How long does first class mail take international

Written on: 08:00am PDT, June 20, 2020

These days, it seems like international shipments are taking way longer than they should! Due to the global pandemic, we’re seeing a much higher number of delayed domestic and global shipments. So, it’s increasingly important to track and plan for how long international shipments take, and set expectations with recipients.

Changes to USPS Commitments Affect How Long International Shipments Take

It’s clear that USPS is working hard to uphold international services, though notably, USPS has suspended Priority Mail Express International guarantees and extended their Service Commitments.

Typically, Priority Mail International shipments take 6-10 business days for delivery, while First Class International shipments take anywhere from 1-4 weeks. This is, of course, in addition to any extra customs processing times in the country of origin and destination.

In times like these, you’ll need to factor in at least 1-2 extra weeks of transit time for international shipments. The reasoning here is as follows:

• USPS uses commercial airlines to transport international packages. With the extreme drop in international travel, it’s taking way longer for shipments to make it onto planes for transport overseas
• There are only 5 international service centers, located in New York, Miami, Chicago, and San Fransisco. All of these facilities are super backed up, given the volume of shipments currently being processed for transport
• Delivery times in destination countries are slow, due to the effects of the Coronavirus on their own postal services. Route suspensions in a number of countries also heavily affect the ability of postal workers to deliver shipments like normal

Other Changes to Note

In some cases, USPS is actually reverting to sea transport to deliver shipments, since airlines aren’t flying to certain areas nearly as often as they normally would. This in itself extends the shipping time by weeks as well, so check to see if the country you’re shipping to is affected by this change.

In addition to extra transit time, some countries have closed their borders to international shipments to the time being. Be sure to check the USPS newsroom to keep up to date with those changes.

Pro Tip: Add insurance onto international shipments! It’s more important than ever to protect yourself and your business against losses and damage that may occur due to the global pandemic.

In Any Case…

Don’t panic! As long as you do your research, plan ahead and set expectations with customers, everything will be okay. Things happen, and in this time where things can be a bit uncertain, this guide should keep you on the straight and narrow.

USPS facilitates its customers with the services of various mail classes such as Priority Mail, Retail Ground, Media Mail, Priority Mail Express, etc. The other mail class or service that is popularly used is the First-class mail. Many customers use this mail class to ship their domestic and international packages. There are two types of services if we talk about First-Class, one is domestic and other is international. We have already covered the domestic First-Class Mail service in another article.

Here, we will talk about the First-Class Mail International service.

Contents

• 1 USPS First-Class International:
• 2 First-Class Mail International Delivery Time:
• 3 USPS First-Class International Rates:
• 4 How much weight can be sent internationally using First Class Package?

Though it may take some time for your package to reach its destination as compared to the other mail classes that are more expensive, you will be able to save a lot with international First-Class mail.

It is so inexpensive that to send a 1-pound package from the US to a destination like Cancun, Mexico, using the First-Class Package International Service, it will charge only $19.71 (Commercial Base rates). If you ship the same package using the Priority Mail International, it will cost you a whopping $36.81.

Hence, the United States Postal Service’s First-Class International is identified as the most affordable way to send mails, letters, bills, small packages (of weight four pounds or less), and postcards to the overseas destinations. In case the customer wishes to send some inexpensive items like beauty products, health gadgets, books, clothes, shoes, or other accessories, then First-Class Package International service is the best and the cheapest option to send your packages to an international address.

Another good thing about this service is that the customer need not use a special USPS envelope, packaging, or label to send the package via First-Class Mail or Package International. One can prepare his/her shipment, flats, and packages just like you do in the domestic mail. The return address of the sender, including the country, should be written on the upper left corner and the address of the recipient must be written in the center.

Also, before sending the package, you need to take care of these things about the USPS First-Class Mail intl.:

• The contents of the package you are sending are acceptable to send to the country of the recipient. To get more details on this, you can read the International Mail Manual online or at the post office.
• Do not forget to weigh your mail item to make sure that it is not more than the recommended the weight limit for First-Class Mail International deliveries.
• Also, calculate the cost of mailing.

Summarizing the features of First-Class International shipping:

• Most economical service
• Postcards, letters, and large envelopes can be used to send
• This service is eligible for sending flats up to 4 lbs. and up to $400
• Global Forever stamp is also available. These postcards and letters up to 1 oz. for sending anywhere in the world will cost you $1.15.
• If you are shipping a package that is more than one pound in weight, you will have to fill out a customs form. The form will ask you to describe the contents and value of the shipment. You will also be asked to reveal if this package is a gift or merchandise. You can get this custom form from your local post office. Fill the form by hand.

First-Class Mail International Delivery Time:

The First-Class International Mail generally takes 7 days to 21 days. But, you should also know that USPS does not guarantee the First-Class International time of delivery. The mail may reach its destination by ground, air or a mix of both. You can also see the delivery time of USPS for all the services.

USPS First-Class International Rates:

Now, as we know the USPS First-Class international shipping time, let us talk about its prices. The rate of the First-Class Mail International depends on the weight and destination. If an item is more than the limited length, height, or thickness of one rate, it cost you the next higher rate.

You can calculate the price of your shipment using the USPS Postage Price Calculator. If you want to calculate the postage, then CLICK HERE.

There are four different price groups:

• Group 1 includes Canada, and the prices start at $14.73 and up
• Group 2 is Mexico where the prices start at $19.71 and up
• Groups 3–5 includes the countries like Australia, Germany, Great Britain, etc. and its prices start at $21.14 and up
• Groups 6–9 are the countries like Taiwan, Brazil, Venezuela, etc. and the prices start at $20.90 and up

Postcards should not weigh more than 1oz. and letters should not weigh more than 3.5oz. Large envelopes and Flats must not weigh more than 64 ounces, and packages should not exceed 24 inches in length and 36 inches in combined dimensions. Also, First-Class international postage is:

• For the letters and postcards, the price starts from $1.15 for all countries and for large Envelopes (Flats), it is from $2.29 for all the countries
• First-Class Package International Service rate starts from $9.50 at the Post Office, from $9.03 for Commercial Base, from $9.03 for the Commercial Plus.

Note:- The new rates of services including First-Class Mail International service may be different because USPS has increased the rates of its most of the services.

How much weight can be sent internationally using First Class Package?

When shipping an item, it is important to use the right service. Luckily, USPS offers several options for shipping light packages, including First Class Package International. This service has a weight limit of 1-4lbs, making it ideal for lightweight items like books, small electronics, and other smaller parcels. So if you need to ship something that is under 1lb, be sure to reach out to your local post office and take advantage of the First Class Package International service.