# Incoming Mail without PO Box??



## Lamplighter

Hi

We've been told a parcel has been sent to us using normal postal service from overseas and addressed to our residential address in UAE (rather than to a PO Box).

DAK is there any way I can trace this parcel (Emirates Post?), or will it just be returned to sender (or sitting in a big pile somewhere)?

Thanks


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## Chocoholic

It'll be sat in a big pile at one of the post offices. You NEED a PO Box as there is no residential postal service here.


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## Lamplighter

Chocoholic said:


> It'll be sat in a big pile at one of the post offices. You NEED a PO Box as there is no residential postal service here.


Thanks Chocoholic! I've been here long enough to know that, but it was an unexpected parcel and I'm not sure how, and indeed whether, I can trace it - this was my question! I'll see what EmPost have to say...


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## Moe78

This happened to me a few years back. A parcel I asked to be sent with my PO Box was sent without. Luckily someone at the post office did a good job and noticed that there was a company name in the address. They just connected the name to the right PO Box. Mind you the parcel was sent back once before as they sent it to my home address first. Next time it was the company address minus the PO Box.

It's possible the parcel will be returned or it might just be left in a big pile. If you have the tracking number try and go down to the main office and see what they can do for you. With a tracking number and the receiver with ID you may get lucky


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## w_man

This recently happened to me where my sister sent me a parcel to my residential address and didn't put my PO Box number on it. She did put my mobile number on the marcel so when it arrived in Dubai, Emirates Post called me to tell me the parcel was sitting at the central post office and that I could come pick it up. 

He did ask me if I had a PO Box, which I do so I gave it to him - he then linked the parcel to my PO Box and I immediately got a text message with the reference number to the parcel. This made it easy for me to pick up the parcel but it sounded like I didn't really have to have a PO Box.

If the parcel has your phone number on it, they will more than likely call you. 

GL.


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## bkkshopper

So it is still not possible to deliver at Dubai without pobox ? Thanks.


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## SgtRoswell

I've had almost all kind of scenarios with this PObox and suffered. 

If the parcel is sent by regular / normal post specially by other's government postal service such as USPS, Hong Kong Post or China Post, it will always land at Emirates Post here which requires a pobox to deliver. Otherwise they will return back in most cases. 

If the parcel is sent by private courier services such as DHL, they dont care about pobox. 

You don't have to own a pobox to receive percel, you can always use public pobox of emirates post offices nearby you https://www.epg.gov.ae/portal/_en/locations.xhtml


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## Byja

SgtRoswell said:


> If the parcel is sent by regular / normal post specially by other's government postal service such as USPS, Hong Kong Post or China Post, it will always land at Emirates Post here which requires a pobox to deliver. Otherwise they will return back in most cases.


Nope, it will not be returned, instead it will end up in main post office in Karama. If you got the shipper to put your mobile phone no on the parcel, you will (in most cases) get an SMS with a notification and a parcel number so that you can go there and collect it. If you didn't leave your phone no (or even if you did, but want to make sure), then you can track your shipment on EmPost web site, and once you see it's in Karama, just go there. It's quite straightforward and the staff are helpful, but be prepared to spend something like 15-20 min there, and you need to visit 3 or maybe even 4 counters (info desk, collection request, collection counter and maybe even customs which is also there).
Got everything from Emirates ID to a three piece baby stroller this way.


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## bkkshopper

Byja said:


> Nope, it will not be returned, instead it will end up in main post office in Karama. If you got the shipper to put your mobile phone no on the parcel, you will (in most cases) get an SMS with a notification and a parcel number so that you can go there and collect it. If you didn't leave your phone no (or even if you did, but want to make sure), then you can track your shipment on EmPost web site, and once you see it's in Karama, just go there. It's quite straightforward and the staff are helpful, but be prepared to spend something like 15-20 min there, and you need to visit 3 or maybe even 4 counters (info desk, collection request, collection counter and maybe even customs which is also there).
> Got everything from Emirates ID to a three piece baby stroller this way.




Returned or not maybe depends on the country from where it is sent ?

Because I am sure that parcels without PObox are often returned.


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## Byja

bkkshopper said:


> Returned or not maybe depends on the country from where it is sent ?
> 
> Because I am sure that parcels without PObox are often returned.


If they stay long enough at Karama PO, they will be eventually returned.
Never had such an experience, though.


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## bkkshopper

Byja said:


> If they stay long enough at Karama PO, they will be eventually returned.
> Never had such an experience, though.




Thank you so much for your replies.

Weird experience of returned parcels without warning here...


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## SgtRoswell

Byja said:


> Nope, it will not be returned, instead it will end up in main post office in Karama. If you got the shipper to put your mobile phone no on the parcel, you will (in most cases) get an SMS with a notification and a parcel number so that you can go there and collect it. If you didn't leave your phone no (or even if you did, but want to make sure), then you can track your shipment on EmPost web site, and once you see it's in Karama, just go there. It's quite straightforward and the staff are helpful, but be prepared to spend something like 15-20 min there, and you need to visit 3 or maybe even 4 counters (info desk, collection request, collection counter and maybe even customs which is also there).
> Got everything from Emirates ID to a three piece baby stroller this way.


Never received a call/SMS ever! All of my returned parcel mentioned the phone along with dubai address. 

Perhaps it is depend on the country from where it is sent and the courier of said country .. nevertheless, using public pobox always work out for me now.


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## Byja

SgtRoswell said:


> Never received a call/SMS ever! All of my returned parcel mentioned the phone along with dubai address.
> 
> Perhaps it is depend on the country from where it is sent and the courier of said country .. nevertheless, using public pobox always work out for me now.


Here's an example of an SMS that I've received from EMRTSPOST:



> Dear Customer, We would like to inform you that you have received Parcel Mail No. CA987xxxxxxDE for P.O. Box 111311. Please visit Dubai Central Post Office for collection. For further information, please call 600599999.. Make use of our parcel and express mail service to any destination in India at very attractive rates.


Obviously, the package was from Germany. I've received similar for packages from China, but it doesn't really matter, when I get the tracking number and see that Emirates Post has collected it, I just track it on their website. Once it's in Karama PO, I just go there to collect it.

I see that parcel used PO Box no 111311 which is Deira EmPost PO Box no. Maybe you can use that one, or PO Box 99999 to make sure it gets to central post office.


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## bkkshopper

Hello. and do you think that these rules only apply in Dubai or also around the country ? Thanks again for all info.


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