Packages sent to Spain

Hello everyone, I'm hoping someone can give me some info here....My brother is studying in Spain and I sent him a care package a few weeks ago through US Mail. It was only supposed to take 5-10 days to arrive according to the Post Office. My question is, Is it typical to get a package stuck in customs for a while or is the spanish mail pretty slow? Has anyone had any experience sending a package to Spain. I'm hoping things just take a while with their system because if not that means it is lost! Any info you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I would like to say thanks to all the regulars here who gave me advice for my trip a few months ago. I had a wonderful time. Thanks.

Sending regular letter via air mail takes around 5 days. Whenever I send a package to Spain via U.S. Postal mail, I used the Global Priority Mail Service which costs $9.00 (not more than 2lbs). It usually takes 5 days. The post office requires a form to declare what is inside the package. There could be custom processing which could cause delay of your package.

Welcome back, Jaime! You sent it from the USA so it could take up to 2 weeks. I would be SHOCKED if it would make it in as little as 5-days! I absolutely hate sending packages to Spain. Not sure if they've cleaned up their act (improved their service), but they have been notorious for being painfully slow, losing packages, and so on. Out of the 5 years I sent gifts during Christmas (early December, not late December), 2 years out of 5 my gifts were lost forever. I could only suspect that someone in the postal department was enjoying the presents I sent and gave them to his/her kids that Christmas.

The way the address is written is very important too. I hope you addressed it in the Spanish format. Sometimes, I believe, the less-than-obvious addressed packages/letters get thrown into a "oh, I'll check them later" pile and are never seen again. OR, the box may arrive to its destination looking like they played basketball with it, all torn, smashed, mangled.

Sorry to paint a dark picture, but I've had such back luck sending packages to Spain. Hope your luck is better. Let us know how it went. Anyone else have similar "SENT TO SPAIN" experiences?

Saludos, MadridMan

I've never(knock on wood) had bad luck yet w/ sending packages to Spain. 10 days-2 wks is about right. By sending the package at a "book rate", you will be charged less. Just make sure in the declaration statement you put books as one of the contents and just hope it isn't opened. Last year I was sending various things over-cds, pictures and some other stuff and it was going to be around $11, and when I asked how much it would be with the book rate, it came to $6, so I said, "OK, I'll send it book rate", and the postal worker could care less.

My package was fairly heavy, it was supposed to take 5-10 days but the US postal service says once it gets out of the country its not their problem. It cost $25 already for the medium priced shipping so I decided not to send global priority. Now I'm regretting it because if I would have they would have had a way to track it. So its been 19 days, should I assume its gone? Thanks everyone.

I have sent lots of packages to Spain and received many while in Spain from the US. I would say that 2 weeks is the norm. Wait 3-4 weeks if it was sent standard air mail to really get worried. If you send it on the boat (cheapest way) expect to wait a couple of months. I had a package that took literally 3 months to find my door in Spain (Madrid). It was mailed airmail but went by boat instead! But generally speaking, 2 weeks is pretty normal for a small package.

Leche

I'm afraid to say the Spanish mail system is quite slow.

Just a piece of advice: state clearly the postal code, otherwise, the package will take even longer to arrive.

Good luck,

Antonio

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I agree with Leche and Antonio. One Christmas my gifts to Spain were late because the package took ONE MONTH to arrive. I sent them on December 5th and they arrived on January 5th. They were late for Christmas day, but made it in time for Magic Kings Day (is this correctly worded? I don't recall). This may have been due, in part, to the greatly increased mail "traffic" during the holiday.

Saludos, MadridMan

MadridMan,
In English January 6 is refered to as Epiphany, so the word for word translantion from Los Reyes Magos to "The Magic Kings" would be off the mark. Los Reyes Magos refers to the three wisemen. I hope you were not using one of those online translation sites that gives less than perfect translations.Although, the Magic Kings did a great version of Bamboleo, hehehe.

Hmmm... My madrileña ladyfriend always called it "Magic Kings" in English and yes, they are the 3 wise men. Must have been her direct translation that confused me. And your comment about "The Magic Kings" making "Bamboleo" is "off the mark" too (unless you were joking). I think you were referring to the Gipsy Kings. hehehe...

Jaime, hope they get your packages soon!!

Saludos, MadridMan

MM-A Mago is a wizard...I believe the translation goes that way in Spain since they were "exotic kings from the east" and most likely the perception of those places was one of mystery, as is the perception of a wizard. Obviously, though, the translation to contemporary English would be the "wise men".

On the flip side of this topic: DO NOT send packages from Spain to the US unless you are independently wealthy. I sent some odds and ends back in '95 (classroom realia, posters, cheesy stuff...) and paid about $30, for mostly paper goods! ¡Correos a la porra! Everything everybody else has said seems to be the norm...I just wanted to vent on Correos!

I thinkk that in English it would be 3 Kings Day, but not sure. Yes, I know it is called epiphany, but if one were to translate it from the Spanish, it might be 3 kings. Why don't we just call it los reyes magos!?

[This message has been edited by Jen (edited 11-08-2000).]

Actually, I believe the actual day is called "Epiphany" in English, meaning "the 12th day". Can anyone verify that? I'm not catholic... I was just working on the "reyes magos" translation...

Thanks everyone for your responses. I feel a least a little bit hopeful that it may get there someday(hopefully before my brother leaves Spain). Besides the whole mail thing, which he has had other problems with, he's getting pretty impatient with alot of the government agencies and police station, responsible for stuff like renewing visas and paperwork. Basically everyone tells him something different(even various workers at the same station). According to him, Spain is an amazingly beautiful country but anything to do with govt. operations is back in the stone ages. Does anyone else share this sentiment? Thanks again.

I've never had a problem sending packages to Spain.
For those sending x-mas gifts, you should chek with the post office here for the deadline (some time in November for packages), or they won't make it on time for x-mas.
Also, when you fill the customs form, make sure you make the value of your package less than $50.00 (unless you are insuring it). That way you won't have to pay customs(IVA), or have them mess with your package at all.

By the way, it is called three kings day.
Angela

Just an update on the Spain's mail system. Today, 11/13/00 received an e-mail from my daughter that she received the package I mailed last 11/6/00 via Global Priority. The package was mailed from Arlington, VA to Madrid 28008. I paid $9.00+. Does delivery depend where it it going in Spain. I have mailed her 2 packages via Global Priority and both packages she received within the expected delivery period.

lots of good advice here...

as many say, state clearly WHAT your parcel contains and the value... if you are sending a chunk of gold then don't say that.. je je..

i you are sending coffee or chocolate expect a delay as those are often used to conceal drugs (they throw off dogs..)

my father and mother had sent me packages to madrid and they took a month via sea... they were just sweaters and clothes and it was not urgent to have them via air, but you should not expect to receive packages quickly...

one time i had a parcel overnighted to me in madrid and it took almost one week, due to a saint's day and then puente... sort of a bummer!

¡OJO! - insurance is almost WORTHLESS - just try to recover lost parcel value, it is nearly impossible, even with USMAIL.

Last Christmas my mom sent me a package from Canada(well she sent it at the end of October), and it took THREE months to get here(Madrid).
I called the nearest post office(to my address) to ask if it was there(TWICE, in december and january) and they assured me that it wasn´t. But in January i went there anyways and yup, it was there.....dunno how long it was there...pero bueno.
So.... i suggest telling your friend to check out his nearest post office...
good luck...

Hi everyone, I just thought I'd give an update on the package situation. First of all, I declared everything inside meticulously and there was no chocolate or coffee, although, because it was on the heavier side with a variety of contents maybe they opened it up anyways.

My brother lives right next to the P.O. in Salamanca and has gone there a couple times to see if they were holding it, but nothing.

Oh well, I guess he won't be getting his X-Mas presents for another year because I am afraid to send anything.

Muchas Gracias por todas las respuestas!!

Hi everyone, I just thought I'd give an update on the package situation. First of all, I declared everything inside meticulously and there was no chocolate or coffee, although, because it was on the heavier side with a variety of contents maybe they opened it up anyways.

My brother lives right next to the P.O. in Salamanca and has gone there a couple times to see if they were holding it, but nothing.

Oh well, I guess he won't be getting his X-Mas presents for another year because I am afraid to send anything.

Muchas Gracias por todas las respuestas!!

Hi everyone, I just thought I'd give an update on the package situation. First of all, I declared everything inside meticulously and there was no chocolate or coffee, although, because it was on the heavier side with a variety of contents maybe they opened it up anyways.

My brother lives right next to the P.O. in Salamanca and has gone there a couple times to see if they were holding it, but nothing.

Oh well, I guess he won't be getting his X-Mas presents for another year because I am afraid to send anything.

Muchas Gracias por todas las respuestas!!

[originally posted by Jaime...]

I am soooo happy. My brother finally received his package in Salamanca!! It took a couple months instead of five days but it got there. Thanks to everyone that gave me all the great replies in the previous post.

Does anyone have any detailed information on how to fill out the customs stickers when shipping stuff from the US, in particular, on how to assess the value of items for customs? I will send over some of my personal belongings and have no clear idea on how to assess the values of my used books, clothes etc.