When international mail services to the US resume,
they're gonna be more like those to Brazil.
I have a lot of experience of sending small gifts to Brazil, so lemme explain how bad that gets.
(1/4)
apnews.com/article/us-tar…
they're gonna be more like those to Brazil.
I have a lot of experience of sending small gifts to Brazil, so lemme explain how bad that gets.
(1/4)
apnews.com/article/us-tar…
Trump has replaced the $800 "de minimis" exception which allows small gifts to travel painlessly with a $100 limit and a whole host of new rules.
Here's the current UK mail @RoyalMail state of play.
Brazil is similar (except $50 not $100), but even that ain't easy.
(2/4)
Here's the current UK mail @RoyalMail state of play.
Brazil is similar (except $50 not $100), but even that ain't easy.
(2/4)
If I receive a personal package from Brazil, say around 2kg or less, using regular tracked airmail (about $25 US), it arrives like you'd expect. No drama. About five days.
FedEx is 2-3 days, $100+. No drama.
Sending the other way is a whole different story.
(3/4)
FedEx is 2-3 days, $100+. No drama.
Sending the other way is a whole different story.
(3/4)
In practice, and I've done this many times, it takes two weeks to around two months.
If Customs is busy, or there's a holiday, or a strike, or the slightest excuse, it just waits there. Melting in the case of chocolate. For weeks.
Otherwise they levy essentially random charges.
If Customs is busy, or there's a holiday, or a strike, or the slightest excuse, it just waits there. Melting in the case of chocolate. For weeks.
Otherwise they levy essentially random charges.
Recently they insisted that a customs declaration (checked by the mail company in the UK) for three items totalling $45 in value meant three items at $45 (US) each, and a consequent tariff bill, per some crazy calculation, of $130 (US). Which needed to paid via their website, before anything moved.
As it happens, the recipient really wanted the stuff and after the first appeal failed decided to pay anyway and then try to get it back. They're now moving again, but haven't arrived yet. They were sent in July. The customs declaration was accurate and they didn't even open the parcel! But if it arrives next week then, at about 4-5 weeks, it will merely be AVERAGE delivery time based on my sample of at least a dozen occasions.
If you send things by FedEx or UPS, it's actually even worse. Because unless you have some commercial system that responds within minutes to the notification that a tariff has been charged and pays it, then they use it as an excuse to void their promise of delivery with three days. Even after the tariff gets paid, they then go into SLOW MODE.
You thought FedEx didn't have a slow mode? Welcome to Brazil.
Even after it was paid, it took them a further two weeks to deliver an item they had guaranteed would arrive in three days.
If you're lucky, a service like FedEx will just return the item to you, 2-3 days after collecting it, because they determined the paperwork was inadequate. Then, if you're smart, you'll decide not to bother sending it at all.
(5/4).
As it happens, the recipient really wanted the stuff and after the first appeal failed decided to pay anyway and then try to get it back. They're now moving again, but haven't arrived yet. They were sent in July. The customs declaration was accurate and they didn't even open the parcel! But if it arrives next week then, at about 4-5 weeks, it will merely be AVERAGE delivery time based on my sample of at least a dozen occasions.
If you send things by FedEx or UPS, it's actually even worse. Because unless you have some commercial system that responds within minutes to the notification that a tariff has been charged and pays it, then they use it as an excuse to void their promise of delivery with three days. Even after the tariff gets paid, they then go into SLOW MODE.
You thought FedEx didn't have a slow mode? Welcome to Brazil.
Even after it was paid, it took them a further two weeks to deliver an item they had guaranteed would arrive in three days.
If you're lucky, a service like FedEx will just return the item to you, 2-3 days after collecting it, because they determined the paperwork was inadequate. Then, if you're smart, you'll decide not to bother sending it at all.
(5/4).
Needless to say I have a reasonable amount of experience sending items both to and from the US, and hitherto things have worked very smoothly - much like parcels from Brazil arriving in the UK. No drama.
But the US Federal Government is now adopting a way of thinking where every foreign arrival, human or brown-paper wrapped, is regarded with deep suspicion.
This is the way the Brazilian government view parcels (but not people - at least you can courier things yourself smoothly).
This is the way the Brazilian government view parcels (but not people - at least you can courier things yourself smoothly).
This is a massive step backwards and it going to mean a whole world of pain, most of all for Americans.
It is possible that America may manage to do things somewhat more efficiently than Brazil. But it will be bad.
If you think my descriptions of Brazil are hyperbolic and out of petty personal frustration, guess which country ranks number one in this list?
teamsunday.com/blog/10-most-d…
If you think my descriptions of Brazil are hyperbolic and out of petty personal frustration, guess which country ranks number one in this list?
teamsunday.com/blog/10-most-d…
This site ranks Brazil the 7th worst.
Great. It beats Chad and Venezuela. Well done 🇧🇷!
@Katauroraaa - this says Argentina is even worse. Is that true?
worldatlas.com/articles/worst…
Great. It beats Chad and Venezuela. Well done 🇧🇷!
@Katauroraaa - this says Argentina is even worse. Is that true?
worldatlas.com/articles/worst…
@Katauroraaa I'm specifically giving Brazil a really bad rating ,namely:
,
(no stars)
for customs drama when sending small personal items by mail.
Customs is fine for actual international travellers. I can't comment directly on large commercial shipments, but the reputation is bad.
,
(no stars)
for customs drama when sending small personal items by mail.
Customs is fine for actual international travellers. I can't comment directly on large commercial shipments, but the reputation is bad.
@Katauroraaa However bad Brazilian customs are, both in inefficiency, general attitude of suspicion, and actual tariff levels charged,
levelling tariffs against Brazil *because they prosecuted Trump's buddies for doing coups*
is a whole new level of BAD.
theguardian.com/world/2025/jul…
levelling tariffs against Brazil *because they prosecuted Trump's buddies for doing coups*
is a whole new level of BAD.
theguardian.com/world/2025/jul…
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
