# Postal Advice



## Uk-Girl (Feb 3, 2010)

Has anyone set up a re-direction service from the UK to Cairo? and if so was it successful?
While in Hong Kong I did this and it allowed me to oredr magazines and things off amazon such as books, electric toothbrush heads, cosmetics etc which would then automatically be forwarded at no extra cost and this worked well...just wondering how it would work in Cairo and if customs might be a problem, I know it is in some countries?
Any advise would be gratefully recieved.
Thanks


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## Chill (May 24, 2011)

Well I havent set up a re-direction service from the UK to Cairo. But I would have thought that it wouldnt work here because you have to pay additional "duties" here when things arrive (and the cost of these duties may not make it worth while) also I have heard that the mail service is quite unreliable here. 
Interested to hear other thoughts, we've only been here 2 months and I am still working these things out! 
Chill


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

Chill said:


> Well I havent set up a re-direction service from the UK to Cairo. But I would have thought that it wouldnt work here because you have to pay additional "duties" here when things arrive (and the cost of these duties may not make it worth while) also I have heard that the mail service is quite unreliable here.
> Interested to hear other thoughts, we've only been here 2 months and I am still working these things out!
> Chill


Don't bother with setting redirection from UK. I did, never received a single letter in Cairo. As a matter of fact, I have never seen a postman/woman in this country


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## Moe599 (Jun 26, 2011)

Hello I have a follow up question I'm having my family send me some stuff from the U.S. A hard drive and USB flash drives. They are sending it by DHL or FedEX. Is it a straight shot through the postal service or will it get stopped for some kind of Tax. Thanks


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## Lanason (Sep 1, 2009)

aykalam said:


> Don't bother with setting redirection from UK. I did, never received a single letter in Cairo. As a matter of fact, I have never seen a postman/woman in this country


could be rehab thing but I agree postal system is useless - HOWEVER i have received one letter since being here in Rehab.

Slightly more reliable to my office in Heliopolis

my advice - dont bother


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## canuck2010 (Jan 13, 2010)

I use DHL, the goods are usually opened and inspected, and there is duty, but otherwise no problem.


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## Moe599 (Jun 26, 2011)

Thanks Canuck. Do you know what is is based on? Is a flat tax or based on purchased price? If it is based in purchased price, should I have them send the receipt in the package?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

The only mail I ever received was from the UKgovernment


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> The only mail I ever received was from the UKgovernment


I had a PO box but that was in Hurghada....most mail seemed to arrive including ones that i sent to the UK....and no didn't arrive in UK but arrived back in my PO box because i used to put my address on back of envelope. as for duty to be paid...seems to be how they feel on the day as everyone you speak to seems to pay different amounts....but for certain everything that is sent in an envelope larger that the normal sized one will be opened.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

hurghadapat said:


> I had a PO box but that was in Hurghada....most mail seemed to arrive including ones that i sent to the UK....and no didn't arrive in UK but arrived back in my PO box because i used to put my address on back of envelope. as for duty to be paid...seems to be how they feel on the day as everyone you speak to seems to pay different amounts....but for certain everything that is sent in an envelope larger that the normal sized one will be opened.


at least yours got somewhere even if it was back home
I wrote out some cards and left them with the money for the postage on the coffee table for my driver to take and post.. about 3 months later I found my cards in the back of a cupboard opened. They had not been sent and the postage had disappeared I can only think that someone thought I had put money in them.
When I complained to my boss I was told I was in the wrong and what did I expect


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## Uk-Girl (Feb 3, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> at least yours got somewhere even if it was back home
> I wrote out some cards and left them with the money for the postage on the coffee table for my driver to take and post.. about 3 months later I found my cards in the back of a cupboard opened. They had not been sent and the postage had disappeared I can only think that someone thought I had put money in them.
> When I complained to my boss I was told I was in the wrong and what did I expect


So I take it no one buys on Ebay or Amazon...even locally??? Little bit worried about 'no post' scenario!! How do you get important post from home???
Any advise would be useful!!


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## Uk-Girl (Feb 3, 2010)

aykalam said:


> Don't bother with setting redirection from UK. I did, never received a single letter in Cairo. As a matter of fact, I have never seen a postman/woman in this country


REALLLY???? What not even letters???


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

Uk-Girl said:


> So I take it no one buys on Ebay or Amazon...even locally??? Little bit worried about 'no post' scenario!! How do you get important post from home???
> Any advise would be useful!!


Only way you can guarantee to get it is to have it delivered to the UK then either...have it sent by courier...which defeats the object of buying on e-bay or amazon or get someone who is coming out to bring it with them....remember you are coming to a third world country.


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## Uk-Girl (Feb 3, 2010)

hurghadapat said:


> Only way you can guarantee to get it is to have it delivered to the UK then either...have it sent by courier...which defeats the object of buying on e-bay or amazon or get someone who is coming out to bring it with them....remember you are coming to a third world country.


Can I ask how people get their personal mail delivered to their address in Cairo? I will need to get some important post on a regular basis and if a UK re-direction won't work....does anyone else use a good system? 
Thanks:juggle:lane:


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## Moe599 (Jun 26, 2011)

Sure postal office is obsolete these days. You have email, fax,scan and if it is very important then FedEX it. I was in Crete at the beginning if the year then went to North Cyprus. Couldn't get a post card through if my life depended on it. I assume The UK is almost like the US in terms of the postal service. So don't fight the feeling just swallow it and it starts to feel better.


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

Moe599 said:


> Sure postal office is obsolete these days. You have email, fax,scan and if it is very important then FedEX it. I was in Crete at the beginning if the year then went to North Cyprus. Couldn't get a post card through if my life depended on it. I assume The UK is almost like the US in terms of the postal service. So don't fight the feeling just swallow it and it starts to feel better.


Why would the Post Office be obsolete.


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## Uk-Girl (Feb 3, 2010)

hurghadapat said:


> Why would the Post Office be obsolete.


Unfortunately snail mail isnt obsolete hence this problem...IR use it and many financial institutions..they won't accept a poor postal service as reasons for not providing what they need or slow contact.
Also, the same applies to other services who require signed copies of documentation before they comply with your instructions which could be a pain if that is difficult to create. It would become extremely expensive if having to use DHL everytime...are there cheaper services perhaps in Cairo or am I scuppered?
Thanks


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

Uk-Girl said:


> Unfortunately snail mail isnt obsolete hence this problem...IR use it and many financial institutions..they won't accept a poor postal service as reasons for not providing what they need or slow contact.
> Also, the same applies to other services who require signed copies of documentation before they comply with your instructions which could be a pain if that is difficult to create. It would become extremely expensive if having to use DHL everytime...are there cheaper services perhaps in Cairo or am I scuppered?
> Thanks


You could always have a look at Parcel2Go.com.....UK based


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## Maireadhoey (Jul 25, 2011)

I have been here two years and I get all my post redirected from the UK it works very well. I have the company PO box listed as my redirect address and get it in a big pile once a month. You can order online and I have had packages delivered to this PO box only some are opened and I have never paid duty in all this time, but use reputable sites not individuals as these sites will attach a duty paid sticker in Arabic


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## dan30 (Jul 2, 2011)

I know this will not be helpful but I recently sent letter to Egypt by Royal mail International Sign option which took 10 days arrive in Egypt.


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## Uk-Girl (Feb 3, 2010)

But it did arrive?? 
Did you do this through the post office in the UK?
Thanks very much


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## Uk-Girl (Feb 3, 2010)

Maireadhoey said:


> I have been here two years and I get all my post redirected from the UK it works very well. I have the company PO box listed as my redirect address and get it in a big pile once a month. You can order online and I have had packages delivered to this PO box only some are opened and I have never paid duty in all this time, but use reputable sites not individuals as these sites will attach a duty paid sticker in Arabic


By reputable sites do you mean Amazon? Ebay?
Thanks very muchlane:


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

Uk-Girl said:


> REALLLY???? What not even letters???


nothing. zero. nada 

I'm quite impressed how Egyptians have reinvented the "paperless" concept :clap2:


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## hhaddad (Apr 14, 2010)

Don't even think about it.I have a P.O.Box here and nothing arrives and if aletter arrives and is not collected within 14 days it's destroyed.The best way is if you have a close friend in the U.K. get them to recieve the mail scan and send by e-mail.


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

hhaddad said:


> the best way is if you have a close friend in the U.K. get them to recieve the mail scan and send by e-mail.


that's a great use of technology, as long as the friend is close and the mail is not too frequent :clap2:


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