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
If you find this site helpful, please leave a donation for us. This will encourage us to remove ads, keep responding to your questions and add more great information about living in Spain to SpainExpat.com.
Expat Talkback
Make your comments about this article here. They may also be edited for poor grammar/spelling as may be necessary for readability.
If you'd like to ask a question for discussion, please mosey on over to the Spain Forum. Be sure to stick around and participate with what you can! See our posting rules and instructions here.
Sign-In using OpenID
or sign-in with your SpainExpat username to post your comments and questions about this article. See the SpainExpats box on the left.
If you're not a SpainExpat member yet, sign-up now, it's free and we'll keep you in touch with goings on around here. See the SpainExpats box on the left.
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.