Mailing FBAR via Airsure?

If I could drop them off at the Embassy, I would. If you're in a position to do that, it probably offers the most peace of mind. I wonder if you get some kind of receipt showing you've dropped it off?

No separate receipt, but if you bring copies of the forms they'll stamp them as received with the date, for your records. I'm not sure if it qualifies as proof if there are later problems (though it probably would), but it's better than anything else we're likely to get.

Additionally, the embassy office ships off all the forms they receive in bulk, I presume by courier, so it's as secure a delivery method as any we could use (and free!). Even if yours somehow gets lost in this shipment, that means that they've lost several hundred or thousand more, which makes it pretty clear that it wasn't your fault.

No separate receipt, but if you bring copies of the forms they'll stamp them as received with the date, for your records. I'm not sure if it qualifies as proof if there are later problems (though it probably would), but it's better than anything else we're likely to get.

Is there a specific place they need to be dropped off at the embassy? I'm way more comfortable trekking across London and handing off paperwork in person than relying on multiple countries' mail systems.

Is there a specific place they need to be dropped off at the embassy? I'm way more comfortable trekking across London and handing off paperwork in person than relying on multiple countries' mail systems.

The IRS office is down the set of stairs to the left of the main entrance. There's normally a few people in there getting questions answered, but they've always let me just hand mine straight in and get my copies stamped without having to wait my turn, if I make it clear that I don't need any other help.

Finally there's an end to wondering whether the form was received as e-filing of FBARs is now available:

http://bsaefiling.fincen.treas.gov/Enroll_Individual.html

The "Financial Crimes Enforcement Network" banner is so welcoming but lets be thankful for small mercies.

Finally there's an end to wondering whether the form was received as e-filing of FBARs is now available:

http://bsaefiling.fincen.treas.gov/Enroll_Individual.html

And yet, despite being a form to fill out for foreign bank accounts, it only wants a numerical zip code, and a US-style phone number.

Reviving an old thread to ask whether anyone has ever had any success in tracking an FBAR sent by Airsure (Royal Mail)?

It seems that the posters on this thread received confirmations that their returns sent to Texas were delivered, but no one ever posted that they received confirmation that their FBAR was received at the office in Michigan.

Not wanting to spend the money on FedEx, and can't easily get to the Embassy, so am hoping that Airsure is a reasonable choice, but would feel better if I had some anecdotal evidence that it actually works for the FBAR.

Edited to Add: Have just seen this reply a few threads down. Sorry--didn't check that first (which I probably should have since I commented in it).

"Serious now: In the past you could mail them by Airsure, with tracking. You went on the US Postal site, and typed in the GB tracking number given you. The result was always a different POB. You had no confirmation of actual delivery. You could deliver them to the US Embassy, but the IRS staff became over worked and it was frowned upon. You had no confirmation of actual delivery. You can mail it by FedEx to the special address. You will have confirmation. Or, you could E-file. Your chosen deity loves sheep.

Or, as geeta says, you could use ordinary mail."

Reviving an old thread to ask whether anyone has ever had any success in tracking an FBAR sent by Airsure (Royal Mail)?

Yes, I have used Airsure several times in the past. By going onto the USPS site, I was able to track them to Detroit. As I said earlier in this thread, the only confirmation was that it was delivered to a PO Box in Detroit, but never the PO Box on the address (it was an adjacent one). There was never any confirmation from the Treasury acknowledging delivery. IIRC, some called after 90 days (to the number given earlier in this thread), and were told the form had been delivered. I've not done that.

I now use FedEx. Expensive, but I sleep at night.    (It confirms delivery to the Computing Center, but doesn't mean it's actually been put into the system.)

Airsure definitely doesn't track after arriving in the US. In 15 years, neither IRS or Treasury has ever signed for or acknowledged what I've sent through the mail, no matter which way I sent it.

Newest FBAR hassle: I addressed FBAR to the POB in Detroit, put a stamp on it and asked the UK PO for a 'proof of mailing' receipt. But they couldn't give me one - couldn't find the Treasury's Detroit zip code in their list of proper zip codes. 

Newest FBAR hassle: I addressed FBAR to the POB in Detroit, put a stamp on it and asked the UK PO for a 'proof of mailing' receipt. But they couldn't give me one - couldn't find the Treasury's Detroit zip code in their list of proper zip codes. 

I was surprised to read this - I've always mailed my forms via regular mail with proof of posting. I've just mailed the 2012 forms today to Detroit, and got a proof of posting receipt with no problem.

all of the hassles with the Detroit address and uncertainty of receipt is why I decided to e-file last year and this year. Instant gratification!

And as I understand it, e-filing will be the ONLY method in a few months time.

^^^That's what I did - soooo much easier! I think they're requiring efiling from this July (next month), isn't it?

Am just going to use DHL for the FBAR to avoid any issues.

But to save a little bit of cash, am going to use Royal Mail Airsure for the tax return.

Can I just confirm that I send it to the regular address in Austin and not the special courier only address? I just spoke to someone at the IRS office in London who said use the courier address, but frankly she didn't really seem to understand the question and we went around in circles quite a bit.

No surprise the IRS are confused as Royal Mail Airsure are not a recognized private delivery service so no-one would want to use that company for mailing US taxes if the postmark might ever be needed.

See: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Private-Delivery-Services-(PDS)

I was just hoping they would clarify what is on their website, as they have a paragraph about using signed for services through Royal Mail, but don't make clear which address it should go to.

http://london.usembassy.gov/irs/irsoffice.html

The woman I spoke to in the London office didn't seem to be familiar with what was on the website.

wife sent her tax forms on the 31st May 2013 to texas via airsure...been tracking it and last thing it said it had been passed to usps...so today we went to the post office to see what they could tell us....apparently it arrived in Chicago 1st june then went to Miami,then on the 6th june it arrived at Austin Texas sorting office...and that's as far as we have got...still not confirmed its been delivered....guy at post office said to look at it that's its been lost? so is wife in trouble now? and should we try again via fedex this time?