When my grandmother wanted to request a few birth and marriage certificates from France, the first question she had was how much do I send them and in what currency? Most genealogists face this at some point in their research, when their family tree branches out to another country. Most online Web sites and certificate ordering services will accept credit card payments, which makes all of the currency conversion easy. But what about paying for a certificate from a local records office, sending a donation to a small parish church, or paying for the services of a genealogist in another country? Credit card payments are generally easiest for the sender, but not always an option.

Will the recipient accept PayPal? Paypal has become a popular service for sending and receiving international payments, although you'll want to offer to pay the additional fees required to cover the currency conversion. Such a transaction isn't instantaneous, but can usually be completed within 24 hours or so.

Head to your local Post Office. The Post Office is generally the cheapest place to purchase an International Money Order (in the U.S. it costs only $3.85). If you're sending only a small amount of money, such as to cover return postage or copying costs, or to make a small donation, then International Reply Coupons offer an easy solution. You can buy them the Post Office in countries which are part of the Universal Postal Union, and the recipient can redeem them for stamps or postage at a post office in their country. The redemption amount varies by country, so ask at the Post Office how many to purchase to ensure that your recipient recieves the required amount after conversion. A few Post Office locations will also allow you to wire money internationally (for a fee, of course!).

Check with your local bank. Most offer several different methods for sending and receiving international payments. Some banks can handle instant money transfers, but the fees for this are usually higher than for other methods. You may also be able to send a foreign bank draft, or purchase an International Money Order. Some places will accept personal checks drawn in your local currency from your own bank. Use a currency conversion site to figure out how much to send in your currency. You may also need to pay an extra fee to cover the recipient's bank charges.

Use an online currency service such as International Currency Express to make an international wire transfer or purchase a foreign bank draft. These often charge a flat fee that can be expensive for small payments, but can be useful for larger payments or for when you don't have time to get to your bank or the post office.

Some people choose to send cash. You'll want to ask the sender if they'll accept cash in your currency. If not, you'll have to convert the cash locally before you put it in the mail. Sending cash through the mail is very risky, however, and in some countries actually illegal. If you do choose to send cash, I would recommend paying to register and insure the letter.