitely recommend FedEx.

[zooropa 30]

I sent a letter to Russia on April 14 2013...It has not arrived yet...this is USPS....

[St&Sv 33]

I sent a letter to Russia on April 14 2013...It has not arrived yet...this is USPS....

What service of theirs did you use? I have all but once used priority for the treasure chests I send her. Though I've never sent strictly documents. I'd mix it among gifts for her as well.

[zooropa 30]

It was a standard envelope with normal postage...it was nothing important... but really a test of their delivery success...I don't think it will arrive soon if ever...

[St&Sv 33]

I would probably say that normal mail service, and depending on where they live in Russia, can take much longer then using the other services. I would recommend if you do go to send any important documents that you use at least the priority service. Depending on which forms you fill out the custom code will actually let you track the package, even on the Russian Post website. I'm not sure if the postmasters actually realize this, because I've been told it is not a tracking number, and yet when I plug it into their website it pops up. I also make sure that I have a label written in Russian, accompanied by the English translation. My girl tells me though that the Russian Post is a terrible system and full of corruption, so well you just don't know *knocks of wood*

She once told me the story about a girl who bought clothes online, and because it was taking so long decided to go down to the post office to inquiry about her package. While she was talking to the lady, who said it never came, she noticed that she was wearing one of the shirts she had ordered from overseas.

[baron555 934]

I used FedEx and the cost was never a factor since its cost is minuscule to the money you will be spending for them when they get here. If it is a big issue then maybe you should reconsider?

[baron555 934]

I used FedEx and the cost was never a factor since its cost is minuscule to the money you will be spending for them when they get here. If it is a big issue then maybe you should reconsider?

[Abell 11]

Russian Post is a mess and has always been this way so it is better to avoid it somehow, but what happen with the mail once it reaches the country? is USPS transfer it to Russian Post? what about FedEx, do they use someone else to deliver inside the country? because if they all just give it to regular post system inside the county then it does not even seems relevant who to use since they all end up in the same pile of mail

[zooropa 30]

I would not consider using Fed Ex ($80-$100) for a simple cheer you up card. I think it's difficult to send an ordinary piece of mail, like a letter, to Russia without a huge delay and 50% chance it will not even make it.

[Lilly.Pon 1]

My fiancé sent me the package on 01-June by FedEx. Tracking shows it's in Moscow as of today. I hope it will make it to Vladivostok where I live by Monday 10-June. We went with FedEx, because a colleague of mine had a bad experience with business documents sent to him from Houston by DHL. His docs got stuck in Moscow for a couple of weeks, and the client support in general wasn't very friendly. So it took over 3 weeks to get an urgent company package through DHL. Bad luck maybe, but we didn't want to test our luck.

[Abell 11]

I was just doing some quotes and fedex is $130-180 about week long delivery time and usps $40 for the envelop and $70 for small box with 3-5 days delivery hm... usps sounds too good to be true in delivery time