Best practice to follow in mailing

Best practices in mailing physical things around the world, which is sometimes required for a global organization :) List information about shipping internationally through customs, if you know it.

Europe

European Union taxation and customs rules

The duty-free limit for shipments from outside the European Union is currently (since late 2008) €150. Shipments marked as gifts are tax-free, as well.
Customs officers very often ask about the contents of the shipment, and it is advised to enclose a list of contents, even without giving the exact numbers.
If sending a package to a chapter, please check if it has an EORI number (EORI FAQ at the HM Revenue & Customs). Getting an EORI number may take some time, so if it hasn't got it, please consider sending the package to an individual.
List things as gifts on Customs Form to avoid tax

By country

Austria

An example of a letter sent to Austria:

Herr Franz Huber
Beethovenstrasse 12
1010 WIEN
AUSTRIA

Belgium

An example of a letter sent to Belgium:


Mr Willy Janssens
Lange Stationsstraat 352
3000 LEUVEN
BELGIUM

Bulgaria

An example of a letter sent to Bulgaria:

Dr Tzantcho Gantchev
Dimo Hadjikimov 6
1606 SOFIA
BULGARIA

Croatia

An example of a letter sent to Croatia:

Ana Car
Ilica 25
41 000 ZAGREB
CROATIA

Czech Republic

An example of a letter sent to the Czech Republic:

M. Miroslav Ondevejka
Fibichova 92
125 02 PRAGUE 3
CZECH REPUBLIC

Denmark

An example of a letter sent to Denmark:

Mr Thor Nielsen
Tietgensgade 137
8800 VIBORG
DENMARK

France

An example of a letter sent to France

M./Mme Robert MARTIN
3 Rue de l’Église
Dunes
82340 AUVILLAR
FRANCE

The French Postal Service state that the surname must be in capital letters and remember "M." for male and "Mme" (or "Mle") for female

Germany

An example of a letter sent to Germany:

Female

Fr. F Meier
Weberstr. 2
53113 BONN 1
GERMANY

Male

Hr. P Kunde
Lange Str. 12
04103 LEIPZIG
GERMANY

Greece

An example of a letter sent to Greece

Mr George Latsis
Alkamenou 37
117 80 ATHENS
GREECE

Hungary

An example of a letter sent to Hungary

M. Horvath LASZLO
Budapest
Kossuth u.7
1055
HUNGARY

Iceland

An example of a letter sent to Iceland

Mr Jon Jonsson
Einimel 80
107 REYKJAVIK
ICELAND

Ireland

An example of a letter sent to Ireland

Mr Gerard Carey
45 O’Connell Street
DUBLIN 1
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Only Dublin, the capital of Ireland requires a postcode. So for all other addresses disregard "DUBLIN 1"

Italy

An example of a letter sent to Italy:

Sig. Giovanni Masci
via Garibaldi 27
47037 RIMINI RN
ITALY

Luxembourg

An example of a letter sent to Luxembourg:

M. Jaques Muller
71 route de Longway
4750 PETANGE
LUXEMBOURG

Poland

An example of a letter sent to a Polish resident:

Mr Jan Kowalski
ul. Niepodległości 2
60-549 Poznań

An example of a leter sent to Polish business:

Stowarzyszenie Wikimedia Polska
ul. Tuwima 95, pok. 15
90-031 Łódź

Addresses must include the name of the recipient (an individual or an organisation), street name and house/flat number, a 5-digit ZIP code and city/village name.

Portugal

An example of a letter sent to Portugal

Rosalina Silva
R Conde Redondo 80
1192 LISBOA CODEX
PORTUGAL

Addresses must have a zip code (4 digit number, with a 3 digit code appended and the name of the place)

Ex: "4000-000 Porto" or "1400-038 Lisboa" (the 1º one is the code of Sé do Porto, and the 2º is for Torre de Bélem)

Romania

An example of a letter sent to Romania:

Mr Gheorghe Petraru
Bd Golescu 38
77113 BUCHAREST
ROMANIA

Spain

An example of a letter sent to Spain

Sra Ana Jiménez
Mimbreras 4
03201 ELCHE (Alicante)
SPAIN

Sweden

An example of a letter sent to Sweden from abroad:

Inger Lilja
Vasavägen 3, 4tr.
SE-582 20 LINKÖPING
SWEDEN

An example of a letter sent within Sweden:

Inger Lilja
Vasavägen 3, 4tr.
582 20 LINKÖPING

Switzerland

An example of a letter sent to Switzerland:

M. Andre Perret
Schanzenstrasse 7
3030 BERNE
SWITZERLAND

The Netherlands (Holland)

An example of a letter sent to The Netherlands (Holland):

Mr J van Dieten
Morsstr 111
2312 BK LEIDEN
THE NETHERLANDS

There should be a double space between the postcode and the post town

Ukraine

An example of a letter sent to Thailand

Mrs L Projivalsky
252001 KIEV
Prospect F Skaryna
UKRAINE

United Kingdom

An example of a letter sent to the United Kingdom:

Mr. John Smith
123 London Road
LONDON
SW1A 2AA
UNITED KINGDOM

As long as you write the street number and postcode you are guaranteed delivery
Putting "UNITED KINGDOM" includes the 4 constituent countries being England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Name (1st line), House No/Name and Road Name (2nd line), Town/City Name (3rd line), Postcode (4th line), UNITED KINGDOM (5th line).
In order to get more information on UK addressees one refer Address-Data.co.uk

Americas

Brazil

An example of a letter sent to Brazil:

Sr. Ronaldo Ganclaves
Av Paulista 952, Apto 16
B VISTA
01311-300 Sâo Paulo - SP
BRAZIL

Addresses must have a neighbourhood, city, state, and zip code (8 digit number, 5 for determine the city - 3 as appended).
Are really rare a shipper require a phone or email address of recipient.

Canada

An Example of a letter to send to Canada

M. John Smith
150 Rue Nepeau App 5
OTTAWA ON K1P 2P6
Canada

You must then also then include a return address in the top left corner as mail without that will be refused by the Canadian Postal Service.

Mexico

An example of a letter sent to Mexico:

Mr Joaquim Cepeda
San Antonio Abad 120 – Piso 4
06820 CIUDAD DE MEXICO
MEXICO

U.S.A.

An example of a letter sent to the United States of America:

Mr George Bush
1612 Dexter Street
FORT WAYNE IN 46805
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The abbreviation "USA" is also acceptable
Addresses must have a city, state, and zip code (5 digit number, sometimes with a 4 digit code appended)
shippers often require a phone or email address of recipient

Asia

India

An example of a letter sent to India: