UPS and notary

[GaryandSherry]

My SO is in Inner Mongolia. I sent a package via UPS last Monday and was assured 2 day delivery. As of today she still has not received this package. I called UPS on Friday and they said it was scheduled to be delivered today. I called again today after discovering the package was not delivered and asked them to put a trace on my shipment. I was informed they could not do this until next week. What is the best way to ship documents to my SO?

My SO attempted to get a paper notarized stating she is not now nor has ever been a member of the Chinese Communist party. The notary office refused to notarize this paper as they said this was derogatory against the Communist party. We are going to attempt a city Notary. If this doesn't work, we will just have to go with a non notarized letter. Is this letter required and if so, does it need to be notarized?

Thanks all.

[yuehan123]

Last year, as I recall, the generally accepted advice was that the letter of intent, and certain other documents, did not need to be notorized. They do need to be certified. That means you write out whatever it is and at the bottom write something similar to "I, Joe Blow, herby certify and attest that the foregoing is true." On some documents you would add "to the best of my knowledge and belief, but not on the letter of intent.

[Guest pushbrk]

My SO is in Inner Mongolia. I sent a package via UPS last Monday and was assured 2 day delivery. As of today she still has not received this package. I called UPS on Friday and they said it was scheduled to be delivered today. I called again today after discovering the package was not delivered and asked them to put a trace on my shipment. I was informed they could not do this until next week. What is the best way to ship documents to my SO?

My SO attempted to get a paper notarized stating she is not now nor has ever been a member of the Chinese Communist party. The notary office refused to notarize this paper as they said this was derogatory against the Communist party. We are going to attempt a city Notary. If this doesn't work, we will just have to go with a non notarized letter. Is this letter required and if so, does it need to be notarized?

Thanks all.

231548[/snapback]

A letter indicating non party memership is not GENERALLY required. One might be asked for if there is reason to believe your SO's work or education would have required membership or that membership would be common for her circumstances.

[MikeandRong]

What is the best way to ship documents to my SO?

 

I have always used the USPS. I send Global Priority Mail, the equivilent of 2nd day air. It usually takes 2-4 days to leave S.F. airport to Hong Kong. Then from there it is no longer trackable, but arrives on the 8th day at my SO's (other parts of China may be faster or slower depending on location). It gets delivered by EMS on the China end, and it is a flat rate shipping charge up to 4 pounds. Price is $9.50. To speed things along, add a customs form (it is the green form), and check documents only 0 (zero) value (being sure it truely is documents only). The customs form is not required for documents under 4lbs, but it will always shave a day off the delivery time if tyou use it, if not more. Also it will usually prevent someone from opening it up to check the contents as they have the option now not to check. (do you really trust them to seal it back up the way you so carefully did if they do open it up).

 

If I had to make sure that something would arrive in the shortest time available, and needed to make sure I could trace it all all times, I would go with DHL. They have been in the international business a little longer, and they employe fluent English/native Chinese speaking, reading, writing delivery people.

 

The correct postal code (zip code) is a must to ensure timely delivery. Always, always, always, include a visible and legible delivery/contact phone number on the address label.

 

One thing to note is that while 2nd day air is guaranteed, it will always take a back seat to next day air if a problem or delay should come up. Even a next day air saver (guaranteed by 3:00pm to save you some money) takes a back seat. It does cost more, but next day air with the 10:30am delivery time (depends on delivery location) will always receive top priority no matter what, from tracking, to emergency dispatch if needed, even 2nd delivery attempts the same day and phone calls too. Hopefully no one will ever need it, but if something is really important and you want the least worry of all, pay the extra bucks and ship it next day air 10:30am. If anything goes wrong, that service level above all others will always be taken care of first while the others wait.

Edited July 17, 2006 by MikeandRong (see edit history)

[Guest pushbrk]

What is the best way to ship documents to my SO?

 

I have always used the USPS. I send Global Priority Mail, the equilivent of 2nd day air. It usually takes 2-4 days to leave S.F. airport to Hong Kong. Then from there it is no longet trackable, but arrives on the 8th day. It gets delivered by EMS on the China end.

 

If I had to make sure that something would arrive, and needed to make sure I could trace it all all times, I would go with DHL. They have been in the international business a little longer, and they employe fluent English/native Chinese speaking, reading, writing delivery people.

 

The correct postal code (zip code) is a must to ensure timely delivery. Always include a visible and legible phone number on the address label.

 

One thing to note is that while 2nd day air is guaranteed, it will always take a back seat to next day air if a problem or delay should come up. Even a next day air saver takes a back seat. It does cost more, but next day air with the 10:30am delivery time (depends on delivery location) will always receive top priority no matter what, from tracking, to emergency dispatch if needed, even 2nd delivery attempts the same day and phone calls. Hopefully no one will ever need it, but if something is really important and you want the least worry of all, pay the extra bucks and ship it next day air 10:30am. If anything goes wrong, that service level above all others will always be taken care of first while the others wait.

231557[/snapback]

I second Mike's recommendations. I've never been in a hurry to China that required faster service than USPS Global Priority that has taken 8 days. Sometimes regular mail has taken only 10.

 

Our SO's interview the same day. I sent a package Global Priority on the 13th that was non-critical to arrive before she departs. If I had to send anything more at this late date, it would be by DHL.

 

DHL has always been my business choice for International Express Shipment unless another carrier was specifically requested by the recipient.

Edited July 17, 2006 by pushbrk (see edit history)

[GaryandSherry]

Thanks for all the help. You would figure paying $80 to send a 2nd day package would take priority, but I can see where I was wrong. Fortunately I sent this package 3 weeks before she is leaving for GUZ, so I am sure she will have it in time. I can see now, I could have saved my self about $70 by using USPS. Hopefully someone can learn something from this thread rather than learn the hard way, as I did.

[MikeandRong]

One good thing about the UPS guarantee, if it is late, it is free. Call them up with your tracking number and demand a refund.

[GaryandSherry]

Mike.. That guarantee is not valid in China, as after it reaches Beijing, it is considered delivered. In reality, it is turned over to a Chinese courier service which is not under the UPS umbrella.

[Guest pushbrk]

Mike.. That guarantee is not valid in China, as after it reaches Beijing, it is considered delivered. In reality, it is turned over to a Chinese courier service which is not under the UPS umbrella.

231565[/snapback]

Depending on the location, even DHL will use a contract courier. International transoceanic (overnight delivery) is really not available. The distance and time changes are just too great for it to even be possible.

 

3 or 4 days is about as good as one might safely expect at any price. It will already be tomorrow in China before your package leaves the city of origin.

[MikeandRong]

Mike.. That guarantee is not valid in China, as after it reaches Beijing, it is considered delivered. In reality, it is turned over to a Chinese courier service which is not under the UPS umbrella.

231565[/snapback]

I understand about the contract carriers. I was not aware they did not offer a money back service at some point of time for China. For that price I would think you would/should have received personal service right up to a phone call to tell you it arrived with a video made of the delivery as a souvenir. (I know it's not there yet, but you know what I mean).

 

I guess this would be a case of you really "don't" get what you paid for this time. That really blows the big one.

[jemmyell]

I always use Express Mail which is really EMS. The packages are fully trackable, even within China by my SO. Having said that, we have never had to track one. The best thing you can do is make preprinted labels with your SO's address in both English and Chinese. I put this on all edges of any package I send to her. Include her telephone number also.

 

-James

[MikeandRong]

Yes, EMS from China to here is fully trackable from point of mailing to my front door. I never had luck tracking it from here to China once it leaves San Francisco. Once it leaves SF, it disappears from computer land.

 

The USPS will even deliver it here in the US on Sundays.

Edited July 17, 2006 by MikeandRong (see edit history)

[C4Racer]

Yes, EMS from China to here is fully trackable from point of mailing to my front door. I never had luck tracking it from here to China once it leaves San Francisco. Once it leaves SF, it disappears from computer land.

 

The USPS will even deliver it here in the US on Sundays.

231629[/snapback]

I used DHL last time we had a package which needed to be sent ASAP to my wife's family in Nanning, Guangxi Province. I was quite happy with the service. It was fully trackable through all stages of delivery. I could track it online both from the US site and the China site. China site seemed to be updated quicker once the package left Hong Kong service area. They even showed her father signed for the package.

It arrived exaclty when they said it would; five days for shipping (not bad). The cost was comparable to UPS and FedEx.

 

My vote is for DHL for all important documents.

Edited July 18, 2006 by C4Racer (see edit history)

[jemmyell]

Yes, EMS from China to here is fully trackable from point of mailing to my front door. I never had luck tracking it from here to China once it leaves San Francisco. Once it leaves SF, it disappears from computer land.

 

The USPS will even deliver it here in the US on Sundays.

231629[/snapback]

Hello,

 

Your SO can track the EMS packages within China.

 

-James

[Lowen/Zhang]

I work for UPS and ship only DHL to China if I need it there quick other than that it is USPS for letters, packages, etc. My last shipment of documents was by DHL and it was delivered within 15 minutes of being late for the 3 days delivery promise. The address had been translated incorrectly by Chinese employees but they telephoned my wife after the first attempt at delivery and got directions to her house and made the delivery, "ON TIME". I have set up my own account with DHL which I suggest to everyone the savings is tremendous. A 7 pound package of documents cost me only $86 where if I took it and paid a DHL location it would have been about $120.

Don't know if I can get any more information on tracking through UPS than you get on UPS.com Gary but I would sure try for you if you send me PM with tracking number. I can do it tomorrow at work.