5 Helpful Tips for Sending Holiday Presents Overseas

As the holidays near, there are many of us who will be shipping gifts to family members or friends who are either living abroad or stationed at a US Military Base overseas. In addition to the requirements involved in sending a package overseas, there are some special requirements if you are shipping a package to a military base in a foreign country. Here are some tips and references to help you with your international shipments.

5 Tips for Shipping Overseas

*If you know that you are going to be shipping a gift overseas, select your gifts with that in mind. Smaller items such as gift cards or phone cards, light weight items like jewelry, and non fragile items like books and clothing will be more cost effective and more likely to arrive undamaged.

*Ship your packages early enough to allow for shipping delays! Holidays are the busiest time of the year to ship packages and you should always expect delays. If you ship early, you can avoid the mad rush of last minute shipping and avoid the delays associated with the carriers being swamped. There are specific deadlines depending on the type of method you select and the carrier that you choose. Always double check with the shipper that you are going to use as to the deadlines for shipping. They do change and you need to have the most current information that is available. Note: The deadline for sending packages to Army and Fleet Post Offices is November 13th, if you want the gifts to arrive by December 25th.

*Choosing the correct shipping method is crucial! Packages sent to Military Bases (APO and FPO addresses) are considered Domestic shipments, not International. Shipping time and shipping rate depends on the method of shipping you choose, so you want to be sure to select the correct method.