Sending documents abroad by DHL: originals delivered safely to a clinic, embassy or university
The apostille is on, the translation is notarised, and now this one and only copy has to reach an office in Munich, Tel Aviv or the embassy in Berlin. Ordinary post is too slow and untraceable for this, and an unfamiliar carrier leaves the envelope at a large hospital's general reception, where it spends weeks looking for the right desk. This page describes how a document is sent so that you know at every moment where it is, who signed for it and when, and what happens if something is delayed.
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The scan today, the original on its waythe recipient starts work from the digital copy and expects the envelope
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Department and contact person on the waybillnot just "the clinic", but a specific desk and phone number
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Proof of delivery as a PDFsignature, name and time in your archive the same day
Which documents need to travel on paper and which do not
Sending any original costs money and carries risk. So we first check whether the recipient needs the original at all.
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The original is essential
Apostilled documents for an embassy or university, a notarised power of attorney for a foreign notary, bank or court, the clinic's original invoice for an insurance claim, a court ruling with legalisation.
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A scan is often enough
Discharge summaries and test results for a cost estimate or second opinion, a translation with the bureau's stamp for preliminary review, a copy of a permit for a supplier. In these cases we send the scan first and ask the recipient whether they need the original.
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Two stages in one order
As standard we do both: the scan goes to the recipient by expiring link the same day, the original by DHL the next day. The recipient knows which envelope is coming and from whom, and does not lose it at the general reception.
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Not sent through this service
Original passports and ID cards, cash and cards, medicines and biological material. Instead of a passport, a notarised copy with an apostille is sent, and a histology block goes through a separate procedure within the oncology service.
The envelope's journey from Tbilisi to the recipient's desk
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Scanning and confirming the recipient
Every page is scanned and stored in your archive. We call or write to the recipient: which department, who receives it, which phone number. A large clinic's general address is never written on the waybill on its own.
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Packing and declaration
The document goes into a clear sleeve, then into a rigid envelope so that the apostille sheet does not fold and the stamp does not wear. The declaration reads: documents, no commercial value, with an exact description of the contents. Nothing but documents goes in the envelope, because every extra item is a reason for a customs check.
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Dispatch and tracking
The DHL Express number is sent both to you and to the recipient. We also track the status, and if the shipment stays at one point longer than usual, we contact DHL, not you.
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Delivery against signature and proof
The courier hands the envelope to the named person or department against a signature. The proof of delivery, with the signature image, name and time, is sent to you as a PDF the same day and kept in your archive next to the document.
Delivery times by destination and what the price is made of
These are typical DHL Express times for a document shipment from Tbilisi, counted in working days; for a specific shipment we give you the exact time together with the price.
| Destination | Typical time | Most common recipient | What we check in addition |
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| Turkey | 1-3 working days | International departments of clinics in Istanbul and Ankara | The coordinator's name and phone number on the waybill |
| European Union, United Kingdom | 2-4 working days | University hospitals, embassies, recognition bodies | The embassy's opening hours and any ban on PO box delivery |
| Israel | 3-5 working days | International departments of hospitals | Shabbat and holidays among the delivery days |
| USA, Canada | 3-5 working days | Clinics, universities, notaries | State and postcode format, room number |
| United Arab Emirates, Qatar | 3-6 working days | Employers, clinics, ministries for legalised documents | That legalisation is complete before dispatch, so the envelope is not returned |
The price has three parts: the DHL rate by zone and weight, packing and paperwork, and a courier from you to us. We give you all three as one figure before you order. Additional declared value, which covers the cost of a new apostille and notary, is optional and shown as a separate line.
Frequently asked questions about international shipments
I have already sent a scan. Why does the clinic or embassy need the paper original?
A scan is enough to start work, but not for legal effect. An apostille, a notary's seal and a wet signature are valid only on the original: an embassy files the original or a certified copy in the visa case, a university asks for the apostilled original diploma for recognition, a foreign clinic's finance department requires the original invoice for the insurer, and a power of attorney under which someone acts on your behalf has to be shown in the original to a foreign notary and bank. So we split the process in two: we send the scan the same day so the review can start, and the original goes by DHL, with the recipient already knowing what is coming and to whom.
What happens if a shipment is lost, damaged or held at customs?
A document shipment is not subject to customs duty, and the declaration says so: documents of no commercial value. Holds mostly happen when the envelope contains something other than documents or the recipient's address is incomplete; we check both before dispatch. In case of loss or damage, DHL's standard liability for documents is limited and does not cover the real value of the original, so we do two things: we keep a full scan before dispatch so the recipient still has a digital copy, and where needed we arrange additional declared value that covers the cost of a new apostille and notary. For the most valuable documents we also use two separate shipments, so that one loss does not stop the process.
Can I send an original passport or ID card?
We do not send original passports or ID cards, even if the carrier allows it on some routes. The reason is simple: no insurance can replace a lost passport in time, and in a visa application, presenting the passport in person or using the visa centre's courier is a special procedure set by the embassy itself. Instead we send a notarised copy of the passport with an apostille, which in most cases is enough for clinics, universities and banks. Cash, bank cards, medicines and biological material are also not sent through this service; shipping histology blocks is a separate part of the oncology service.
How do I know the recipient really received it and it reached the right person?
Next to the name of the clinic or agency on the waybill we write the specific department and a contact person with a phone number, because in a large hospital an envelope delivered to the general reception can take weeks to reach the right desk. The tracking link is sent both to you and to the recipient so they can expect the courier. On delivery the recipient signs, and DHL records the signature image, name and time in the proof of delivery; we send you this proof as a PDF the same day and keep it in your archive next to the document. If we sent a scan in advance, we ask the recipient to confirm by email as soon as the original arrives that the envelope has been placed in the right case.
What has to happen before the envelope is sealed
- Apostille at the Public Service Hall The original that goes into the envelope first gets its apostille; the courier covers that trip too.
- Consular legalisation For the Emirates and Qatar a document needs embassy legalisation before shipping, or it comes back.
- Medical document package An indexed package with a table of contents that goes in one envelope and leaves the recipient with no questions.
There is only one original. There should be only one route
Tell us the country and the document. Within an hour you will know the price as one figure and the delivery time in working days, and the envelope will be sealed only after you confirm.