I have a quick question about packages to Cairo

[nurse1967 287]

I want to mail my sister in law and mother in law some bath and body works stuff to Egypt. My hubby said one of his friends told him that HE will have to pay a big fee to receive this package. Does anyone know if this is how it rolls in Egypt with packages?????

[Aymsgirl 0]

Honestly, my husband never received anything unless it was sent by DHL. Anything by regular post mail whether it be items or letters was never received. I was told by an Egyptian friend that she sends her items with English and Arabic writing on it and to her family by P.O. Box and they always received it. One can only imagine in Egypt somebody asking for money to deliver something. I believe I have heard this before.

[Ihavequestions 419]

Send it DHL and label it "clothes" or something else that nobody would be interested in swiping.

Our mailman never delivers anything just because that's his job. He only delivers mail if he gets baksheesh (some cash in his hand) to do it. I guess that's not unusual here; a mailman can make someone's life miserable by holding onto their mail and not delivering it if that's what they want to do.

They can pick up a package at the DHL office and not have to pay someone to do the job they get paid to do anyway.

[nurse1967 287]

I have successfully mailed some cards and letters that arrived safely. It just makes me sick that people will hold your packages ransom. What's up with that??

[Ihavequestions 419]

I have successfully mailed some cards and letters that arrived safely. It just makes me sick that people will hold your packages ransom. What's up with that??

The mail guy works for the government. He probably earns a whopping 400 LE a month, if that much. Who can live on that kind of money? Nobody. If he's not already married, he'll never be able to afford to get married with that kind of salary. If he's already married, he can't afford to take care of his family earning that little. So this is how he makes ends meet - him and millions of other Egyptians who earn next to nothing. This is a country where everybody holds their hand out and if you don't put something in it, you're last in line for whatever you want/need. That's just the way it is.

[nurse1967 287]

I know! I was truly amazed at how things can get done "under the table" in Egypt if you have some money to spend. I saw this several times while we were jumping through all the hoops to get married in Egypt. Hubby paid off at least 4 or 5 people during the process that I can remember. LOL

[Melly 2 0]

I have mailed 5 packages or so here to Cairo when I was in the States, and my mom just sent me a package as well.

The only time I ever had any trouble with something not getting to my hubby was when I tried mailing the magic jack.

However, the post office would always leave a notice at the door saying to go down to the post office to pick up your package, and he was always assessed a import tax on what I sent. How they figure out what to charge I have no idea, but it is never cheap by Egyptian standards. Plus you already paid an arm and a leg to mail the package if it weighed more than a couple pounds.

I never sent anything DHL or FedEx or any other way except through the US Postal Service.

[~ameriptian~ 54]

John and I send packages to and from Cairo every other month. I have a mail box at the post office.. So whenever John sends me a package via USPS I get a call from the post office that I have a package notice, I go to the PO, sign the notice, and pay fees from 70-300 pounds 'depending on the package's weight and how many day it stayed at the PO'. When he sends packages through Express Mail, I get a call from the PO that I have a package notice, go sign it, then take a trip to the main Post Office in Ramses Cairo, pay fees around 100-400 pounds also depending on the weight of the package and how many days it stayed there', then get my package.

When I have to send a package from Cairo I either go to the Post Office in Ramses or Roxy they don't cost too much like other post offices. I usually pay around 100-300 to send a package via Egyptian mail, but EVERY TIME I do the package arrives there torn and the content in another package but nothing was missing before thank God.

We still send packages anyway in every chance we get. B) We also send letters A LOT and all of them just reach fine!

It's not much trouble as it seems. If you send your package via USPS it should be fine. Just write the info clearly and write your husband's phone number in a clear handwriting so they get to call him when the package gets there.

Good luck!

Edited August 1, 2009 by Aya&John

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

I was so embarassed when I ordered some lovely abaya's from Saudi Arabia for my MIL and SIL's and had them sent directly to Egypt and they ended up paying as much in import tax (duty) as I paid for the abaya's.... I'll never do that again...

[LunaticFringe 0]

I want to mail my sister in law and mother in law some bath and body works stuff to Egypt. My hubby said one of his friends told him that HE will have to pay a big fee to receive this package. Does anyone know if this is how it rolls in Egypt with packages?????

It does not matter how you mail the package (USPS, FEDEX, DHL) the fee is for customs. So even if you label the package "clothes" they will still assess a value on it and this is what the person has to pay to receive the package. They have the right to open and inspect the contents if the customs form attached to the package is not detailed enough - so I would not recommend lying about the contents of the package. When you mail the package, you will fill out the customs form and list all contents and their declared value. It does not matter if the stuff is used either - there will be a customs fee.

I once sent some used silver jewelry and a paperback book via FEDEX. I had to pay $300 to send it. The declared value of the stuff was like $12.99 for the book and $30 for the used jewelry. But the people I sent it to had to pay 280 pounds to get the package.

Another time I sent some books and a language CD and they had to pay 80 pounds.

[LunaticFringe 0]

I want to mail my sister in law and mother in law some bath and body works stuff to Egypt. My hubby said one of his friends told him that HE will have to pay a big fee to receive this package. Does anyone know if this is how it rolls in Egypt with packages?????

It does not matter how you mail the package (USPS, FEDEX, DHL) the fee is for customs. So even if you label the package "clothes" they will still assess a value on it and this is what the person has to pay to receive the package. They have the right to open and inspect the contents if the customs form attached to the package is not detailed enough - so I would not recommend lying about the contents of the package. When you mail the package, you will fill out the customs form and list all contents and their declared value. It does not matter if the stuff is used either - there will be a customs fee.

I once sent some used silver jewelry and a paperback book via FEDEX. I had to pay $300 to send it. The declared value of the stuff was like $12.99 for the book and $30 for the used jewelry. But the people I sent it to had to pay 280 pounds to get the package.

Another time I sent some books and a language CD and they had to pay 80 pounds.

[~Jess~ 0]

My mom sent us a package to Lebanon and we had to pay a custom fee. She sent us a package here to Saudi to George's work address and we didnt have to pay anything. Luck of the draw i suppose.

[hayati 0]

My family sent many, many, many packages from the US to family members in Cairo via regular US postal service that never ever made it to our desired destination in Cairo.

However, I have received packages from my Mom via UPS (or DHL) while living in Cairo. She paid a hefty sum to send the package and I paid an even heftier sum to receive the package.... maybe 600le, which is well over 100 dollars. From experience, there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to the charge they assess on the package. Whether the items are new, used, perishable, etc. (I've heard every trick in the book) there is no consistently sure proof way of getting around the large customs fee. For me, paying the 600le was worth it. Though it was a pretty small package that I received, the items in the package (jeans, shoes, underwear, bras, etc.) singularly will cost much more than the price I paid on customs.

The system here def. sucks but oh the joy of receiving Bath and Body Works... or a comparable item. You have no idea the luxury of life we enjoy in the US until you try living in Egypt.... using the products here... from hygiene products to clothes, etc. - they absolutely do not even compare in quality... aah, how I miss the US.

[nurse1967 287]

Well this has kind of put me into a bad situation. When I went to Cairo in January I took almost half a suitcase of items and lugged a heavy laptop through the airports for my husband's friend who has family still in Egypt. Well my husband's friend just left for Egypt this week and didn't bother to tell me until the day he was to pick up my items that "OH by the way....I only have room to take your important papers and maybe one other small thing but NO liquids". I was so upset because I bought gifts for my husband, father in law and brother in law which he took. The gifts for my mother in law and sister in law (bath and body works items) he refused to take. I am really sick about it because the women knew I was planning on sending them gifts and now the men got their gifts and the women got hosed. Next time when we go back to visit I can promise you I won't be taking ANYTHING back for my hubby's friend.

Edited August 2, 2009 by Betsy El Sum

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

My mom sent us a package to Lebanon and we had to pay a custom fee. She sent us a package here to Saudi to George's work address and we didnt have to pay anything. Luck of the draw i suppose.

Not luck, it's 2 different countries. Lebanon is poor and has to tax things to survive, and I believe they, like Egypt, believe that if you are getting something from out of the country you DESERVE to be taxed.... On the other hand NO taxes (including customs) in Saudi, on anything (that's why their French perfume is so cheap)... Saudi/Lebanon is not an apples for apples comparison...