International Reply Coupns

[Last]

I tried to contact my local post office by telephone and left it ring for 20 minutes and no one answered.

What is the current cost for IRC?
Do they expire?

I have one that I purchased May 10, 2006 for $1.85.

[Biff83]

Chuck,

Current cost is $2.00 each. Check link below for more info.
IRC Info from USPS Site

[elba]

Just a word of advice...many comunes will not accept IRC's. They want postal orders, Western Union payments or cash. Often the charges are reasonably small, but they just don't seem to like IRC's at all.

So if you can, check how they want payment or follow thier instructions very carefully.

[Last]

Hi elba, I am writing to someone tat may be a relative, so I don't know for sure. That is why I am sending a IRC. I don't know if they are relatives, I am trying to find my living relatives.

[nuccia]

Last,

I replied to this in your other post. Not sure an IRC would be the best choice since many don't know what to do with them and they do expire.

If I were you, i would just send letters and if they are going to reply they will anyway.

[Last]

Nuccia, sorry I didn't read all my mail. I will just send the letter and hope for the best.

Thanks for all your help

Chuck

[nuccia]

Nuccia, sorry I didn't read all my mail. I will just send the letter and hope for the best.

Thanks for all your help

Chuck

I'm having trouble keeping up with mine too lately. Never enough time, is there?

[jenalonso]

Just an update FYI:

I went to a D.C. post office the other day & the post office worker told me they don't have IRC's anymore. Not true!

I then called the main post office number and the int'l dept told me they still do have them, but to make sure & call the post office beore going to make sure that office carries them. They also gave me a list of countries that accept them for sure, and Italy wasn't on the list so be careful (as was already pointed out about particular comunes)!

[nuccia]

jenalonso..

Main Post Offices definitely carry IRC but the smaller ones choose not too. The reason being (sorry, not sure if this was mentioned before) is there is an expiry date on them and if the clerks forget to send them back prior to the expiry date, they lose their money.

Now, I'm not sure, since its been a long time since I worked for a sub post office, but they may not be able to return them at the end of the month with their requisitions forms.

More and more I find the Italy comuni not accepting the IRC. Many clerks don't know how to use them and although I know that there shouldn't be extra charges for cashing certain things in, many banks, post offices, etc will charge an extra fee. This I remember from personal experience.

I am lucky to have many good friends in Italy and what I found is with some of them, we just exchange stamps with each other. I will send Canadian stamps and in return, they will send me Italian stamps. This way, I can enclose actual postage when I write away for records and they can enclose stamps when writing here.

It works great!

[sg12]

The IRC are good for a year from the time of purchase. You do need to get them at a larger post office not the smaller ones. I used the IRc with my first irequest for a family certificate and they honored them. I just sent for another family certificate so I am hoping they accept the ones I sent. I also sent one with a letter to a possible family member. There was a line in Italian that explained how to use it. Can't remember where I got that line. Good Luck As I see it what do you have to lose. Just a couple of dollars. If they don't respond or tell you to send some other form of payment then you can do that. I tthink it is worth the risk and the rewards are great!

[jenalonso]

Thanks for the info, Nuccia. I sent letters to churches in Naples but didn't enclose anything in them so some have told me I probably won't hear back from them.

Unfortunately, I have no one in Italy to send me or exchange stamps with. (I looked into buying foreign stamps here to no avail.) Anyone you can put me in contact with?

Thanks,

Jennifer

[nuccia]

Jennifer..

PM me and I'll see what I can do. I'm sure we can help you out with this. Meanwhile, don't worry about what others say..none of us can predict what we will or won't get . Granted, receiving reply's from the Churches are definitely harder than receiving them from the comuni but it NEVER hurts to try. I was told a lot of different things too but I just kept at it and have gotten more than I ever expected.

[Last]

Hi Nuccia, how are things going? I have been reading the notes on the IRC. Bottim line if I send for a birth record should I enclose an IRC or not. Also should I send a self address envelope?

Thanks for all you help

Ciao!

Chuck

[nuccia]

Hey Chuck..

Just send your letter and see what happens. If you like, you can send a self addressed envelope..thats your choice.

Keep us posted.

[Last]

Thanks Nuccia, I sure will keep you posted I could not have gotten this far without all of your help.

Many thanks

Chuck



PS Hope the dentist wasn't painful...