# How much did you visa package weigh?/how much did shipping cost?



## Pallykin (Mar 30, 2014)

I've been looking at shipping rates on line and reading everyone's posts about shipping, and I have a few questions for the folks who've already submitted their applications...

How much did your visa application package weigh?
Did you use a Fedex Envelope or "Pak" or equivalent?
How much did shipping cost you?

Fedex says their Envelope will hold up to 60 pages of A4; I'm thinking most visas are more than this. The Pak can hold up to 2.5Kg, and they have a padded waterproof one...


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## Touchline Dad (Mar 28, 2014)

*FedEx Pack*

Hi Pallykin-
I had to use a FedEx Pak to get all of my materials to Sheffield. It was over 2 lbs. 
It cost about $70 US from the East Coast of the US. Ironically, 2nd day shipping is MORE
expensive because you have to pay a Customs Fee while it sits, so Priority Overnight is 
less expensive. I also enclosed a pre=printed standard Priority Overnight envelope for my return as I only needed a few originals back (Marriage certificate, divorce, etc. passport).
Hope this helps.:whoo:


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## Pallykin (Mar 30, 2014)

*Good advice...*



> Ironically, 2nd day shipping is MORE
> expensive because you have to pay a Customs Fee while it sits, so Priority Overnight is
> less expensive. I also enclosed a pre=printed standard Priority Overnight envelope for my return as I only needed a few originals back (Marriage certificate, divorce, etc. passport).


That Priority Overnight is cheaper due to a customs fee is *definitely* ironic.

Good tip on sending a (smaller) FedEx envelope for the returned items.


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## nexylady (May 30, 2014)

Touchline Dad said:


> Hi Pallykin-
> I had to use a FedEx Pak to get all of my materials to Sheffield. It was over 2 lbs.
> It cost about $70 US from the East Coast of the US. Ironically, 2nd day shipping is MORE
> expensive because you have to pay a Customs Fee while it sits, so Priority Overnight is
> ...



How much did you pay to ship to Sheffield by using Fedex Pak and how much did you pay for the return (return label) shipment from Sheffield to you?


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## Touchline Dad (Mar 28, 2014)

*Shipping*



nexylady said:


> How much did you pay to ship to Sheffield by using Fedex Pak and how much did you pay for the return (return label) shipment from Sheffield to you?



Nexylady-

I paid around $70 from the East Coast USA to Sheffield for the FedEx pak which was about
2.2 pounds. I did go to a FedEx Office and use their computers and materials to print out the label and a return label on the Priority Letter. I won't know the shipping on the return, 
until my account is billed, but I have had some FedEx priority letters shipped (financial forms from the UK) and they ran a bit higher, around $100. They were picked up at a residential address in rural Essex, don't know if that matters.:yo:


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

I paid just under USD 70$ (2012 dollars) to send just under 2 pounds of paper via DHL overnight from Vancouver, Canada to New York City (N.A. visas were still done in New York back then)... I was kind of choked at how much it cost but figured that the tap was only beginning to flow as far as the visa cost was concerned.


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## mariyah (Mar 6, 2014)

I paid $176 dollars for fedex priority overnight. I had about 7lbs worth of documents to send. I sent mine last week...let the waiting game commence!


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## murtle_007 (Dec 23, 2011)

When I applied for my working holiday and then fiancé visas, i did so in Canada at world bridge priority, and they had an offer to take care of fed exing my documents for I think $20. I could be remembering wrong, $40 tops, but this was 2 years ago!


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## chiefteaofficer (May 27, 2014)

mariyah said:


> I paid $176 dollars for fedex priority overnight. I had about 7lbs worth of documents to send. I sent mine last week...let the waiting game commence!


Holy f! That's what I am expecting to pay to get mine over quickly with priority from Seattle to Sheffield. Was this with return? I don't know what mine will weigh yet. Probably less. I want to FedEx mine and get it there either overnight or in 2 days. We plan to do priority.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

7 lbs? Way too much. 2-3 lbs max.


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## BunnyLips (Jun 23, 2013)

chiefteaofficer said:


> Holy f! That's what I am expecting to pay to get mine over quickly with priority from Seattle to Sheffield. Was this with return? I don't know what mine will weigh yet. Probably less. I want to FedEx mine and get it there either overnight or in 2 days. We plan to do priority.


Mine was about 7 pounds too. I only sent in required documents and that's just what it came out to once I compiled originals and copies. My bank statements have ridiculous numbers of pages and I submitted six months worth. 

The only other thing that would have skewed mine heavy was all our boarding passes adhered to A4. Plus copies. We've made about 20 trips back and forth in the last couple years so that was a big section. 

I can't remember exactly what the fedex price was going to be. I think I've blocked it out because it was so shockingly high - well in excess of $200. Not counting the return. For that reason, I sent it back to the UK with my husband and he posted it from there.


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## zee09 (Jun 8, 2014)

BunnyLips said:


> Mine was about 7 pounds too. I only sent in required documents and that's just what it came out to once I compiled originals and copies. My bank statements have ridiculous numbers of pages and I submitted six months worth.
> 
> The only other thing that would have skewed mine heavy was all our boarding passes adhered to A4. Plus copies. We've made about 20 trips back and forth in the last couple years so that was a big section.
> 
> I can't remember exactly what the fedex price was going to be. I think I've blocked it out because it was so shockingly high - well in excess of $200. Not counting the return. For that reason, I sent it back to the UK with my husband and he posted it from there.



wow that is expensive!! so is it actually possible to get the applicant to send the spouse in the UK the few docs from their end and then the spouse sends the whole application from the UK? is that possible?


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## grasshopper33 (Mar 17, 2014)

Ours was 4lbs with originals and copies, $158 to send Fedex Priority from US East Coast. It was 1.5 lbs on the way back from Sheffield, $100.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Yes you can send your documents to your partner in the UK who can post them to Sheffield however they must be returned to you.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

zee09 said:


> wow that is expensive!! so is it actually possible to get the applicant to send the spouse in the UK the few docs from their end and then the spouse sends the whole application from the UK? is that possible?


This is possible only if visa applications from your country are sent to Sheffield for processing.


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## zee09 (Jun 8, 2014)

nyclon said:


> This is possible only if visa applications from your country are sent to Sheffield for processing.


thanks..is there a list somewhere showing countries that send to sheffield?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

I believe it's only US settlement visas that are processed in Sheffield. The website for the visa agent for your country should indicate where you need to either send or bring you application to a visa centre.


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## BunnyLips (Jun 23, 2013)

Sheffield processes visas for the US, Canada, and Nigeria. 

As far as posting from within the UK, yes, it's allowed. My husband posted it via Royal Mail and we had no problems. But the documents must be returned to the applicant in their home country. I included a fed ex pack and a return waybill with my application. If it's feasible for you to do it, I recommend it. It will save you a decent chunk of money.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

BunnyLips said:


> Sheffield processes visas for the US, Canada, and Nigeria. As far as posting from within the UK, yes, it's allowed. My husband posted it via Royal Mail and we had no problems. But the documents must be returned to the applicant in their home country. I included a fed ex pack and a return waybill with my application. If it's feasible for you to do it, I recommend it. It will save you a decent chunk of money.


Canada settlement visas are processed in NYC.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Canadian applications also go to Sheffield but you submit your documents at the visa application centre on the day of your biometric appointment.


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## HarleyWills (May 30, 2014)

BunnyLips said:


> Mine was about 7 pounds too. I only sent in required documents and that's just what it came out to once I compiled originals and copies. My bank statements have ridiculous numbers of pages and I submitted six months worth.
> 
> The only other thing that would have skewed mine heavy was all our boarding passes adhered to A4. Plus copies. We've made about 20 trips back and forth in the last couple years so that was a big section.
> 
> I can't remember exactly what the fedex price was going to be. I think I've blocked it out because it was so shockingly high - well in excess of $200. Not counting the return. For that reason, I sent it back to the UK with my husband and he posted it from there.


I'm the same way - our bank statements are insane! I'm assuming you included every page of your bank statements (and not just the pages that show your source of income coming in every month)? Perhaps someone else can weigh in on if they included all pages of your bank statements for the 6 months as well? I can imagine our application will be around the 4 lb range if we do include the entire bank statement for each of the 6 months. It is what it is!


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## BunnyLips (Jun 23, 2013)

HarleyWills said:


> I'm the same way - our bank statements are insane! I'm assuming you included every page of your bank statements (and not just the pages that show your source of income coming in every month)? Perhaps someone else can weigh in on if they included all pages of your bank statements for the 6 months as well? I can imagine our application will be around the 4 lb range if we do include the entire bank statement for each of the 6 months. It is what it is!


Yup. I included the entire statement. Most months that was 10-12 pages or more. Times six months. Times originals and copies. 

I stuck within guidelines for everything else. Samples of phone and email logs from every six months. It's just that that spanned five years. Again, ours skewed heavy because of lots of travel documents. Plus copies. I showed evidence of all trips, not just a few. 

When I saw the size/weight of the package, I did an honest reassessment to see if I had included anything extraneous or an excess of documentation in the genuine and subsisting relationship category. I'm satisfied I didn't. So off it went.


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## Hertsfem (Jun 19, 2013)

You guys obviously spend too much every month


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## BunnyLips (Jun 23, 2013)

Hertsfem said:


> You guys obviously spend too much every month


Haha - isn't that the truth?! Although I'm sure the ECO reviewing my application will be bored senseless if they decide to look at my outgoings for giggles! They're likely to see that I could stand to cut back on my coffee consumption lately! :doh: Too many early mornings getting up to check my email for news of my visa!


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## adda89 (Jun 4, 2014)

my fiance's documents weighed 1kg, it had original payslips for a year, photos, bank statements, copies of my identification documents, copy of my tenancy agreement, work contract etc. then a copy of that, It cost about £40 to send.


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