How do I send a package from Spain to US without it getting stuck in customs or opened and contents taken?

Question

I sent a letter to my mom that had beads i bought here in Spain. When she received the letter it had been opened and the only thing that was left was the letter and the envelope was resealed. I don't know if it was stolen or opened at customs... What do you think? Any Pointers? I did send it through the post office here..

Answer 1

if customs opens anything they let you know with a sticker on the letter or package, so it got stolen. use card board boxes, make them the size that you need if you have to, then brown paper, and then the address in the customs form. Also if you insured the letter, you can go and put a claim in the post office (correos), and if you can, find another office to use.

Answer 2

Go to the correos - get the box, pack and ship and wait and wait and wait ....

it took nearly 2 months to get our box.

The most worrisome part was that the tracking feature on the correo site said "have no information on this item".

We thought it was gone forever and one day it showed up.

We didn't choose the quickest option (expensive), maybe you should.

Answer 3

Send it by UPS, DHL, or other air mail services that won't open your mail.

Answer 4

Usually the post office doesnt take the letters together with smth else! If you are sending a letter-it should be only the letter! If you wanna send smth else you have to make a special package & write the contents on it! Plus you should ask the post officer to show you the list of the things that are permitted to send via mail! When the customs open the package in this case they write some kind of official paper, showing the reason of excluding the stuff from the envelope! Plus if you send smth expensive it should be the subject to tax in the country you're sending it! And all the post services ( even DHL, UPS & FEDEX)are demanding the same requariments! Its just more safe & quickly to send by that servises!

Answer 5

If the problem is the customs, that's US' affair, but they would have informed you if they had taken anything. About have being taken or stolen, it can happen, but I have never heard about that in Spain.

However, you can use a private company. Correos has also special services or insurances.