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General delivery at Correios

Last activity 30 September 2021 by Texanbrazil

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ViroMajor

Hello,

I want to send books to a friend in Brazil but she has currently issues with her home address.

I’d like to know if this service exists with Correios

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_delivery

Basically, it consists of sending mail to the address of the local nearest post office, instead of using a home address, then the recipient goes there and presents his/her ID card and pays a small fee in order to claim the collection of the parcel.

I don’t speak portuguese. Can someone locally be kind enough to figure out if Correios proposes this arrangement (which may have another name there than “general delivery”) ? If so, please confirm how it works and how much it costs ?
(Would it be reliable ? I heard about many issues with the postal service in Brazil)

Thanks in advance... All the best !

Texanbrazil

I will defer on the General Delivery.
The mail system here has been very lacking in the last 2 years and I am guessing Gen Delivery will not work.
It is a must all mail has her CPF on the address. Most gifts are taxed, but books may not be taxed.
I don't understand " she has currently issues with her home address."
We only get mail about every two weeks and normally CC bills and utility bills, but even water and electric meters are read and placed in the mailbox. If she has electricity she must have an address.
Now USA mail to Brazil is very lacking due to politics.
DHL, FedEX works ok, but expensive and must have an address.
Basically, I would be very surprised if there is Gen Delivery, but I only know a small part of Brazil.

Inubia

I can offer a few anecdotes ....but these are only things I have observed, not been told ....Maria has a street address in Bom Jesus da Lapa, Bahia but no mail slot ....some of the more expensive houses around town do have mail slots ... she goes to the central post office downtown to get her mail, she knows when a package comes, she has been ordering merchandise from China in order to open up a little store ... last year I mailed Christmas Cards from the general post office on thanksgiving and then returned to Maryland for Christmas ...my friends were delighted when they started showing up, first or second week of January ....on the other hand, I have mailed letters to her from Maryland containing thin items of value and theres been no problems ....

abthree

Yes, the service still technically exists, but it has fallen into disuse over the years, even before the pandemic.  In Brazil, it's called "Poste-Restante".  The details on how to use it are available here:

https://www.correios.com.br/english/cor … e-restante

As Tex says, Correios has had many challenges this year.  Your friend should confirm with her local Post Office that they still have Poste-Restante service before entrusting anything to it.  If they confirm, it should be trackable on the Correios site and pretty secure, although you should expect delays.

sprealestatebroker

Use a FEDEX or DHL for your carrier.  Cost more, yet, less of a hassle. Brazilian Postal Services are not that reliable.   

Neither one of them has let me down.  UPS is not as pervasive in Brazil.

ViroMajor

Thanks for the reco. From feedback gathered, it seems necessary indeed.
I will use Chronopost, which is the Express Premium service of the french postal service. A single package costs 99 €

ViroMajor

So could I use Fedex/DHL/Chronopost to deliver as “Poste Restante” without issue ? Are the 2 services compatible ?

sprealestatebroker

If no fixed postal address, you better off with FEDEX, as they will deliver to the nearest instructed service center.  Which aren't that many. 

The Correios might accomodate this, as long as you can direct the shipment to the nearest Postal Office. 

The problem with Correios, is that you can't track shipments.

mazzy1blast

Hi, does anyone know the flat fixed fee charged when receiving a parcel as "Poste-restante" at Correios ? Thanks in advance

Texanbrazil

It all depends on the origin of the parcel. It is now taking a long time for flat rate parcels (or mail) via Correios.

mazzy1blast

The origin would be France. Does anyone know the exact fee to claim / collect a Poste-Restante package at Correios ? I'd like to send this amount to the recipient in advance so it does not turn as a poisoned gift. I'm not there to check myself. Cheers

Texanbrazil

I will have to defer to an EU person(s) as to postage. Maybe the recipient can ask at the Correirros.
I gave up on Correios and use FedEx or UPS so that you can track the parcel and they give you a flat rate.
One suggestion is to get the recipient's CPF number and insert it on the address line. Customs will be faster.

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