Best Way to Send Reasonably Important Documents to Singapore?

[x9200]

This is really weird. I am waiting right now for a parcel sent via USPS First-Class Package International Service, ca 0.5kg package, paid ~U$22 and it has a full tracking to the int.transit point.

June 10, 2016 , 11:27 pm
Arrived
Chicago, UNITED STATES
Your item arrived at an origin transfer airport in O'Hare International, Chicago, UNITED STATES on June 10, 2016 at 11:27 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.
June 10, 2016 , 7:19 pm
Arrived
Chicago, UNITED STATES
June 9, 2016 , 9:42 pm
Processed Through Facility
ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
June 9, 2016 , 1:52 pm
Arrived at USPS Facility
CHICAGO, IL 60666
June 9, 2016 , 1:52 pm
Arrived at Facility
ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
June 9, 2016 , 1:52 am
Arrived at Facility
ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
June 8, 2016 , 10:27 pm
Arrived at USPS Facility
CHICAGO METRO
June 8, 2016 , 9:12 pm
Accepted at USPS Origin Facility
CHICAGO, IL 60643

$13.40 (plus more?) for a registered envelope mail and you end up with that crap you listed is f.outrageous.

[sundaymorningstaple]

That's typical for 1st Class postage. You need to send it Priority Mail in order to get tracking to the final destination.

[Strong Eagle]

I was informed by USPS phone service that tracking to Singapore is available only by priority mail and not first class mail. Go figure.

[Strong Eagle]

A word of advice for those that may follow. USPS First Class Mail International Postage is completely worthless for tracking. Zero. Nada. I can only hope that that docs arrive... soon maybe?... who knows... no tracking information.

You must use Priority Mail International, at a cost of about $11 more, in order to get any tracking.

Feeling unhappy... bad advice from BBCW... given again by USPS postal clerk in Houston... refuted on USPS tracking website explaining that only priority mail gets tracked... so what the hell is the point of $13.40 for registered mail?

[x9200]

It is strange. All the national carriers I have ever used, including dirty cheap China, has a basic tracking for RA. The USPS priority on the other hand provides extended tracking similar to the classic courier companies - e.g. it also shows the int shipment hubs, standard RA tracking never shows.

[Strong Eagle]

Follow up on this thread: After being completely unable to check tracking status of the envelope I mailed, and getting ready to raise hell with USPS, my package arrived Monday morning, Jun 27 at CPF.

This package was mailed on the morning of Jun 4, so it took a mere 23 days in transit for a first class, registered mail A4 size envelope to make it from Houston to Singapore.

Was it transferred with the same dodgy outfit you use to send me airline tickets for Eagles gatherings?

I can only guess that one or two circumstances happened, as a first class letter in the US gets where it is going in about 3 days max.

a) It got stuck in an outbound box at LAX until the box got full and was put on a plane to Singapore.

b) It got stuck in Singapore customs.

c) It got stuck in Singpost's back office where they figure nobody will bitch about slow international mail.

A word to the wise about USPS... $21.16 for 23 days of transit.

[earthfriendly]

A word to the wise about USPS... $21.16 for 23 days of transit.

It averages $1 / day. You got your money's worth, SE .

[BBCWatcher]

In summary, the mailed piece arrived safely. The End.

[Strong Eagle]

In summary, the mailed piece arrived safely. The End.

This kind of summary is like a book report that says "Lawrence of Arabia" is about sand.

[BBCWatcher]

This kind of summary is like a book report that says "Lawrence of Arabia" is about sand.

No, that kind of summary is like a book report that says "Lawrence of Arabia" is about Lawrence. The whole bloody point of a delivery service is to deliver. It did.

[ecureilx]

a) It got stuck in an outbound box at LAX until the box got full and was put on a plane to Singapore.

As EF said, you got your money's worth

Possibly it went to Anchorage for re-sorting, then go Guangzhou or Shenzhen for re-sorting and then to Singapore ..

Well, all routed by the cheapest postal service provider who won the contract

[x9200]

A word to the wise about USPS... $21.16 for 23 days of transit.

It averages $1 / day. You got your money's worth, SE .

This is why the best way to travel is by a third class rail - it cost you less for travelling longer.

[BBCWatcher]

I really don't care how long it takes to get to Singapore, I just don't want stuff lost.

Mission perfectly accomplished.

[BBCWatcher]

For the record, and concerning only the "style points" (not delivery of an undamaged piece of mail)....

....you can use that tracking number at Singpost's Web site once the piece lands in Singapore's mail stream.

This was/is correct. The tracking number you get lets you determine, online, when the mail piece pops up in SingPost's mail stream.

Once it arrives in Singapore's mail stream you can also track it at SingPost's Web site.

(Emphasis added.) This part I didn't state correctly in a follow-up post. The U.S. side (and en route) is not reported per mail piece, step by step, with this class of service. This class of service includes only destination country "pop up" tracking. If you want tracking through the entire mail stream, at every step (or at least every major step), then you need to pay more for a higher class of service. But reliability won't be affected.

[Strong Eagle]

As a final closing note: I received the signed return receipt on Aug 4, 61 days after I mailed the package. Those clipper ships really speed up mail delivery.