<p>Does the school really need the original by Thursday? Are they sending them off for a Visa?</p>
<p>Our DD needed to send a color copy to the school to apply for their study abroad program, but she had to obtain the Visa on her own (in person from the Embassy/consulate closest to her legal address).</p>
<p>Thanks for all the comments. Yes, they have to have the actual passort on Thursday, for the visas I think. It is a group trip and the school is handling the process. They should have told the students before they went on break to bring them back with them, but they didn’t for whatever reason. Also, many of the kids will be coming home next Friday for a long break and I fail to see why they couldn’t just do this after next week when kids can bring them back after the weekend. Grrr.</p>
<p>I am debating express overnight mail sent today, or driving. My brother has never had a problem with express mail with the USPS and uses it frequently, and we don’t want to drive down there when we already have to next weekend. But it does make me paranoid - what if this piece of mail is the one that “wanders off” somewhere?</p>
<p>It’s an easy drive down there, but I’d rather stay warm by our fire and see our son next weekend as planned instead of on a “drive-by” outside the dorm!</p>
<p>When something absolutely, positively has to be there, and I can drive it there–I’d drive it there. Just for peace of mind…</p>
<p>I’ve Fedexed passports with no problem. If, though, my kid needed his and was only 2-hours away, I’d happily drive it to him and take him to dinner or lunch.</p>
<p>
yes, yes, yes…S1 had his passport with him for school requirements and then, next thing we knew, he was in Mexico for spring break…:rolleyes:</p>
<p>My kids use their passports all the time. They use them when they fly instead of their drivers licenses. Both do international travel periodically. There is NO WAY I want their passports here. I’d have to figure out ways to get them to these young adults all the time. I do have copies here…but that’s it.</p>
<p>If my kid had the bucks to fund a trip to Mexico during vacation…that would be her business. We don’t pay for discretionary trips. Her money…she could plan the trip.</p>
<p>Oh…mine are 21 and 25. Old enough to manage their own passports.</p>
<p>Thanks again for the suggestions. In case anyone else happens to look here for this type of information another time…we ended up unable to drive it down due to work circumstances, so we had no choice but to send it. We nervously used Express Mail through USPS, after my brother convinced me he’s had great success with it (uses it daily). </p>
<p>So I mailed it on Saturday by the local post office deadline for express mail drop-offs (1:00) and took the 2-day delivery instead of next day ($5 cheaper and didn’t make a difference which day he got it). He just texted me and said that it arrived safely, well before the 3:00 deadline the postal service had. So breathing a sigh of relief…</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, our experience with the USPS tracking this time was excellent. It was constantly updated and correct. Usually the USPS tracking is terrible - I get things delivered at home before it even says “being processed” online! But I assume it’s because it was Express Mail and not priority. We’ve never used Express before and are pleasantly surprised - at least this time!</p>
<p>Since you asked, S called last night saying he needed his passport. Wife was already preparing a small box with brownies that she was sending up today. She sends these things USPS with tracking. Took a copy of the front page of the passport, tucked the passport in the box and mailed it. Replacing a lost passport is not that much of a big deal, although we don’t plan on losing it.</p>
<p>And thanks to all of you, this thread reminded me that S1 got his passport 5 years ago when 15 yrs. old for a family trip to Italy. It occurred to me that the passport was only good for 5 years and so I just emailed S to suggest that he check the expiration date. Turns out that it expires 4 days before a planned spring break trip to Mexico. He can kiss me for that reminder later 
.</p>
<p>Living only 2 hours away plain old regular mail would have worked just fine- probably would have gotten there the next day, even though they may tell you 2 days. You know your town and his- close enough no routing through major cities likely with that distance. My experience has been sending mail is quick, but the return takes forever due to the kid’s not getting around to using that big blue box he passes every day… I have sent a book to my dad less than 140 miles away using the media rate, was told several days and it got there the next day in early Dec- so glad I didn’t waste money.</p>