Best/cheapest way to mail things to South America?

[LoveinPeru 2]

I was wondering what mail carriers you guys have used to mail the visa stuff to your fiance's in South America (Peru, specifically).

I want to keep in mind speed as well as price. I've used FedEx there once and paid $90 for quick shipping and it ended up taking 2 weeks (missort)!.

[JoyDee 21]

Not Peru, but... I just sent to Haiti using DHL. It was $54 for an envelope and it was there in two days. I had it held for pick-up instead of delivery because I didn't want it on the streets and addresses are not very accurate anyway. Though he had to travel four hours to the capital, my fiance picked it up from the DHL center with no problems.

[corazónENparaguay 46]

Size and weight of the package drives most of the cost, so I'm not sure how to judge the $90 you spent.

I've used this service a couple of times: http://www.ipsparcel.com/index.cfm

And when pricing around they always came out cheaper.

I've sent a 12x12x12 package (about 5 lbs) for a little over $100, and just recently a document envelope (2-3 day service) for under $40 with a coupon.

I hope that helps.

[max+patricia 24]

My fiancee and I sent letters back and forth via Fedex earlier in our relationship - something like $70 each way. Never had any problems.

I'm planning on taking the documents for the visa with me to Venezuela, rather than shipping them. If you're attending the interview at the embassy with your fiancee, IMHO, that'd probably be the best way to go about it.

[saradaniel09 0]

In early December, I went to a local shipping store to send a package to my fiance in Peru. I asked to send the package with Fedex. My total was about $80 and the lady gave me a tracking number and I was on my way. Later, when I was looking at the receipt I realized she sent it through USPS. I spent over a month fighting over that package. The tracking number only tracked the initial movement of the package and it was completely lost in the system after that. No one I called or emailed knew where the package was or how to help me, even though it was insured. My fiance didn't receive the package until late January. That being said, I would never recommend sending a package with USPS to Peru. In my opinion, cheaper isn't better with shipping, especially important things.

[Mile High Flyer 0]

I've always used the United States Postal Service to mail things to my fiancée in Peru, usually just letters, birthday cards, and some small gifts. Of the 20 or so times that I've sent things to Peru via USPS, the stuff I mailed didn't make it there twice.

If you're just sending important paperwork via USPS, I'd recommend that you send it as registered mail with a return receipt to give you some piece of mind. If you do that and send it First-Class International (takes about 2 weeks to get there), you'd likely pay less than $20. I did that once with an important anniversary gift that I made and sent to Peru, and it cost me about $15.

[TBoneTX 43,048]

I used FedEx once, and it was a disaster, si man. DHL was much better (which isn't saying much, no man).

Check in regard to what Peru considers to be "dutiable." Ecuador considers immigration paperwork to be taxable. Be careful of what you put on the airbill as to "contents of package."

[Alianza Terps 12]

I was wondering what mail carriers you guys have used to mail the visa stuff to your fiance's in South America (Peru, specifically).

I want to keep in mind speed as well as price. I've used FedEx there once and paid $90 for quick shipping and it ended up taking 2 weeks (missort)!.

To Peru, I recommend using DHL. I sent documents with DHL and it cost between $90-100 and arrived in 2-3 days. You can track it the whole way (from anywhere in the US to anywhere within Peru). If there are any problems with the address or reaching the actual person that the documents are meant for, they will either return the following day or you can request to pick up the package at the nearest DHL office in Peru.

[sus 70]

Look at Aeropost - they have locations in Peru. I use them to Jamaica - they are fast, reliable, and inexpensive compared to the traditional shipping costs.

http://www.aeropost.com/aise/apnetwork.htm

[REINITA♥REY 8]

I was wondering what mail carriers you guys have used to mail the visa stuff to your fiance's in South America (Peru, specifically).

I want to keep in mind speed as well as price. I've used FedEx there once and paid $90 for quick shipping and it ended up taking 2 weeks (missort)!.

The things I sent USPS never arrived....they are lost somewhere in Serpost. DHL has worked perfectly...2-4 days...$100 for 4lbs...from here to Peru. From Peru to here was $50 for an envelope with documents.

[LoveinPeru 2]

Thanks for your replies. Now I'm worried cuz I sent it USPS express. After looking in to DHL and FedEx it was going to be more than $200, which I just couldn't afford! I have a copy of everything in the package, so if worse comes to worse I'll shell out the $200 and mail it DHL (but the originals would be lost in the first package). Man, with all this post expenses I feel like I'm better off just buying a plane ticket and flying myself down to Peru with the papers!

[Indy90 21]

I have always used USPS when shipping things to Ecuador. In Ecuador, USPS contracts with the national (government owned) Correos del Ecuador to deliver things once they get to Ecuador, and I have never had a problem. I have sent things probably 100 times to Ecuador, including several digital cameras, jewelry for my wife, a Nintendo Wii and never had a problem. I did, however, once have to pay an import fee when I sent a Nintendo Wii fit, because it weighed too much.

However, I would not recommend sending valuable items from Ecuador using the national postal service. Twice, despite my wife sending documents certified, they lost documents when they decided to send things through Columbia first. I think this seriously delayed our case by a couple of months. I also tried to send several pairs of shoes and a digital camera to Spain. The shoes and digital camera cables arrived, but the digital camera had been stolen.

Basically, I think USPS is a great option if you are willing to wait a little longer (about a 6-8 days to get to Quito, Ecuador, I imagine it is similar for other Latin American countries, you are sending letters and you trust the postal system that USPS contracts with. This probably varies by country. Personally, I would never send a letter by Fedex etc. for $50 when it costs $0.98 to send a letter via USPS.

[missouriviaperu 1]

I've always used USPS to send docs to Peru..worked out perfectly well! Much cheaper than the alternatives. Whenever she sent stuff to me it was FedEx.

[Peter&Jaime 1]

The things I sent USPS never arrived....they are lost somewhere in Serpost. DHL has worked perfectly...2-4 days...$100 for 4lbs...from here to Peru. From Peru to here was $50 for an envelope with documents.

I agree don't use USPS. None of the smaller things letters and post cards arrived. Most of my larger packages arrived, but sometimes my relatives had to go to inquire about the package at serpost. Use DHL or UPS its more expensive but you can track your packages and personally I would rather pay more and be sure the documents got where I needed them to go.

[missouriviaperu 1]

I agree don't use USPS. None of the smaller things letters and post cards arrived. Most of my larger packages arrived, but sometimes my relatives had to go to inquire about the package at serpost. Use DHL or UPS its more expensive but you can track your packages and personally I would rather pay more and be sure the documents got where I needed them to go.

...come to think of it. Only a small fraction of my letters/postcards ever arrived using USPS, 25-30% at best. The one time I paid more (~$30) for some docs (for my mother in law's tourist visa interview). USPS delivered it, but because no adults were home to sign for the package it was sent back to the airport. I ended up just sending her scanned copies of the docs..but if it's very important I would agree to send it using Fedex or DHL.