Send parcels to St Lucia

The sovereign island nation of Saint Lucia is known to many as a wonderful holiday destination - full of palm tree-lined beaches and incredible volcano-tipped landscapes. Nestled in the eastern Caribbean Sea, the country is approximately 4,000 miles from the UK and has a population of around 174,000.

Experiencing numerous wars over its history, St Lucia was the subject of much altercation between France and England, until it gained its own independence as part of the Commonwealth in 1979. Tourism trade in St Lucia suffered badly as a result of the global financial crisis, yet its economy has made steps to recovery in recent years.

What can't you send to St Lucia?

There are many everyday items that can't be sent in the post to St Lucia. Here are some of the considerations:

Much food is subject to regulations; meat and offal, for starters, is prohibited from being sent in the mail, while eggs in their shell need an import licence. When it comes to alcohol, whisky, rum and gin are all prohibited from being imported.

Many plants, products of plant origin, fruit and spices will be subject to quarantine inspection, in order to protect the islands' native wildlife and agriculture.

Following devastating banana leaf infestations in recent years, it's forbidden to import live banana or coconut plants. Plantain, bananas, yams, sweet potatoes, coconut and soil are prohibited, regardless of their country of origin. Others, such as citrus fruits and mangoes are also prohibited, with the exception of those from a small number of countries, usually from those close by, including Saint Vincent. Any fruit and vegetables must have been cleaned of soil.

Fireworks will need written permission from the policer commissioner, while matches containing white or yellow phosphorus are not allowed at all. When it comes to printed materials, indecent and obscene prints or books are not permitted, nor are fictitious stamps.

St Lucia operates strict control over the importation of animal-derived products when they come from rare and endangered species. This is regulated by Convention on International trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauns and Flora (CITES).

Weapons are not permitted in the mail as standard, but this extends to flick knives, switch blades and other kinds of knives with moving blades. Some more, perhaps unusual, conditions exist on chainsaws and CB radios - both of these need permission from the relevant government department.

Don't forget these items are in addition to those which already feature on ipostparcels' own list of prohibited items. If you are unsure, always check before you send; the full list of prohibited and conditionally admitted items can be found on the Universal Postal Union (UPU) website.

Sending your parcel

Once you have checked that your parcel is on the safe list, package it up carefully, as it has a long journey to make. Any fragile items should be wrapped well in bubble wrap and the outer packaging secured with strong tape. As with any country outside of the EU, you will need to ensure the correct customs documentation is completed, and attached to the front of your package.

Write the address on the box clearly, writing SAINT LUCIA in capitals at the end of the address. Once you have booked in your delivery you can pop your box in its safe place or drop it at a local depo, so it is ready to begin its journey to the Caribbean Seas.

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Sending parcels to St Lucia