Explained: How to send Christmas gifts to the US before Thursday deadline
Eva Osborne
An Post is reminding customers to check the latest guidelines before sending gifts to friends and family in the United States.
As the festive season approaches, and with updated customs rules now in place, An Post said a little preparation can go a long way in ensuring parcels arrive safely and without delay.
An Post marketing director Julie Gill highlighted how An Post is operating under rules are enforced by US Customs and the Department of Agriculture, not An Post.
Items that do not comply may be intercepted and disposed of by US authorities.
If sending, make sure to:
- Declare the parcel as a gift and list the contents clearly on the form at the Post Office;
- Keep the value under €85/$100 to avoid your recipient being charged customs duties;
- Always include a return address on the parcel.
What can you send?
An Post said small treats are welcome, as long as they are commercially sealed (packaged and sealed chocolate for example) and intended for personal use.
They must also be simple in flavour (like ready salted or salt and vinegar crisps) and limited in quantity.
A couple of chocolate bars are fine, but An Post warns to avoid sending large amounts which might be seen as a possible commercial sale.
If you are a business sending food or goods to the US, note that different regulations apply, including requirements from the US Food and Drug Administration.
An Post marketing director, Julie Gill, said: “A couple of bars of chocolate, totally fine. Boxes and boxes? Customs might think it’s for commercial sale."
What not to send
To prevent parcels from being stopped or disposed of by US authorities, do not send: liquids, cash, credit cards, or anything with batteries.
Items such as teabags, meat-based snacks, or dairy-containing crisps (like smoky bacon or cheese and onion) should not be sent, as well as anything with ‘unknown’ contents.
An Post said it is already handling record parcel volumes, so the latest date for posting to the US to ensure delivery before Christmas is Thursday, November 13th.
