Can't obtain DHL account number to send Passport despite Berlin's request

[Kaychris]

Hi there

I am hoping someone can shed some light on the issue that we are currently facing with regard to sending my boyfriend's passport to Berlin. They have requested that we send his passport via FedEx (if we are out of country) or via DHL if we are shipping from within Germany. Since we presently live in Germany the latter option is the one we must persue. The problem is that the Canadian embassy in Berlin wants an account number from us in order to send the passport back. However, we have spoken with DHL and they don't do this for private customers within Germany. They are only able to do it if you are shipping internationally, so there is a bit of a contradiction.

In case there is any confusion in my wording, this is exactly what the letter said:

Dear Applicant,

To avoid mail delivery problems returning your passport and documents, we ask you to submit a valid customer account number from FedEx (for shipment outside Germany) or DHL (for shipment inside Germany).
We only do business with these two courier companies and will not accept account numbers from other courier service providers.

Please note that we cannot accept credit card numbers or cash payment. Please do not transfer any money onto our account for courier delivery.

In addition, please confirm to us in writing (by fax, e-mail or post) the mailing address to which the documents shall be sent as well as contact telephone number and/or e-mail address.

Please note that we will contact the courier company in Germany and arrange for pick-up of your passport and documents in due course.

All conditions above must be met, otherwise all docutments will be mailed to you by POSTAL SERVICE.

Yours sincerely,

Visa & Immigration Section, Berlin
(This letter is valid without signature)

Thanks in advance for any help provided

 

[TracyS]

Could you send your passport in with a pre-paid label DHL addressed back to you and request that they use that?

 

[Kaychris]

Could you send your passport in with a pre-paid label DHL addressed back to you and request that they use that?

I am not sure, it is something to consider. We talked about this before but we are not sure if they allow it. Also we don't know how much it would cost because we are only sending the passport and a few other documents, but we are not sure how much they will be sending back.

Also we are confused because we found a page on the Government of Canada Website that has the same information, but which has a couple extra sentences at the top. They are below:

Passports and documents are sent by regular mail.
Pick-up by a courier company is only possible in exceptional cases

These are not on our letter though so we are not sure what to do. Ideally we wouldn't have it sent by regular mail though for security reasons.

thanks again for any help

 

[Kaychris]

has anyone dealt witht the Berlin office or have any general advice for the DHL situation?

 

[Singh81]

Hi,
I am having the same problem.
If I can't find any solution then I will probably send them a pre-paid DHL label and hope they will use it.
Please let me know if you found any solution or did you just send them a pre-paid DHL label.
Thanks.

 

[Kaychris]

@Singh81

I assume you are sending from within Germany?.. If so, this didn't end up being a problem.
We sent it last Monday (they received it Tuesday) , and we received the passport back Saturday the same week via registered mail. (Meaning we had to sign for it.)

I am still a little confused by the letter they sent when they requested it in the first place. Regardless, it turned out great and we got the visa! and it was fast!! Hopetoland may have received her's as well on Saturday. She wasn't home when they came to deliver it, so she was planning on picking it up today at the Post Office.

Best of luck!

 

[Singh81]

Thanks Kaychris and congrats on your visa,

Yes I am applying from Germany. Its good to know that they send the passport back by registered mail and not the regular mail. So now I don't have to worry about this DHL thing.

 

[Kaychris]

@Singh81

No problem, glad I could help and thanks for the Congrats

Hope everything goes well!