Sending Mail Overseas: Bolivia To Usa

Sending a letter from Bolivia to the USA can be done through the Bolivian postal service or international couriers such as USPS, FedEx, DHL, UPS, and TNT. The Bolivian postal service, Empresa de Correos de Bolivia (ECOBOL), is known for being slow, unorganized, and unreliable, but it has shown slight improvement in recent years. Courier services are more expensive but offer advantages such as package tracking and faster delivery times. When sending a letter from Bolivia to the USA, it is important to include the recipient's name, street address, city, department name, country, and local phone number. It is also recommended to include SOUTH AMERICA on the package to ensure it reaches the correct destination.

Stamps and pricing

The cost of sending a letter from the USA to Bolivia depends on the size and weight of the letter. The easiest way to send letters from the USA to Bolivia is with Global Forever Stamps, which cost $1.55 each. You can also use regular, domestic forever stamps as long as they add up to $1.55. Extra postage is required for letters weighing over 1 ounce.

Below are the rates for standard envelopes for normal envelopes like a letter or birthday card, no bigger than 11.5” x 6+⅛”:

• One Global Forever stamp ($1.55)
• Three Domestic Forever stamps ($2.04)
• One Global Forever stamp, one Domestic Forever stamp, one Postcard stamp, and two 2¢ stamps ($2.80)

Square envelopes must be a minimum of 5" and are considered non-machinable, so an extra $0.40 is required. If you don't add the $0.40 extra, the USPS may return your envelope.

To send a large envelope ("flat") to Bolivia, the base rate is $2.90. The maximum weight for a standard letter is 3.5 ounces, so use a flat if you're sending more than 3.5 ounces. Extra ounces cost more and the maximum weight is 15.994 ounces.

Flats must be a minimum of 6-1/8" by 11-1/2", with a maximum size of 12" by 15". Unlike standard letters, the maximum thickness is 3/4".

One Global Forever stamp, two Domestic Forever stamps, one 5¢ stamp, and two 2¢ stamps ($3.00)

Weighing and addressing the letter

Weighing and addressing your letter is a crucial step in the process of sending a letter from Bolivia to the USA. Here is a detailed guide to help you with this:

• Weigh your letter: Use a kitchen food scale to check the weight of your envelope. You can buy a basic kitchen scale from Amazon or Walmart for a low price. Round up to the nearest ounce and apply the correct number of stamps per ounce. If you don't have a scale, you can estimate the weight based on the number of sheets of paper you are using. For example, a typical letter-sized envelope (9.5" x 4.25") with 2-3 sheets of paper will likely weigh around 1 ounce.
• Determine the correct postage: The number of stamps you need depends on the weight and size of your letter. For a standard letter-sized envelope, you will need one Global Forever Stamp, which costs $1.55. If your letter is heavier than 1 ounce, you will need extra postage. You can also use domestic forever stamps as long as they add up to $1.55.
• Address your envelope: The return address typically goes in the upper left corner of the envelope and is not required. Place the recipient's address in the center of the envelope.
• Add stamps: Place the stamps in the upper right corner of the envelope, ideally in one row. The post office will accept your letter even if the stamps go to a second or third line.
• Buy stamps: You can buy stamps at your local USPS post office, online at USPS.com, or from other retailers like Walmart, Amazon, or local banks.
• Delivery time: The delivery time for letters from the USA to Bolivia is typically 7-21 days, which is longer than the 1-3 days for domestic letters.

Delivery speed

Sending a letter from the USA to Bolivia takes between 7 and 21 days, which is significantly longer than the 1-3 days it takes for domestic letters. This is due to the distance between the two countries and the fact that international mail has to go through customs.

There are several shipping options available for those sending letters from the USA to Bolivia, each with its own delivery time. The United States Postal Service (USPS) offers several options, including:

• Global Express Guaranteed: This is the fastest option, with a delivery time of 1-3 business days. However, it is also the most expensive option.
• Priority Mail Express International: This option offers a delivery time of 3-5 business days.
• Priority Mail International: This is a more affordable option, but it can take 6-10 business days for delivery.
• First-Class Mail International: This is the most affordable option, but it also has the longest delivery time, ranging from 7 to 21 business days.

There are also private courier services that offer shipping from the USA to Bolivia, such as FedEx, DHL, UPS, and Planet Mail. These companies can provide faster delivery times, usually within 5-10 business days, but they tend to be more expensive than USPS.

It's important to note that the delivery times mentioned above are estimates and can be affected by various factors such as weather conditions, customs delays, and the efficiency of the local postal service in Bolivia.

To ensure faster delivery, it is recommended to use a flat-rate box or envelope, as these are given priority by the postal service. Additionally, proper addressing of the letter or package is crucial to avoid delays. When mailing from the USA to Bolivia, be sure to include the recipient's name, street address, city, department name, country, and local phone number. Including "SOUTH AMERICA" on the package can also help ensure it reaches the correct destination.

Sending packages

When sending packages to Bolivia, it is essential to be mindful of the country's shipping restrictions and prohibited items. Some items that are prohibited from being shipped from the USA to Bolivia include:

• Plants and plant products
• Arms and ammunition
• Articles that violate Bolivian trademark laws
• Obscene or immoral books, pamphlets, paintings, illustrations, figures, and objects
• Coins, banknotes, traveller's checks, and other valuable articles
• Counterfeit or illegal currency
• Perishable infectious and non-infectious biological substances
• Radioactive materials
• Tobacco and tobacco-related products
• Pharmaceutical and medicinal products that are not approved by Bolivian health authorities
• Used clothing without a certificate of disinfection

Additionally, certain items may be subject to higher taxes, such as luxury goods and products intended for resale.

To ensure a smooth shipping process, it is recommended to research the specific steps and regulations for international shipping. This includes choosing a reputable shipping courier, checking Bolivia's shipping restrictions, determining the size and weight of your package, securely packaging your goods, and completing the necessary shipping documents, such as customs duties forms and transportation invoices.

By following these guidelines and working with a reliable shipping company, you can successfully send packages from the USA to Bolivia.

Prohibited items

When sending a letter from Bolivia to the USA, it is important to be aware of prohibited and restricted items that cannot be sent to the USA. The US Customs and Border Protection service enforces rules for over 40 US government departments and agencies. Their role is to prevent products from entering the US that could damage farming or animal life, cause injury or risk public safety.

• Arms and ammunition
• Articles that violate Bolivian trademark laws
• Obscene or immoral books, pamphlets, paintings, illustrations, figures, and objects
• Coins, banknotes, paper money, traveller's cheques, gold, platinum, silver (manufactured or not), precious stones, jewellery, and other valuable articles
• Counterfeit or illegal currency, and advertisements imitating currency or postage stamps (except for philatelic or numismatic catalogues)
• Perishable infectious and non-infectious biological substances
• Radioactive materials
• Tobacco in any form, including cigarettes and cigarette papers or packaging
• Pharmaceutical and medicinal products that are not approved by Bolivian health authorities
• Used clothing without a certificate of disinfection issued by a competent authority, or disinfected by a firm with the appropriate facilities
• Liquids, creams, pastes, and other items that are not in solid form
• Perishable items, including food and plants
• Hazardous materials, also known as dangerous goods (e.g. chemicals, flammables, lithium batteries)
• Hemp-based products, including cannabidiol (CBD)
• Marijuana (medical or otherwise)
• Mercury, including liquid mercury and mercury vapour (found in devices like thermometers, barometers, switches, and compact fluorescent bulbs)
• Perfumes containing alcohol

Frequently asked questions