How to send letters by courier services
Do you need to send a document to an embassy via courier or are you interested in sending a letter abroad to a friend? Depending on the circumstances, sending letters by courier can be a much safer option than using the regular post, for instance if you need an express delivery or a certified service. With Eurosender, you can book a door-to-door or envelope service to send an urgent letter, a passport to an embassy, postcards or even confidential documents with a courier. Forget about queues and timetables and send your letters internationally with us.
How to send letters and envelopes internationally
Advantages of sending letters overseas using courier services
Here are a few benefits from using courier services to send letters internationally instead of the regular post service.
- Express service is particularly useful if you have a tight timeframe and need to send an urgent letter. Same day collection of letters is available, upon request.
- Certified delivery service, where the client gets not only a proof of shipment but also a proof of delivery signed by the receiver of the letter. This is extremely useful when sending documents to an embassy or confidential documents abroad.
- Service available internationally, which can also be used to send a postcard or letters internationally during travels.
- Easily organize a high volume of shipments. If you are looking for a simple and cheap way to send bulk letters, Eurosender might be the perfect solution for you. Through our platform, you can easily organize the shipment of multiple items and, by signing up, you have a record of all your operations in one place.
Sending letters and envelopes internationally from the EU
Many Erasmus students and expats decide to move to another country within the EU. Whether you would like to send a letter overseas or even confidential documents abroad via courier, there are a few things to consider:
- Letters can be shipped with either standard or express shipping. Please have in mind that if the envelope contains any other item besides the letters, such as a gift or even a pen, it will be considered as a parcel and will have to go through customs procedures.
- Check whether you need to print out the labels for your shipment. Be aware that shipping labels are the most important document when shipping with courier services.
- Calculate 2 extra working days to make sure your letters will arrive on time. Check our tool for an estimate on the time of delivery and also a list of the courier holidays in 2020 to help you plan your shipment.
Sending letters internationally to/from a non-EU country
Different rules apply when you send letters and envelopes internationally to/from a non-EU country.
- For worldwide routes, you can choose the option of sending an envelope of up to 2Kg containing only letters or documents. This way the courier is sure that no invoice is needed for customs declaration.
- When sending envelopes internationally from a non-EU country, we will send you the necessary documentation such as a customs declaration (if applicable) and a shipping label, that should be attached to the envelope or package in a clear and visible way.
Other things to have in mind when sending letters and envelopes internationally
Sending letters and documents to an embassy
When sending documents such as passport or visa application to an embassy via courier, you need to be extra careful. Please be aware that the rules and restrictions concerning courier deliveries and pick-ups depend on the embassy: an embassy from the Netherlands might be more flexible than an embassy from the USA.
That’s why, prior to organizing the shipment, it is most important to contact the respective embassy and consulate and ask them what the possibilities and rules are for sending letters or having documents picked up. Some embassies have a specific courier company they work with or a specific office that receives postal delivery. Please read our dedicated article about sending passport to an embassy for further information about this topic.
Sending letters to an embassy in a foreign country should be well planned and coordinated between the embassy, the courier and you. Be aware that you cannot simply send a document to an embassy via courier without contacting them first.
Customs and invoicing when sending letters by courier
Even though an invoice is needed for shipping goods and items worldwide, this rule does not apply for sending documents and letters. However, we do ask you to clearly state that you are sending letters and envelopes during the order process.
For more information, please read our page about customs clearance and procedure and/or check the rules with the local customs office.
Why use Eurosender for sending letters by courier
Considering the years of experience in the logistics market, Eurosender can help you send letters and documents internationally. We have specific services for Erasmus students, expats, companies and a reliable and ever-growing logistics network. Here are the benefits of shipping letters with us:
- Instant quotes with the best offers. Our algorithm automatically chooses the best courier provider regarding the price-to-performance ratio.
- We partner with the most reliable international logistics companies like DHL, DPD, GLS, etc.
- Simple and quick ordering process. You can easily organize the shipment of one or bulk letters with just a few clicks.
- Support in 15 local languages.
- Online tracking of your parcel.
If you have any other questions about sending letters and envelopes abroad, how to send a postcard internationally or you have more general questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of our agents!