Sending/Receiving Mail and Packages in Spain

...if you're expecting a parcel from home, double or triple the normal expected time, although it should eventually arrive."

Posted by The Expatriator

Tagged: living, mail, customs, fedex, mrw, ups, correos, package, post, express

Information on sending packages and mail home, particularly to the USA and Canada. Shares the generally negative experiences with the postal service in Spain and how to avoid these problems in the future.

Remember that stores with the big brown-and-yellow “tabaco” signs are estancos, and all estancos sell stamps (same price as the post office). Los Correos is the name for the Spanish mail system.

USA: Mail from the USA generally takes about 7-10 days (although recently I received a package after only 4 days). For express delivery from the USA, don’t use FedEx. They don’t have offices here, so they pass it on to MRW, who can take 3 days just within Spain! Using the regular post office’s Priority/Express mail is cheaper and faster. Another alternative is UPS (phone: 900 10 24 10)—they got a document from Sevilla to Manhattan (door-to-door) in 23 hours.

Canada: I’ve had few packages sent without problems. Customs have held packages for weeks, sometimes threatening to send it home or destroy it, only to complete the delivery later anyway. One of the packages sent to me was returned to the sender, utterly shredded and destroyed having fallen victim to customs’ curiousity over one package of gummy bears. The contents were worth hundreds of dollars and there was ultimately no compensation.

Also, do not send vitamins, although prescription drugs seem to cross the borders without difficulty. If you can buy it in Spain: do so. Shipping charges, at least across the Atlantic, can be horrific.

Ultimately, expect problems in either direction; if you’re expecting a parcel from home, double or triple the normal expected time, although it should eventually arrive. Don’t send anything important home using the regular Spanish mail system. Things seem to get lost quite often. If you do, ensure it’s certificado for the extra 5€ or so. Try UPS or the Priority/Express mail.

Fragiles and breakables: the Spanish Correos do not offer any type of fragile handling service, so you either package up your breakable materials to the nth degree and risk it, or send it via UPS or another private courier.

Last updated 15 06 2006


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04/Feb/2010:
Citibox said:

One of our customers eventually received his credit card posted from New York. It was the third one sent so the previous two had to be cancelled. It was posted on 11 December 2009 and arrived on 12 January 2010.

Another customer has just imported baby clothes from Florida. The Spanish Customs charged €370 (Euros) on a shipment costing $1150(USD)because they add the cost of the FedEx shipment to the cost of the clothes, then they add duty, then they add IVA to the whole amount. On top of the cost of the clothes she paid 25% shipment and 31% tax.

For advice to marcus.sherwin25, if there is a customs bill, your postman will try and collect from you in cash. However, non-registered post means that they will steal the parcel and you won't see it. US mail can be sent to the Citibox UK Address in Spain from where it will be brought by truck (avoiding Correos) to your local Citibox for collection.

 
28/Jan/2010:
marcus.sherwin25 said:

I'm due to recieve a parcel from new york here in spain. When it was posted i was told it would take a week however over 15 days later and still nothing. Can anyone tell me if a parcel gets stopped by customs how long should it be before i would hear from them? Or also where or who to contact about lost post? I have been to the local post office but they have told me they cant find out anything as theres no tracking number on it.

 
26/Oct/2009:
ashr said:

I just received a package from my sister -in-law in the usa. Craft stuff, streamers, paper etc for Halloween party. Total Cost at Target 100$.
Shipping 130$. Customs Tarrif? 200 Euros!!!!
What the hell, and now they don't want to release it because the "candy" is "food". It would be cheaper just to fly to US and bring things back on my own.

 
19/Sep/2009:
Citibox said:

In my experience post from Spain to the UK is reliable up to a point. I sent a present to a niece and if got trapped in the UK sorting office for two months. Post inwards to Spain does not work, everyone knows that. Couriers can be expensive but citibox.es gets around this problem and is the only reliable way of sending and receiving parcels in Spain because it excludes Correos and costs less than Royal Mail or Correos.

 
30/Jul/2008:
carmenes said:

If you want to send letters to the UK, why not use Viapost (http://www.viapost.com). You send the letter directly from your computer, complete by-passing the Spanish postal system, and it will be delivered in 3 working days by Royal Mail.

I have sent 3 test letters and all arrived successfully. Currently only works for sending to the UK, but I think they have plans to expand to the US, etc.

Carmenes

 
06/Aug/2007:
The Expatriator's avatar The Expatriator said:

Jesse, if you mean to send by regular correos then use the link provided by big brian below. Othwrwise just call dhl or ups and ask them to give you a quote. Their websites will tell you this too.

Los correos will be cheaper but slower, my last box sent home with them arrived broken with missing contents. Then again, I also marked it fragile which, as I hear, is like a dare.

 
05/Aug/2007:
Jesse said:

I am trying to figure out how to send a 50 pound suitcase/contents to the states and for how much...any advice??
Thanks so much
Jesse

 
09/Sep/2006:
The Expatriator's avatar The Expatriator said:

Hi Marion,
I'd say anywhere from 4 to 8 business days to send mail to the US. I have no experience sending to the UK, but would imagine you could cut that in half, plus one.

The fastest is to send by courier though. I have no experience with sending letters by express through the Correos. Go in and ask them "cual seria la manera mas rapida para enviar un sobre a los estados unidos?" (may not be perfect, but they should be able to explain what method is fastest for you)

 
08/Sep/2006:
marion said:

Hello,
I'm new in Spain and i'm located in Barcelona, i want to send out a letter to my friends & family in U.S.A and U.K, please how many days will it take the letter to get to the U.S & U.K?? And what is the fastest mail system i can use besides courier and what are the prices too.. I would really appreciate an answer soon.
Marion

 
18/May/2006:
prisant said:

Note: UPS has a new number: 902-888 820. Their US rate for a simple document (envelope) is € 38.087. Best rate to US now appears to be DHL: €33.60 (to Atlanta Georgia)

 
28/Apr/2006:
The Expatriator's avatar The Expatriator said:

BigBrian: Thanks for the link, that's some good information!

Bryan: I've moved your comment from the taxes page to this page about sending mail to Spain. In my experience, yes, you will have to pay import duties on that item since it's new. If it were a used item I believe you wouldn't have to pay customs duties on it, but I could be wrong.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to stop by the local Correos and ask them about this (and if/when you do, stop back here and let us know what they say!).

 
28/Apr/2006:
Bryan said:

I just joined today, so I'm not sure if this is the right place for a question... (If not, please advise.) My question is : I want to buy a digital camera in New York. The dealer there will gladly ship it to me here in Spain, BUT WILL I BE LIABLE FOR ANY IMPORT DUTIES OR EXCISE TAXES HERE IN SPAIN?

 
12/Apr/2006:
BigBrian said:

The costs of sending letters and parcels etc, for 2006 are in the Correos web-site at this address. It is in Spanish but easy to understand with a dictionary.
See here for these costs

Always send valuable/important items "certificado"

 
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