FAQ for international shipments

Delivery of international orders

The sender shall submit an on-line application via link, attach receipt and photo of the damaged shell of order, and describe the situation in the comments. If a damaged international postal order is detected at the office in the presence of the client, the personnel shall draw up a certain certificate and make a mark “received in damaged form” on the order.

If the international postal order is not handed over to the recipient, the sender may write a certain statement at the post office and pay for additional services. The application shall be accompanied by receipt for additional service, previous address and new address shall be indicated. Not all countries accept applications for redirection/change of name, surname, patronymic/return.

Countries which accept applications: Russia, Argentina, Pakistan, China, Israel, Switzerland, Mexico, Germany, Czech Republic, Lebanon, France, Norway.

Countries which do not accept applications: Australia, Austria, USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Denmark, Finland, Sweden.

You can check whether country of destination accepts such applications by clicking the link.

If the international postal order is not handed over to the recipient, the sender may write a certain statement at the post office and pay for additional services. Not all countries accept applications for redirection/change of name, surname, patronymic/return.

Countries which accept applications: Russia, Argentina, Pakistan, China, Israel, Switzerland, Mexico, Germany, Czech Republic, Lebanon, France, Norway.

Countries which do not accept applications: Australia, Austria, USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Denmark, Finland, Sweden.

You can check whether country of destination accepts such applications by clicking the link.

The posts of countries that are in the Universal Postal Union will return the orders automatically if it was not delivered and date of expiry was terminated, etc. If the sender marked “do not return” while sending the order, the order will not be returned under any circumstances.

The sender shall submit an on-line application via link, attach receipt and copy of shell of the returned item. The profile office will send request to the postal service provider of the destination country. If the return was not justified, the postal service provider of the destination country will offset the cost for the transferring.

According to art. 5 of the Universal Postal Convention any international postal order (IPO) belongs to the sender as long as it is not handed over to the recipient and the destination country is responsible for it. The sender shall write an application for search at the office or on website of Ukrposhta, attach copy/photo of the receipt to it. After approval of the invoice by foreign postal administration, the sender will be compensated. Upon the written refusal of compensation in favour of the addressee, the compensation may be paid to the addressee.

If the international postal Item is still on the territory of Ukraine (or at least at the international mail exchange office), the sender-client may write an application and pay for the change of service at the post office. If the consignment is outside Ukraine, it is necessary to check the possibility of the recipient country and submit an application.

When all necessary information was received to consider the request, feedback is given to confirm acceptance of request for work. Upon request for international postal order, the initial response shall be given within 30 days and the final response within 2 months. For other matters, the review period is up to 30 days.

If location of the order is not known, the client may write an application for search (at the office or on-line). Original or copy of payment document confirming acceptance of the postal order shall be attached to the application for search. Also the following information is given:

  • type and category of the postal order;
  • its number;
  • place and date of acceptance for forwarding;
  • forwarding route (air or ground);
  • list of the postal order;
  • postal address of sender and recipient (in Latin letters and Arabic numerals).

Applications for search are submitted within six months from the day when the postal service operator accepted it. Upon request for international postal order, the initial response shall be given within 30 days and the final response within 2 months. For other matters, the review period is up to 30 days.

You can check information at link or at the office of Ukrposhta.

You can read information on export/ import customs clearance in the section of international delivery at link.

If you have any questions about customs clearance, please call the hotline: 0 800 300 545.

If your international postal postal item is held by a Customs authority, please contact directly the Customs unit that performs customs formalities at that office of international postal exchange where your postal item is located.

International postal order with post pay or customs charges shall be handed over to the recipient only after charging of post pay amount (indicated in the postal order form TFP3) or amount of customs charges (specified on the postal order form 115). In addition to post pay amount or amount of customs charges, the recipient is also charged for their transfer by the postal order.

If the order cannot be delivered to the recipient, it is stored at the post office of destination within one month as of date of receipt (there is an individual period of free storage in each country). At the written request of the sender/addressee, this period may be extended for an additional fee of up to two months from the date of receipt at the post office of destination. The period of storage may also be separately specified in the relevant agreement/arrangement with the foreign postal service for a specific postal product.

Uninsured — postal order is accepted for transferring without issuing a payment document and delivered/handed over to the recipient without receipt.

Uninsured category includes:

  • postcards;
  • letters;
  • parcels;
  • small packages (only incoming to Ukraine);
  • M bags (only incoming to Ukraine);
  • order for the blind persons (literature for the blind).

Recommended — postal order is accepted for transferring with issuing a payment document, transferred with the attribution to accompanying documents, handed over to the recipient against receipt. It can be tracked through relevant on-line services and during searching.

Registered category includes:

  • postcards;
  • letters;
  • parcels;
  • small packages;
  • M bags;
  • order for the blind persons (literature for the blind);
  • orders with declared value. Parcels (with declared value, without declared value).

It is better to send such orders with “declared value” category, but not all countries accept orders by this category (for example, Israel and Canada do not accept).

The following could be sent as “declared value” category:

  • order with declared value;
  • parcels with declared value.

We are working to ensure that two-side status exchange for delivery of orders is performed in more countries, but not all countries can track international postal orders. The current list can be found at link.

In this case, the recipient shall contact the sender and ask about submitting an application to his/her office for data correction, because the recipient is the owner of the order until time of receipt (as required by the World Postal Convention).

All corrections are transmitted by country of the sender to country of destination, after which it can be issued in free circulation in Ukraine.

According to Rules for the provision of postal services, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 270 as of 05.03.09 (hereinafter referred to as the “Rules”):

  • international postal items (hereinafter referred to as the “IPI”), on which customs duties are accrued, are delivered at the postal service facility (clause 102 of the Rules);
  • IPI’s subject to taxation and fees payment (compulsory payments) shall be handed in to the recipient only after he/she pays the fees and makes payment for a postal money transfer of the amount paid (in case if such payments are made via postal money transfer).

The recipient may apply to the Customs Authority for an adjustment of the amounts of taxes and fees (compulsory payments) charged in accordance with the legislation. In this case, the IPI shall remain at the post office for a period not exceeding two months from the date of its receipt (clause 102 of the Rules).

Sample application for adjusting the amounts of accrued taxes and fees (mandatory payments) at the link.

There are a few important notes concerning the application:

  • the application shall be addressed and submitted to the customs office that accrued customs fees (one of the 4 customs offices of the State Customs Service — Kyiv, Halych, Zakarpattia or Odessa);
  • the application shall be in writing and sent by the client to the postal or e-mail addresses specified in the sample application;
  • the application is free of charge (no fee is charged by the customs for the submission and consideration);
  • the application shall be considered and resolved by the customs within a period not exceeding one month from the date of its receipt, and in some cases the period may be extended to forty-five days;
  • the application may be satisfied or rejected by the customs.

During consideration of the application by the customs, the IPI, as already mentioned, shall be kept by the post office.

At the same time, the storage period of the IPI in the premises of the postal service facility may be extended for up to two months upon a written application of the addressee and for an additional fee.

Enclosure in the international order

Documents such as birth certificate, are forwarded in international postal orders with declared value.

According to information of the United States Postal Administration, it is not allowed to send international postal orders with declared value to the country, so it is not possible to send these documents. (Guide for Acceptance of International Postal Items (2007), which contains information of all member countries of the Universal Postal Union on prohibited or conditionally admitted imports to these countries).

The State Standard of Ukraine (DSTU 3875-99) defines the technical requirements, basic parameters and sizes of postcards. Postcard (card) should have the following sizes: max — 120 × 235 mm, min — 90 × 140 mm. At the same time, the recipient address and the corresponding postage stamp serving payment for forwarding (according to clause 14 of the Rules for the provision of postal services, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 270 as of 05.03.09) should be correctly placed on the postcard.

According to the postal administration of the Russian Federation, perishable goods are prohibited for shipment in international postal items to the territory of Russia.

Such goods include “Sugar and confectionery”, “Various foods” (Guide for Acceptance of International Postal Items (2007), which contains information of all member countries of the Universal Postal Union on prohibited or conditionally admitted import of items to these countries).

It is allowed to send cash from Ukraine abroad only by international postal item with declared value (but not registered letter) in the amount not exceeding 10 000 euro (The Regulation on the cross-border movement of currency values, approved by the Resolution of the NBU Board under No.3 as of 02.01.2019).

When sending cash by international postal item with declared value within the specified norms, the sender shall fill in the customs declaration CN22/CN23.

Cosmetic products can be imported to Germany subject to the requirements of German national law. Contact the relevant German authorities for details (Guide for Acceptance of International Postal Items (2007), which contains information of all member countries of the Universal Postal Union on prohibited or conditionally admitted import of the items to these countries).

Yes, it is possible. Foreign currency in the amount not exceeding 300 Euro can be sent to Ukraine in international postal items (Instruction on the movement of cash and bank metals across the customs border of Ukraine approved by the Ruling of the Board of NBU No. 148 as of 27.05.2008, registered at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine under No. 520/15211 as of 11.06.2008).

Yes, it is possible. International postal items containing pharmaceuticals for personal use in the amount required for medical treatment are allowed to be imported into Ukraine, if the addressee has the permission of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine (List of prohibited or conditionally admitted items to be imported into Ukraine).

“Ukrposhta” JSC, the national postal operator, cooperates with designated operators of the member countries of the World Postal Union, in case of the United Kingdom — with Royal Mail.

We recommend the sender contact the employee of the office where the item was made to find out the location of the parcel (in accordance with clause 121 of the Rules for the provision of postal services, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 270 as of 05.03.09).

Postal administration of Canada did not notify any prohibition or specific conditions for the transfer of coffee to the country. However, it is not possible to send coffee in the international parcel, it can be sent in a small package.

The maximum weight of a small package may not exceed 2 kg (according to the Guide for Acceptance of International Postal Items (2007), which regulates the acceptance of postal items for shipment outside Ukraine).

No, it is not possible. Importing alcohol into the United States and Canada is not permitted (Guide for Acceptance of International Postal Items (2007), which contains information of all member countries of the Universal Postal Union on prohibited or conditionally admitted import of the items to these countries).

Import. You can import only five brands of medicaments and medical devices registered in the Ministry of Health, 1 package of each brand If medicaments are not registered, you need to obtain a one-time permit from the MOH.

Export. The cost limit is up to 10 thousand EUR.

EMS postal items

EMS (Express Mail Service) is an international express delivery service that is carried out exclusively by air.

Formula for calculating: Tariff for 1 unit + N × tariff per kg, where N is the number of kg in EMS item

Tariffs for EMS items can be found at the link.

Sending EMS with attachment of documents — 20 SDR + the cost of postal services for sending the shipment.

Sending EMS with commodity attachment — 75 SDR + cost of postal services.

Documents — 1 kg, goods — 30 kg, unless otherwise indicated by the recipient country.

EMS items are shipped open for shipment.

  • In terms of delivery, in the dimensions of shipments.
  • In the possibility of "Pre-delivery inspection" and address delivery.
  • In the forwarding method.

The average total delivery time for EMS items for most countries is 7-10 days.

  • Firearms of all kinds and ammunition, parts of weapons, melee weapons and other items specially designed for attack and defense (brass knuckles, stilettos, cans of paralytic liquid, etc.).
  • Explosive, flammable or other dangerous substances, unless otherwise provided by law.
  • Narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues and precursors included in the list of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues and precursors that are subject to special control in accordance with the law, and radioactive substances.
  • Permits for the right to bear arms, work books, military ID cards, identification documents (except for the passport of a citizen of Ukraine for traveling abroad).
  • Other items whose import is prohibited in the countries in accordance with the legislation and the UPU Acts.
  • Special technical means of secretly obtaining information, the list of which is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

In this case, he can apply to the customs authority, which carried out customs control and counted the payments with a statement on the adjustment (removal or reduction) of the amount of accrued taxes and fees (mandatory).

  • The name of the addressee and his mailing address are indicated in Latin (English) letters and Arabic numerals. The name of the country of destination is repeated in Ukrainian (in capital letters). If other letters and numbers are used in the destination country (that is, in cases where the mailing address is written in the language of the destination country), the name of the destination country is repeated in Latin (English) letters and in Ukrainian (in capital letters).
  • The name of the sender and his mailing address are indicated in Latin (English) letters and Arabic numerals. It is possible to indicate the mailing address in Ukrainian, but in this case the name of the country of the sender is repeated in Latin (English) letters.

The postal address (addressee, sender) of the EMS item must not contain abbreviated names or any signs that do not concern it. EMS shipments without indicating the name of the sender and his mailing address will not be accepted for forwarding.

Postal item is returned in case of:

  • submission by the sender of a written application for the return of the shipment;
  • providing the addressee with a written refusal to receive the shipment;
  • expiration of the established storage period of the item;
  • the impossibility of delivery due to an incorrectly indicated address or its absence (washed off, torn off or damaged in another way) and for other reasons that do not allow the postal operator to fulfill the obligation to forward EMS items.

Compensation must be paid to the sender (addressee) no later than three months from the day following the day of the complaint.