All Christmas packages must be delivered to the mission office by December 1, to insure delivery to the missionary.
Due to customs regulations Christmas package delivery to missionaries can be expensive and complicated. Our recommendation is that instead of sending a large package, send something small and then put money into your missionary’s personal account so that he or she can purchase a gift here.
Beware that the Italian government often charges an import fee of 25% or more of the value of the package. You should be cautious when writing in the value and contents of anything you send. Packages are randomly stopped for inspection, but are targeted if they look suspicious. For example, if the value declared is too low compared with its list of contents. Italian customs will not accept zero as a value, so assign a reasonable value to letters, pictures, CD’s, etc. Our experience is that Italian customs will usually stop and inspect packages when “missionary supplies” is listed as the contents.It is our experience that items sent in a padded envelope are seldom stopped or have a customs fee charged for them. When the phrase “dalla famiglia” is added at the end of the list of items, packages also are less likely to be stopped. This phrase means that the contents are “from the family” rather than having been purchased via mail order.
It is important to note that missionaries are required to pay from their own funds all duty and import fees for packages they receive. At times these fees can exceed the value of the package.
Send packages or hard copy mail to:(Missionary’s FULL Name)
Missione Italiana di Milan
Via A. Gramsci 13/4
20090 Opera (MI) Italy
I guess the mail there is not real reliable so maybe any letters that are sent need to just go to the mission home and let them get them to her. Still no pictures to share with you! But will post more of her last letter next.
1 comment:
When sending just a letter, how much postage is necessary?
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