PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

Hussar — Sat Feb 25, 2012 7:45 pm

Author: Hussar

Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 7:45 pm

Debbie, good to see you're on here too. I did get a chance to ask today at PNC, not a good option. Edyta did tell me that it's more convenient to use 3rd party sources such as found in most Polish markets, PKO was the old way. I see many small stores advertising send money to various latin-american countries, so I'll have to keep my eyes open next time down Belmont Ave.

Sending Money to Poland

Polskamom — Fri Feb 24, 2012 5:53 pm

Author: Polskamom

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 5:53 pm

All correspondence to Polish archives can be in English but the reply will be in Polish. If their email looks garbled it is because CHARACTER ENCODING in your email program needs to be set on Unicode (UTF-. Do not ever expect the archives to respond in English. why should they? They're Polish! If someone wrote to you in Swahili, would you write back in that language?

Most U.S. banks do charge a high fee to wire transfer money to Poland. There are a couple of options:
US Money Express http://www.usmoneyexpress.com/
and Xoom.com http://www.usmoneyexpress.com/ charge lower fees than U.S. banks.

Western Union will not work for Polish archives and in fact will only work if the recipient lives in a big city.

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

Hussar — Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:27 pm

Author: Hussar

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:27 pm

I wanted to touch on several points here, Ola had mentioned Charter One bank in Illinois. I have one of my accounts there, nationally they are know as Citizen's Bank and internationally as Bank of Scotland. The international connection may be the key here. PNC had acquired a major bank chain in the Illinois Polish Community, one of their reps may be able to assist in how to avoid excessive fees. Another possibility is "Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union" with a branch in Chicago and in Norridge IL. They may have a way of sending funds to Poland and other central european countries that others don't (or won't)

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

Shellie — Thu Feb 23, 2012 8:14 pm

Author: Shellie

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 8:14 pm

Has anyone explored using Western Union to wire money? Not sure if the archives would accept that, or whether Western Union can wire money directly to a bank.......... I'm curious to know if it is possible....

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

James — Thu Feb 23, 2012 1:01 pm

Author: James

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 1:01 pm

arosen

That's GREAT !!!!!!!!!! I was not aware of this site, but then again I 'm not aware of a lot of things on-line
I'm sure that this will help many others.
Thanks again
James

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

arosen — Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:45 pm

Author: arosen

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:45 pm

Hi James,

I originally requested one record from the Polish State Archive and was quoted 2zl (or about 64 cents USD) for a scan. My bank was going to charge me $25 USD to wire the 64 cents, so I started looking at other options.

I found a site called xoom.com that only charged $4.99 USD for the wire, but I had to send a minimum of $25 USD. I decided this was a better option, but I didn't want the additional $24.36 USD I was wiring to go to waste, so I found some additional records of interest and added those to my request.

The Polish State Archive received my xoom.com transfer without incident and I was happy with my experience using xoom.com.

Hope this helps! Let me know if there is any other info I can provide.

Amy

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

James — Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:34 pm

Author: James

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:34 pm

Hello arosen,
Welcome to PO.

No need to be sorry for passing along research information to other members. That's one of the great things about PO, members helping members. Some members have years of research experience and others are just starting out and have little idea how to get started.

You mentioned that you "wired" money to a Polish Archive. Was it very expensive ? I live in West Virginia, and in 2003 I owed an archive $25.00 and the banks here wanted to charge me $50.00 to wire the money. The Polish archives did not accept Personal checks or certified checks. I found that out after mailing each to the archive and they returning them to me. Of course this was a very time consuming undertaking. (I ended up paying the archive when I visited Poland in 2006) The archive expected the fee to be deposited into the Polish Bank with the account number they provided. I've been looking for an inexpensive way for researchers in the USA to pay the archive fees. (Today I am fortunate that I have a good friend in Poland who I "Pay Pal" my money to, and he makes the bank deposits for me.)
I've been contacting archwium for over 20 years, before they were on-line, and you had to use the postal service. I had to wait up to 3-4 months just to get a reply concerning their fees, before they would begin a search, and then it was another 3-4- months or longer before receiving a reply with the info I requested, or that they did not have the information . So the internet has eliminated one road block in the time frame you had to wait, but now is there a less expensive way to send the money? Any thoughts and ideas would be appreciated by all.

Thanks
James

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

OlaH — Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:12 pm

Author: OlaH

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:12 pm

Hello everyone,
I have sent money to Poland via wire transfer many times over the last 5 years. I bank with Charter One Bank in Illinois. Last year I discovered an interesting fact about wire transfers: while sending payment in dollars costs me $35 per transaction, sending it Polish zloty costs only $10. I have sent Polish zloty ever since and have been charged $10 each time.

Ola

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

BobK — Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:54 pm

Author: BobK

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:54 pm

My bank was sold since the last time I used a wire transfer (they didn't change their name .. yet), and the friendly banker I dealt with is no longer there. AND their wire fees were raised to $60! No exceptions, even for 'good customers'!
No way I'm going to spend that for a $10 amount to be sent.

I remembered years ago, banks and Post Offices use to have "International" money orders. I've tried asking about them. The ones at the Post Offices are marked "Valid in U.S. Only"!! .. and my bank never heard of "international money order". I don't think I'll chance sending currency in the mail. I have NO idea who opens mail any bussiness mail.

I don't understand why personal checks, credit cards or even Paypal payments aren't accepted, I KNOW other people have done business overseas using those forms of payment. I think those archvies haven't gotten into the 21st century yet!

I'm going to give up dealing with overseas archives for a while and continue working with LDS microfilms until I hit a dead end.

Bob

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

Zenon — Fri Nov 19, 2010 8:02 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 8:02 am

Bob,

I think many of us are curious about continuation of your "bank story" . Have you been successful in sending them money Did your bank charge you for the transfer

Jozefs, who lives in Wloclawek and has great experience in genealogy research in this area, asked you what you are looking for. I am sure he might be helpful in this "Wloclawek part" of your research.

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

BobK — Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:31 pm

Author: BobK

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:31 pm

Jozefs - Thank you very much.

I will let the Archive know that they need to make it clearer for overseas customers and
their banks to understand what they are asking..

Dziękuję
Bob K.

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

jozefs — Sun Oct 03, 2010 10:40 am

Author: jozefs

Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 10:40 am

ARCHIWUM PAŃSTWOWE W TORUNIU - State Archives in Toruń
PL. (PLAC) RAPACKIEGO 4 - Rapackis SQUARE 4
NBP (Narodowy Bank Polski) - National Bank of Poland (Polish National Bank)
O/O (ODDZIAŁ OKRĘGOWY) - District Branch
BYDGOSZCZ - Bydgoszcz
PL - Polska

SWIFT: NBPLPLPW
IBAN: PL39101010780020461391500000

PLN Polish Zloty NEW (after denomination)

A czy możesz powiedzieć - czego szukasz?
And if you say youre looking for?

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

BobK — Sat Oct 02, 2010 4:39 pm

Author: BobK

Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 4:39 pm

Well... Sending money doesn't always go smoothly..

I learned that the Archives in Torun have Evangelical records (I.E. German Lutherans) from 1808 to 1908. And their fees look very good!..

I wrote to wloclawek@torun.ap.gov.pl in English and got a reply in Polish, it was 'garbled' due to the Polish letters not in the English alphabet, and google couldn't make any sense of it. But the attachement to the email came through, in Polish, just fine (that was the instructions of how to send thier down payment)

I wrote back that I couldn't understand the email translation due to the garbled letter and then they answered in English. Ok so far.

Then the fun began, I printed all the information they sent, went to my bank to send them their requested down payment (a mere 30 PLN (zloty, & 20z per hour of search & 2z per copy).. Anyway, the bank personal could not understand these instructions.

..... Searching documents start after the payment of initial charge 30,00 PLN (9,95 USD) to our
bank account: ARCHIWUM PAŃSTWOWE W TORUNIU, PL. RAPACKIEGO 4 NBP o/o.
Bydgoszcz PL 39 1010 1078 0020 4613 9150 0000 NBPLPLPW ....

I told them "NBP" was "National Bank Of Poland", "Bydgoszcz" was the city, "PL" was "Poland" .. But they claimed
that the numbers following were NOT the "Swift Code" or the "1 Ban" they needed. (I'm no banker & I didn't know what's needed)
They wrote what they wanted.

When I got home, I sent a request to Torun for better instructions for the Bank transfer. THEN I read the Torun Archive's web page (http://en.torun.ap.gov.pl/index.php?show=zasady ) and in that, the Account number is shown and described as their IBAN & BIC codes!!!

SO, I have to go back to my bank and train them about the "IBAN" (not the "1 Ban" she wrote!!) Perhaps this is why they don't charge wire fees - they don't know enough to charge

I would appreciate if someone can confirm my guess's: "NBP" *IS* the "National Bank Of Poland"? And explain please, what the "o/o" that they have between "NBP" & "Bydgoszca" means? (Google doesn't know.. But I'm guessing that it means "branch in the city of"). And "ARCHIWUM PAŃSTWOWE W TORUNIU, PL. RAPACKIEGO" Translated to "State Archives in Torun, PL. Rapacki"
What is "Rapacki" or "Rapackiego" ?? And while at it, what does "PLN" stand for? It's used interchangerbly with Zloty, so I assume
it's the same as when they use USD for "$" or Dollars

Dziękuję bardzo
Bob

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

BobK — Fri Sep 03, 2010 6:40 pm

Author: BobK

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 6:40 pm

They were payments to EZA. One for ~$130, and another for $40. Both from Portland Oregon, to EZA in Berlin Germany.

The bank is "US Bank". It's a bank in about half the states of the U.S. I don't know how big it is. When I sent the money,
I filled out the forms of the amount in Euro's. They looked it up and converted it to dollars, and it was taken from my checking
account. I never thought of asking why there was no fee involved.

When I've read what other's have been paying, I was in shock! ..

Bob

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

Zenon — Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:25 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:25 am

BobK wrote:

My bank, where I have a checking account, with enough to pay all our
bills (not trivial amt) ... has done two wire transfers for me for free (just
the cost of the amount sent)..

This is very interesting, Bob. Were these international or domestic (within the US) wire transfers I think many of our readers would be also interested in the name of your bank .

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

sheep17 — Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:45 pm

Author: sheep17

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:45 pm

Hmm, Bob,

I have accounts in both banks - seems to me
I like your bank better!

Sheep17

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

BobK — Fri Aug 20, 2010 10:10 pm

Author: BobK

Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 10:10 pm

noolvido wrote:

..... Questions:
1) What are the logistics of wiring the money? Any bank will do it? They've asked for 120 PL....about $40?

.......
Thanks......

My bank, where I have a checking account, with enough to pay all our
bills (not trivial amt) ... has done two wire transfers for me for free (just
the cost of the amount sent)..

Bob K.

Re: Sending $ to State Archives

sheep17 — Fri Aug 20, 2010 4:34 pm

Author: sheep17

Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 4:34 pm

Hi,
I recently wired $25 (US) to the Archives account in Gdansk through my bank -
the bank fee for sending the money was $35. My other bank would have cost $44.
I googled the exchange rate so I would know how much money needed to be sent.

I have a grt-g'mother whose name was Mary Kaczmarek. Her mother married again, after her father's death, so although Mary is Kaczmarek - her parents surname is Pianoski. That may be the case with your ancestor also.

It was not unusual for more than one daughter in a family to enter the same convent.
Hope this helps ----
Sheep17

Sending $ to State Archives

noolvido — Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:38 am

Author: noolvido

Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:38 am

I was excited to receive a reply from the state archives of Rszezow with success at finding one family with my ancestor's surname. Questions:
1) What are the logistics of wiring the money? Any bank will do it? They've asked for 120 PL....about $40?

2) This is a bit of a gamble since there was only one mention of the town of Nienadowka in my g'father's research. It was in his naturalization papers as his place of birth. The archives said they found one family with the DEC surname ....parents name of Chorzepa. Why would his name be different than his parents?

3) Census records indicate several names of Chorzepa under a listing of the Sisters of Resurrection in Chicago. Anyone have an idea what that might mean? Earlier I found a Mary Dec having come here and changed her name to Sister something at a convent. Not sure if this is all connected but it's taking a totally different path. Anyone know what connection the nuns had to immigrants around 1909-ish? I thought my g'father's mother might have been a single mother and coming to the convent to have her baby. But there are many people listed in the convent with the name Chorzepa. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Thanks......