Sending Items by Mail to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (FSU)

[Manny]

I sent a package to Ukraine today (Dnepropetrovsk) by bog standard uninsured, untracked Royal Mail air mail.

I did what I always do with packages to Russia outlined in this post. I asked the recipient to let me know when it arrives; and if it arrives unmolested. It will be a useful data point perhaps. I'll report when it arrives.

The guy got the package he told me today. (I am assuming he got it yesterday as today is Sunday).

Ten days from the UK to Ukraine, untracked standard air mail, and addressed all in Cyrillic only (including customs CN22 form) apart from "Ukraine" in English so the UK Post Office knew what country to send it to.

Pretty good really.

[Chris]

I sent a package to Ukraine today (Dnepropetrovsk) by bog standard uninsured, untracked Royal Mail air mail.

I did what I always do with packages to Russia outlined in this post. I asked the recipient to let me know when it arrives; and if it arrives unmolested. It will be a useful data point perhaps. I'll report when it arrives.

The guy got the package he told me today. (I am assuming he got it yesterday as today is Sunday).

Ten days from the UK to Ukraine, untracked standard air mail, and addressed all in Cyrillic only (including customs CN22 form) apart from "Ukraine" in English so the UK Post Office knew what country to send it to.

Pretty good really.

They can deliver on Sundays too, usually the recipient has to collect though from the local office.

[JazzyClassic]

I do not really rely too much on Royal mail, their pricing is so expensive for what they are offering, I recently sent one parcel to my friend  in Russian town and it is now 2 months since it is sending:))) 37 pounds for parcel force services and the parcel has not reached her yet. Sometimes it makes me think  of launching an alternative delivery service from UK to Russia, if only i had an opportunity to do so:)

[Manny]

Parcel Force is not Royal Mail as such. Even though you buy either service at the Post Office. Better to send less than 2kgs at a time with RM Air Mail.

However, 6-8 weeks to Russia is pretty typical. That is not the fault of Royal Mail/Parcel Force, that is the fault of Russian customs who delay everything for weeks on end.

[missAmeno]

Parcel Force is not Royal Mail as such. Even though you buy either service at the Post Office.

Actually they are under one roof. Both belongs to Royal Mail Group Ltd

[Chris]

Better to send less than 2kgs at a time with RM Air Mail.

This is the key if you can do it, it means splitting things up into smaller packages and several fees but it is the way to go if you can. We send quite a bit to Ukraine this way. Larger things I use couriers and put up with the extra cost.

That is not the fault of Royal Mail/Parcel Force, that is the fault of Russian customs who delay everything for weeks on end.

and the reason things take so long to deliver over there.

[mendeleyev]

The reports of FSU postal theft seemed to have tapered off quite a bit in the last few years. Even so, I would be reluctant to mail anything of considerable value.

Tom, that is true and verified statistically in an annual report to President Medvedev.

The catch remains with the customs delays. Medvedev wants this streamlined but certain forces have fought tooth and nail to resist reforms. So, we wait...

[mendeleyev]

Trivia:
Q: Who was the first US President to have a RUSSIAN souvenir stamp produced on his birthday?

A: Barrack Obama was honoured by Russian postal on his 50th birthday, 4 August 2011.

Alexander Kiselev, General Director of Post of Russia, made the presentation of a souvenir stamp and collector's envelope to Mr. Obama in Moscow. The series can be purchased by Russian citizens as a souvenir. The stamp has no postal value, but the number "50" is shown to commemorate Mr. Obama's 50th birthday.

Mr. Obama autographed several of the sets for Russian government officials.

See it here: http://www.russianpost.ru/rp/press/ru/home/newscompany/item?newsid=5505



                                         

[mendeleyev]

If you have a Russian post receipt you can track your packages. Use this link: http://www.russianpost.ru/rp/servise/en/home/postuslug/trackingpo

[ksf]

I have sent several packages to the Ukraine though USPS 10 working day delivery. Usually takes 14-16 days. I never have insured and all arrived. Some packges had cloths and jewelry. One box had 4 pounds of assorted choclate. I use 2 address labels - One in English and one in Russian. I send it to the post office and she picks the package up. The first pacakge I sent directly to her and it got tangled in customs, I am sure she offered a small fee to get it. Shipping not including box etc costs $55 -$85    Hope this helps 

[JayH]

I had to comment here. This was 2 years ago-- I am presuming not much has changed. I sent laptop to Ukraine via ordinary airmail---  it was in Kiev within 4 days-- all good so far .Then nothing for 6 weeks!! Finally delivered-- after causing considerable friction about whether I had really sent it. Eventually it showed up--- but  screen had problems-- most likely from being dropped or similar.I sent 2nd hand( not unusual here to use !) mainly because I was concerned if it would get there-- and that it would get there in one piece. I was planning trip-- and thinking I would take new computer as a gift then.
      So - sending broken computer has not gone down well at all. We sort of get over that and my trip is delayed again and again.I decided to send another computer-- a netbook that I was thinking would be usefull to travel with in the future-- I am wary of previous experience so decide to use FeDeX-- at considerable cost.
     Great tacking system and is in Kiev faster than I could have got there( 28 hours!).It took many calls,the SE Asian manager personally handling and calling their agent in Kiev directly on a daily basis!! -- to find out in 5 weeks that Ukraine customs wanted to see receipts from purchase,proof of ownership  and some other ridiculous requests.To cut a long story short-- it cost me more to" pay" them to release it than the Fedex delivery($180) plus the cost of the computer!!
     This was now about 6 weeks-- literally hundreds of emails and phone calls later trying to get it delivered.During this time my relationship had exploded-- partly because I had to tell her the computer was on the way.It had been my intention to surprise her -- but as the weeks went on it got closer to her going away on summer holiday-- so I had to get an alternative address to deliver to and authorities.All this sounded like bs to her-- and she became increasingly more annoyed with me-to the point of not speaking.
     Finally we got to the point of customs releasing for delivery. I then tried to contact my lady-- who  I knew was due to go away at about this time-- she basically said-- I will not be here-I will not give you another address- and I dont want this ficticious computer-- and please go away!!This was not going well !!
    My choice to have Fedex send it back to me at my expense--or give it to someone else. was During the off and on parts!! Over the previous 6 months  I had developed a friendship with another girl in a different city . So-- with a great deal of trouble I get Fedex to agree(at my cost) to change the name and delivery address-- which they do as instructed-- change it on the parcel itself.
   What happens-- they then deliver it the ORIGINAL girl-- with the second girls name on it !!  The phone call came at   3am  my time  and I had never heard so much English from her  and so well spoken from her before--let me say it was a torrent !!Who was this girl/why was I sending "her" computer to someone else!! Needless to say--my head was spinning trying to work out what had happened.
   There are so many sub-plots here I am not sure where to end! The second girl was busy looking and waiting for the computer to show up-- and to rub salt into the wound the Ukraine agents for Fedex sent her a bill for all the changes of address.

[JezP]

I was waiting for a package from england, went air mail
i live in odessa and maybe 3 weeks would be ok
I tracked it to china and then it sat there for 2 weeks,
i was then told it would go back to england and be another 3 weeks.

3 days later i had a call in russian that i pretty much understood from dhl who were the final carrier.

6 weeks and 3 days, nice!

one thing you forget is so good in europe and u.s.!

oh yes and when i got the pack eventually it looked like a dog had chewed it!

My apartment doesnt have a letter box or a bell and if anything comes here a courier will call from outside or it will be left at the local post office. This post office has moved 4 times in the last 5 months, not easy to keep up buts thats ukraine for you.

I have never seen a postbox EVER!

Beware, not for the faint hearted~~

J

[vegasdice]

My experience has been with Ukraine and items shipped to Nikolayev: From 2002 to today (9/2012) either I or my ex sent over 40 all packages. All packages that shipped via Meest arrived undamaged. Travel time was generally 3-6 weeks with a few times longer because of some unexplained delay in customs. USPS was not used for packages because of lack of accountability once the package leaves the USA. All mail (letters) were sent via USPS and all arrived safely. In July 2008 I sent 6 large packages back home to me in Las Vegas from Nikolayev using Kiev Post. All packages arrived... Significantly beat up, but they did arrive and their contents were unmolested.

[MBS01]

Dice:
Just to restate from Toronto, Canada (Meest home office etc.) we ship via "Polimax" as there office is across the street from us via Poland where it is transferred to Meest for deliver in Ukraine.  Timeline "Air" packages take about 1 week and "Sea" packages 4 to 5 weeks to arrive in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.  This included our Summer 2012 shipment of a complete Gas Barbeque for the family that has since been assemblied and in use there.

Shipments from Ukraine to Canada are usually Meest and either arrive here directly, or we have to go to their main office on the other side of the city (1+1/2 drive away) and pick them up.

[ashbyclarke]

http://www.parcelflight.co.uk

Used these guys for a parcel in the past few weeks, delivery to Russia within 14 days, not working days either.

Excellent service, a 10kg package insured for £200-£300 (from memory) for less than £90, (£87?)

Full tracking, collection from your door and they'll deliver direct to either home or work address.

I sent to a work address, but according to the very helpful people they will deliver to either without a problem.

All I had do was complete a customs form and include 3/4 copies of invoice, according to the helpful staff you only need do one, but I still completed both, better more than less IMO.

Even so, excelled with superb delivery speed, will certainly be using them again tomorrow.

[Manny]

Good timing Ashby. I use a site called parcel2go for a lot of courier deliveries from the UK worldwide, they always offered Ukraine, but they never offered Russia until today. Today, I got this email:

Dear Customer,

We have even more international delivery options available for you at Parcel2Go.com

Unlike many other parcel delivery websites, we can now offer you parcel delivery to Russia. We'll also do it from the great price of £32.27, so if you've got something to send head over to our site and select "Russian Fed" as your delivery destination on our quick quote form.

We're also offering you a 5% discount off the next parcel you send to Russia. Just enter the following code into the preferences page of the order process:

Your 5% discount code is: P2GRUS5

As Russia is non-EU, there will be no VAT on the price. Non EU is zero-rated.

If you fund a prepay account with £100 (that can be used with any service they offer), you get 5% extra by way of a £105 credit, so with the discount code that makes a a 10% discount.

 

[ashbyclarke]

I must admit I was quite expecting some sort of import tax at the other end, specially with the recent nonsense we hear about, happily nothing to pay

Interested to know Manny, what is the weight on that parcel?

The one I sent was max 20kg and a size of 100x50x50 from memory, that's a sizeable package when in front of you.

Mine arrived some 2000 miles away from Moscow within 10 business days from date of collection in UK, fully insured, remarkable 

[Manny]

I haven't run it through weight/dimension yet, that was just the promo email I got. We spend a lot of money with P2G and I was bugging them for ages that the only service they offered there was the corrupt Parcelforce [who find a reason to disallow it and return it to you keeping your money - I lost about £300 with the Parcelforce Russia scam over time].

That they are trumpeting this, means they did a deal with a proper outfit like UPS, Fedex or DHL - you wont know who until he collects - how it works. P2G are pretty switched on. Once you spend a few bob you get upgraded to a VIP account and one girl looks after your account. We probably spend £1500-£2000 a month with them. They are sound as a pound with us. Just avoid Parcelforce services.

For 20kg though, the price you got was super!

[ashbyclarke]

There's another service in Peterborough, they pack and send for you, never used them though, about the same costs, maybe a couple of quid cheaper, but I don't like that they pack and send.

This one though is as cheap as I have ever found, super quick also.

Operator they used TNT, if that helps anyone, certainly cheaper via these chaps.

Be interested to know a service that works quicker and cheaper than this.

Of course my invoice was completely legitimate, according to the import regs there should of been some sort of tax, the guys at the postal service assured me otherwise, they were right 

[Manny]

Of course my invoice was completely legitimate, according to the import regs there should of been some sort of tax, the guys at the postal service assured me otherwise, they were right 

There is a big sorting hub at Samara that routes from Germany. It goes in on the Lufthansa flights. A lot of courier stuff from the UK and Europe goes this way to central and eastern Russia. I think they are too lazy to bother applying duty as they get nothing out of it. KUF is not known for its efficiency. 

[ashbyclarke]

Of course my invoice was completely legitimate, according to the import regs there should of been some sort of tax, the guys at the postal service assured me otherwise, they were right 

There is a big sorting hub at Samara that routes from Germany. It goes in on the Lufthansa flights. A lot of courier stuff from the UK and Europe goes this way to central and eastern Russia. I think they are too lazy to bother applying duty as they get nothing out of it. KUF is not known for its efficiency. 

My parcel was in Moscow Custom's on Friday (according to the website), delivered on Tuesday some 2000 miles away, by way of example.

I'm going to try 20kg with a value of £300-£400 next, see how that maps out, keep you posted !!

[Mikeav8r]

Glad this came up again.  In the near future I will be shipping a package (about 2-3 pounds of documents) to Russia.  Given the info on this thread is a bit dated, with the exception of AC's recent post, and the goings on with DHL, the non-existent war and many other factors, what is the best way to ship there now?  All answers welcomed of course, but those in the USA would probably be closest to what I am seeking due to locale.  Thanks in advance.

[ashbyclarke]

Glad this came up again.  In the near future I will be shipping a package (about 2-3 pounds of documents) to Russia.  Given the info on this thread is a bit dated, with the exception of AC's recent post, and the goings on with DHL, the non-existent war and many other factors, what is the best way to ship there now?  All answers welcomed of course, but those in the USA would probably be closest to what I am seeking due to locale.  Thanks in advance.

Normal mail should be fine for documents, works from the UK anyhow.

It's only items of resale value that tend to create problems.

Perhaps someone else can confirm, or check with the US postal service on options.

[Mikeav8r]

Glad this came up again.  In the near future I will be shipping a package (about 2-3 pounds of documents) to Russia.  Given the info on this thread is a bit dated, with the exception of AC's recent post, and the goings on with DHL, the non-existent war and many other factors, what is the best way to ship there now?  All answers welcomed of course, but those in the USA would probably be closest to what I am seeking due to locale.  Thanks in advance.

Normal mail should be fine for documents, works from the UK anyhow.

It's only items of resale value that tend to create problems.

Perhaps someone else can confirm, or check with the US postal service on options.

I typically use FedEx due to USPS being unreliable at times and these documents are pretty important.  I wasn't sure if USPS was viable with Russia right now anyway but I will check.  Was just wondering if there was any recent experience that could be passed on.  Thanks sir.   

[Manny]

I wasn't sure if USPS was viable with Russia right now

I don't think relations are that bad just yet.    But customs in Russia can be slow, four weeks isn't unheard of - although it is improving (although I had a Post Office item stuck in US Customs four weeks recently).

For important documents, I would use Fedex, UPS or DHL. Documents clear faster with the couriers. Internationally generally, I prefer UPS. If it matters, thats who I use.