DHL UK no longer accept package pick-up w/ Int'l credit card

[lanwarrior]

Hi all,

Somebody in this forum suggested that I can have HO mail the document back via courier (DHL) and all I need to do is to call DHL UK from US and give my credit card number. I just want to share my experience a bit:

My application was approved yesterday and in the application package that I have sent, I have included a prepaid and complete DHL Airwaybill, along with a DHL box. However, when I call DHL UK to arrange the pick-up, they said they NO LONGER accept NON-UK basd credit card, thus they can't arrange the pick-up. They said this is a new system that has been put in and the CC number will get rejected if it's a non-UK based. They can't even accept my US based DHL account number. I called 4 times and spoke with 4 different operators and got the same answer.

I was told to call DHL USA. I did and was told by DHL-USA to call again at 7:00 AM and talk with the Service Desk, which will arrange what they called a "DESTINATION REQUEST". This means DHL US will call DHL UK (internally) and arrange the pick up.

I am going to call tomorrow at 7:00 AM and see how this goes.

[pateketu]

Thanks for sharing it, Damn one more thing to worry about

I also have DHL account number from USA

[lanwarrior]

Just an update:

I called DHL and ask for the "Destination Request" and got transferred to a very nice lady in their "Service Desk" department. The lady arranged the UK pick-up using my DHL account number. She said it'll take 1-3 days to arrange the pick up. Everything seems well, HOWEVER, she said that she need the CONTACT person in HO office for package pick-up. IF the person is not there, the DHL driver may NOT pick it up. To make matter worse, my case worker, whom I've been talking directly via email, told me that I shouldn't use his name as the pick-up contact, as he may NOT be on duty.

So let's see what happen.

The kicker is this: for the heck of it, I called UPS and they told me that I can just call UPS UK DIRECTLY to schedule a pick-up. I then called UPS UK and they told me the same thing, they even ask me if I want to use my UPS account number so it'll get charged to my US credit card (I don't have a UPS account number). Damn.. should have used UPS instead of DHL...

[lanwarrior]

Another update:

I've been working with DH USA to arrange the pick-up and they've been very helpful. However, the issue is with the DHL UK office. They REFUSED to send a local driver to pick it up because:

1) The airway bill, which I have pre-populated with all the necessary information, including account number and signature, can NOT be used since DHL UK want HSMP to use UK own Airway bill.

2) DHL UK claim that it's a government office, thus they can NOT send a driver.

As you can see, it's the DHL UK that's being idiotic here. Once, I was in Singapore and I have shipped a pre-paid DHL package with no issue: the airway bill is from US (prepopopulated) and the DHL Singapore just pick it up, no signature required.

The DHL-US Service Desk is trying very hard to convince the DHL-UK office to just pick up the package and no need to use another Airway bill, even though it's a government office. However, the outcome looks bleak because DHL UK simply just refused to send the local driver. So it's not even the local driver issue, it's the ENTIRE DHL UK office.

I am waiting until tomorrow to see the outcome of this, but looks like I may have to resort to have the documents delivered via Royal Mail, which I am trying to AVOID as much as I can since I am afraid the documents may get lost.

If anyone have any experience on DHL or receiving the documents in Royal Mail WITHOUT getting lost, please advise.

[oneway]

lanwarrior,

I received my documents back in 4 business days via royal mail. They put my documents in a waterproof envelope and my documents were intact, they even had the little "post-it"s that I had stuck all over the documents explaining each point.

[lanwarrior]

ONeway,

It seems that they send the document via some sort "registered" mail, being that it's in a special "waterproof" envelope and so on.

Can you let me know if there is any indication in the envelop if this are sort of "registered" mail? This is just like regular USPS registered (or even certified mail), with stickers, numbers, writings indicating so, etc.

I don't mind Royal Mail, it's the local USPS in my area that's just incompetent. In the last 12 months, I have lost almost 10 mails and they even lost a letter I SENT via certified mail (not registered though)!

[oneway]

It's an ordinary looking envelope with the address handwritten by some poor trainee or intern probably. The back of the envelope has a sticker with the hsmp and address written on it. It was left folded in my mail box by the mail lady. No special markings, seals or stamps that make it appear that it is from the government. All in all, it's a very unpretentious and highly indistinguishable from regular mail.looking piece of mail

[jerozza]

Lanwarrior you can save lot of time by using Mail Boxes Etc - they based in Sheffield and can pick the documents up from HSMP for you and send them abroad using UPS or Fedex.
See them here

http://www.mbe.uk.com/101/

Don'r bother with DHL - they waste of time

[lanwarrior]

Thanks, Jerozza! I had to have HSMP sent the document via Royal Mail, since it's been more than 1 week and HSMP policy is to send the docs back after more than 7 days.

BUt I did receive the document, all of them, intact!

[pateketu]

I received my documents (send my MBE), I have got the HSMP approval but they did not list the points that I earned, was just curious

I received all the original papers in the plastic sleeves in exactly same order as I had send and for some documents, it looked like caseworker did not even took the document out of the sleeve