Sending original documents from Sardinia: what actually works, tested
At some point a form, a signed contract or a document a bank insists on having in original will need to leave Sardinia — and a scan won't do. Here's what that actually costs and takes, from a real shipment, not a price list.
One real shipment, three real prices
We sent original documents from MBE in Alghero (Via XX Settembre 73) to Warsaw on a Wednesday, dropped off around 10:00.
| Courier | Price quoted | What we chose |
|---|---|---|
| FedEx | ~€30 | cheaper option |
| DHL Express | ~€50 | what we sent it with |
| UPS | highest of the three | not quoted exactly, noticeably more than DHL |
Delivery: arrived in Warsaw on Friday — two working days, door to door, as promised at the counter. For anything with a real deadline, that timing held.
We chose DHL over the cheaper FedEx mainly on the desk clerk's recommendation for that specific route and day — this is exactly the kind of local knowledge MBE is worth the visit for. If the fare difference matters to you, ask directly at the counter which service is fastest and most reliable to your destination that week; it can vary.
Why MBE rather than doing it yourself
MBE (and similar shipping-agent shops) sell space on DHL, UPS, FedEx and others under one roof, and — more importantly — a person fills in the paperwork and packs it for you. For a first-time international document shipment, that is the difference between fifteen calm minutes and an anxious afternoon. You walk in with the documents and the recipient's address, you walk out with a tracking number.
If you'd rather book directly, DHL and UPS both take shipments online with home pickup or drop-off at a point — but the in-person route is worth the small premium the first time.
Before you seal the envelope — five minutes that matter
- Scan or photograph every page, even if it must be the original. If it goes missing, the scan is your basis for a replacement and proof of exactly what you sent.
- Put a second slip inside with sender and recipient address and phone number. If the label comes off in transit, this is the only thing that gets the parcel anywhere.
- Choose signature on delivery, not "leave at door".
- Declare the contents honestly — for most personal paperwork, "documenti, senza valore commerciale" (documents, no commercial value) is the standard, correct phrasing.
- Give both an Italian and a destination-country phone number — couriers call ahead before delivery, and a reachable number prevents a missed attempt.
The one question that can save you the whole shipment
Before you courier anything, ask: does the recipient actually need this specific piece of paper, or would a fresh copy do? Many official documents — certificates, extracts, statements — can be reissued by the office that produces them, sometimes remotely or through a proxy in the destination country. If that's true for your document, ordering a new copy is usually cheaper and safer than shipping the only one you have across Europe.
Save the courier — and the real risk of loss — for documents that are genuinely irreplaceable: notarised deeds, apostilled originals, diplomas.
What to say at the counter
"Buongiorno, devo spedire dei documenti originali. Vorrei una spedizione con tracciamento e firma alla consegna. Quanto costa e quanti giorni ci vogliono?" (I need to send original documents. I'd like tracked shipping with signature on delivery. How much does it cost and how many days will it take?)
If asked about the value of the contents: "documenti, senza valore commerciale".
The honest limit of insurance here
Couriers cap liability for documents at close to nothing — there's no resale value to insure against. What you're actually paying for is tracking, speed and a signature, not compensation if something is genuinely lost. The real protection is the scan you took before sealing the envelope, and knowing whether the document can be reissued.
Based on our own shipment from MBE Alghero, September 2026. Prices and transit times vary by route, season and courier capacity — confirm current rates at the counter. This is a practical account, not a guarantee of any specific price or delivery time.