Customers can avail of several services offered by USPS. You can find almost all types of facilities and services in this postal service. If you face any difficulties in shipping, then approach USPS, they have solutions for all types of postal issues. Most of the customer’s requirement will be satisfied by the service offered by USPS. Though there are numerous mail services, people prefer sending critical shipments through Priority Mail Service. People love this service for its reliability and speed of delivery. Priority Mail is the best option for the customers who need to send critical shipments within given time limit. If you wonder whether this service is available only for domestic shipment or it is accessible for International shipments, then there is good news for you. Priority Mail is available for both the domestic shipments and the international shipments.
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USPS Priority Mail International:
While you read about the Priority Mail, a question may arise in your minds “what is international priority shipping?” Here comes the answer, The Priority Mail International is one of the fastest and most reliable services offered by USPS to send your mail and packages to the destination. Most of the USPS customers say that this is one of the fastest ways to send time-critical packages. However, you cannot send any mail piece that weighs more than 70 pounds through this service. If a mail package is transmitted through the international priority shipping, then you can very well expect the delivery in 6 to 10 business days. Now, you may also ask another question that is First-Class Package International not reliable or suitable for shipments? You can send package either by First-Class Package International or the International Priority Mail, and both are reliable. But, the cost of First-Class mail is bit low as compared to the Priority Mail service.
Salient Features of International Priority Shipping:
- International Priority Shipping takes around 6 to 10 business days to deliver your package.
- The USPS International Priority Mail service comes along with the insurance amount of $100. This is applicable for the case of non-negotiable document reconstruction. It also counts the insurance of merchandise of up to $200 if the package is lost or damaged during the shipment.
- This service may also provide for a no-cost pickup service of the box. The pick-up can be done from your home or office
- This service also offers the USPS Tracking. Yes, you can track your international shipment any time to know the exact location of your package and the expected date of the delivery.
Sending Priority Mail International Mail:
Now that you are aware of the International Priority Mail service, you can send your packages to any country through this beautiful service. The process of shipping the package is quite the same for both Domestic Mail Class and USPS International Priority Mail Class. The first thing you should do is pack the parcel and label it appropriately. Next, mention the recipient’s address at the center of the parcel. Make sure that you mentioned the return address along with the country name at the upper left corner of the package.
You have different options to give the package to your letter carrier. You can either drop it off or hand-over it to your local post office. You can also make use of the facility called ‘Free carrier pickup’ for utilizing this international priority service. This facility lets you schedule a pick-up of your package. This pickup can happen from your office or home. To avail this service, you should ensure that you attached the pre-paid shipping label and enclosed customs form (if applicable).
Apart from the points mentioned above, there are specific important points that need to be considered before sending your package. Please find the points below:
- To avail the Global Priority Mail Service, you need to know how much does your package weigh. You must be aware of the overall weight of your international package because if you intend to ship your package through the Flat Rate pricing, the packages should not exceed a permitted weight limit. You can also opt for the retail shipping rate by calculating the price of your package.
- Ensure that the items you are shipping should be acceptable to the recipient’s country. If you are not sure whether your mail package is acceptable to a particular country or not, then you should visit the official site of USPS to know more about the restrictions and instructions mentioned in the International Mail Manual.
- If the package that you are sending to other country weighs more than one pound, then as per the norms, you will be required to fill out the customs form. This form will need your details such as:
- The content of the parcel
- Value of the parcel
Additionally, you should also disclose that the parcel is merchandise or a gift. You can get this custom form by visiting the nearby post office and request for the same.
USPS Priority Mail International Rates:
Read through the below passage to know about the rates of Priority Mail International in detail. Basically, the rates are of two categories:
- Priority Mail International Flat Rate Pricing
- Priority Mail International Retail Pricing
Let’s talk about these two one-by-one:
1. Priority Mail International Flat Rate Pricing:
Priority Mail International Flat Rate Pricing is pre-defined pricing. When you wish to send any mail to other countries, you can get Flat Rate envelopes and boxes from the USPS. When you opt for this option, you need not pay any additional fees for shipping. These prices range between $24.95 and $56.95 for sending the packages to Canada, and from $28.45 and more for all the other countries.
You should also be aware of the few terms and restrictions of using the Priority Mail International Flat Rate Pricing:
- To opt for this option, you need to ensure that your shipment fits comfortably inside the given container.
- The package that you are shipping through the flat rate pricing should not be more than the given weight limit. The Large Flat Rate box is not capable of accommodating items that weight more than 20 pounds. So, please make sure that your package is equal to or lesser in weight than the given Flat rate weight limit.
- In case your package exceeds the permitted weight limit, then you can use the retail pricing.
2. Priority Mail International Retail Pricing:
If you intend to ship your mail through the Priority Mail International Retail Pricing option, then you are free to ship items above flat rate pricing. The price of the package will be calculated based on the weight of your mail piece and also based on the country you are shipping. The retail pricing for sending your package to Canada ranges from $31.75 (for the mail piece that weighs up to 1 pound). This cost will increase as the weight of your parcel increases, and it also depends on the distance of the destination country. Additionally, you should also incur the extra cost for the bigger size package. Using the Postage Price Calculator, you can also calculate the prices of your mail online.
How Long Does Priority Mail International Take?
If you are shipping your mail piece through Priority Mail International, then you can expect the delivery within 6 to 10 business days. Priority Mail International is one of the most trusted and fastest services offered by USPS. You can get the assurance of the mail delivery within the given time frame. This service is not only reliable but also economical as compared with the services offered by other logistics company. Priority international delivery is done globally, approximately 180 countries. Sometimes the company offers free shipping supplies too.
So, we can say that the Priority Mail International delivery time is 6 – 10 business days.
Additional Information:
Let’s see some important points which are mentioned below:
- Restricted, prohibited, and hazardous materials can’t be sent through this service. This includes cigarettes and smokeless tobacco as well.
- Maximum weight for medium and large Priority Mail International Flat Rate Boxes is limited to 20 lbs.
- The maximum weight for the Priority Mail International parcel is limited to70 lbs.
- The maximum weight for Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes is limited to 4 lbs.
