sending money to Italy for requested documents

[elmosgirl]

Now that letters have gone to Italy requesting records, and now that replies have been received (by email, no less), I'm running into a new problem....

For example, one provincial office instructed me to send 4 Euros for a record, plus 1.20Euros for airmail stamps to the US, only by MoneyGram or Money Order.

My local banking institution will draw up a money order in Euros......for $35.00 USD.

Ridiculous.

Drawing up a Moneygram for insignificant amounts is equally expensive.

With all of the records I'd like to acquire, an airline ticket might prove to be as (or less) expensive

Write to Italy? Easily done!

Receive from Italy?........well, now things become complicated!

What have others done to solve this problem?

As always, thank you for replies, and thank you for all I've learned by reading this forum.

[Tessa78]

This discussion about sending money to Italy MAY shed some light...

http://www.italiangenealogy.com/Forums/ ... italy.html

T.

[lilbees]

I have had great success using MoneyGram. It will cost about #11 to send. For me it was well worth it considering the other options. I can understand your frustrations but if it is more than one record it is worthwhile.

On the other hand, if you anticipate requesting other records, for the Archive I sent to, they just credited me the money leftover and applied it to the next record requests I made.

lilbees

[elmosgirl]

Thanks to all of you for replies, and thanks Tessa for linking to a previous discussion (a forum search did not bring that one up for me).

The difficulties are not easily resolved over this issue, whether wiring bank to bank, sending cash or using Western Union. The one office I referred to in my original post underlined their insistence on a money order or Moneygram!

Personally, I like the foil idea

There has to be a way around this hurdle!

[Italysearcher]

which provincial office?

[elmosgirl]

the office I used in my example is the Salerno Civil Archive. Other writers have shared equally frustrating stories with me (as I searched for answers before posting here). The replies surely indicate(to me) that my example wasn't an outlier.

Someday we'll figure this out before giving up on requests! We have to!

[Italysearcher]

Many towns simply don't have the facility to accept payment in all forms. Exchanging foreign currency costs more than its worth especially when the amounts are small. I recently had to send 68 euro in cash to a Comune in Puglia who sent me 60 cents change in the form of a postage stamp. Even though I live in Italy they wouldn't give me the option of paying via the Post Office which is often the case.
The last time I accepted payment (100euro) from a client by bank draft from England it cost me 5 euro to cash it and I had to wait 10 days for the money to come via the system before they gave me the cash.
I think the answer is to send cash 5-10 euro purchased from your bank in anticipation, suggesting they take out the fee and have a coffee with the change.

[johnnyonthespot]

I think the answer is to send cash 5-10 euro purchased from your bank in anticipation, suggesting they take out the fee and have a coffee with the change.

I agree.

Also, whenever I find myself in a place where I can easily purchase euros (international airport, traveling overseas, etc), I buy a few more 5 € notes and add them to my rainy day stash. I find it easier to have them on hand when I need them then to try and convince my local bank to get them for me.

[elmosgirl]

Thank you for your experience and suggestions!

What a headache this has been. Thanks for applying advice-aspirin!

Yes, I have the Euros in 5-denominations, those aren't difficult to get, especially at bank branches near airports (I'm in Michigan where we have border-crossings as a rule everyday).

BUT, when an Archive Manager underlines and bolds a specification for Euros to be sent via Money Order or Moneygram, are you (Searcher/Johnny) advising to (essentially) ignore their directions and send cash(Euros)??

Thanks for your replies.

[johnnyonthespot]

Just curious: how long ago did you receive the request for payment?

I have found that many times the provinical archives will send out the documents the same day they send a request for payment; even in the same envelope if they do not have an email address for you.

If this is the case, I would venture to just send them the cash and let them deal with it. I have seen it suggested that you wrap cash in aluminum foil and than plain paper to cut down the risk of it being stolen by a postal employee; don't know if that is yrban legend or if it really happens.

[elmosgirl]

lots to think about here, Johnnyonthespot..........

the first email from the Stato Civile came on 7-19-2010 to which I replied asking if I could wire money to them. I wasn't convinced their directives were non-negotiable, or I should say, I wanted to push the envelope, so to speak, to be absolutely certain of my options !

They replied by email on 7-23-2010, again stating the way in which they wanted payment. This time there wasn't any question that their directives were firm

I'm not thinking they have sent, or will send, the document w/o receiving the Euros.

Again, lots to think about here! Solve one problem, find another! I won't give up easily (genealogists don't). I'll figure something out........eventually!

Thanks for your reply.