International Post

[Chet]

Are all these horror stories just packages or do it also happen with letters? I have been in the habit for years of having my mail packaged up and sent to me in various corners of the world. Most of the time the local post office just delivers it, once in a while I have to go pick up at customs. Deliver times usually total less than two weeks. Will this method work for Argentina? If not would something like fed ex or dhl work better?
I don't get a lot of mail that needs forwarding but you know how it is, at least once a year you need tax documents and stuff - those getting 'classified' for months could be a huge problem.

 

[Gringoboy]

We've got Argentine friends who are on holiday in the US and boy do they have a whopping great shopping list!
Their return flights are to Montevideo, so that they can drive back in the hope of avoiding restrictions at Ezeiza.
We missed their shopping list, but I'll be following their progress.

 

[johnw100]

Are all these horror stories just packages or do it also happen with letters? I have been in the habit for years of having my mail packaged up and sent to me in various corners of the world. Most of the time the local post office just delivers it, once in a while I have to go pick up at customs. Deliver times usually total less than two weeks. Will this method work for Argentina? If not would something like fed ex or dhl work better?
I don't get a lot of mail that needs forwarding but you know how it is, at least once a year you need tax documents and stuff - those getting 'classified' for months could be a huge problem.

Never had problems with letters or basically anything that can fit into a letterbox. Have been sent 20 or so and not lost any. One even arrived after being sent to India by mistake!

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Letters seem to be ok, opened a Chase account last month when i was travelling through the US and the Debit Card made it's way down to us in just under 3 weeks. Sent direct from Chase in Miami to BA.

On the other hand the Irish ambassador told me they sent out hundreds of invites to the St Paddys day embassy bash and only limited percentage arrived.

 

[ARbound]

Letters *seem* to be ok. I had a 8.5 x 14 "letter" (it was filled with docs, new debit card, a game, iPhone cable etc") an they opened it up but still came within 5 days because it was tracked.

Typical AFIP/Correo didn't give a shit enough to even try to reseal it, but unlike my Chinese package it actually came.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Letters *seem* to be ok. I had a 8.5 x 14 "letter" (it was filled with docs, new debit card, a game, iPhone cable etc") an they opened it up but still came within 5 days because it was tracked.

Typical AFIP/Correo didn't give a shit enough to even try to reseal it, but unlike my Chinese package it actually came.

My letter "arrived"

Your "letter" was in fact a package or parcel by the sounds of it.

It was a mistake to be sending a debit card in with a lot of games, cables and other stuff which would arouse the suspicions of the aduana people. Chase who seem to know the score send their letters down in here in plain white unmarked envelopes. You need to learn to manage risk & your expectation. Debit cards not sent from a bank should be sent via Fedex or the equivalent, in a plain enough envelop with nothing to arouse the interest of the clowns and thieves in aduana.

Personally I don't bother with international post, after one bad experience I don't expect stuff to arrive now. I would only expect documents to make it through via courier untouched.

 

[johnw100]

Letters *seem* to be ok. I had a 8.5 x 14 "letter" (it was filled with docs, new debit card, a game, iPhone cable etc") an they opened it up but still came within 5 days because it was tracked.

Typical AFIP/Correo didn't give a shit enough to even try to reseal it, but unlike my Chinese package it actually came.

We bought a large painting from China (rolled canvas) it was cheap and arrived in less than 2 weeks, but It actually cost more to pick it up from AFIP than what its total worth on ebay inc postage! Now we dont bother with anything apart from letter post internationally. Even internal post is a hit and miss affair. Bought plenty off mercadolibre and i`d say half of all purchases has been grief. Either turned up broken due to poor packaging, wrong item or lost. Shocking.

 

[ARbound]

To clarify my one 14"x8.5" letter was mainly filled with paper but some other things too, which is why I think it still came on time.

The package, from China, is less than 1lb and has been in Argentina for 55 days "EN PROCESO DE CLASIFICACIÓN".

When I went to Correo Argentinos down @ Retiro they said "blah blah blah it's at some facility in Provincia, wait for your
slip".

 

[EdRooney]

Not to play Captain Sunshine, but to me this is essentially the same thread as the one about the dude who got crappy service at the pizza joint. There are first world conveniences that I just don't expect to get down here, notably smiling TGIF waiters and a decent postal system.

I have folks in Europe and the US who inevitably want to send me things thinking that it will be like the facile process they are accustomed to up north, but fortunately I've been able to dissuade about 94% of them from even trying. It's just not worth the bother and investment to have that tin of maple syrup or Aunt Rooney's latest crochet creation. Not that in an ideal world I wouldn't like to have those things mailed to my doorstep, but I personally find the advantages of living here outweigh those inconveniences, and furthermore I have better steel walls to bang my head against than the one at Correo Central.

That said, one irony is that some of my friends in the US who want to send me stuff are also of the political bent pushing for defunding and privatisation of the US postal system, just as was done here. Go figure.

 

[Chet]

Not to play Captain Sunshine, but to me this is essentially the same thread as the one about the dude who got crappy service at the pizza joint. There are first world conveniences that I just don't expect to get down here, notably smiling TGIF waiters and a decent postal system.

I have folks in Europe and the US who inevitably want to send me things thinking that it will be like the facile process they are accustomed to up north, but fortunately I've been able to dissuade about 94% of them from even trying. It's just not worth the bother and investment to have that tin of maple syrup or Aunt Rooney's latest crochet creation. Not that in an ideal world I wouldn't like to have those things mailed to my doorstep, but I personally find the advantages of living here outweigh those inconveniences, and furthermore I have better steel walls to bang my head against than the one at Correo Central.

That said, one irony is that some of my friends in the US who want to send me stuff are also of the political bent pushing for defunding and privatisation of the US postal system, just as was done here. Go figure.

Well I have lived in many places, the most fun was Costa Rica where they don't even have street addresses. I concur that packages are generally not a good idea, most anywhere. But we do need papers passed around sometimes and it is good to hear the basic letter system is pretty reasonable. Thanks to all who replied.