The lowdown on sending parcels to Bolivia
Bolivia - or the Plurinational State of Bolivia, to give its official name - is a landlocked country in central South America. It shares borders with Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile, and has a hugely diverse terrain spanning the Andes mountains, the Amazon rainforest and the Atacama Desert. This is, of course, in addition to its bustling cities - the capital, La Paz, being the best known.
While very few Brits are thought to be living permanently in Bolivia, many visit the country while travelling through South America. La Paz is a particularly big draw, as are the Tiwanaku ruins and Lake Titicaca. The country is also home to a busy and growing consumer market.
The time may come, then, when you need to send a parcel to Bolivia. If you do, the following information should help to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Customs declaration forms
The European Union (EU) makes it a little easier to send items and goods between certain European countries. Unfortunately, being in South America, Bolivia doesn't fall into this, but that's not to say it'll be difficult. It just means you'll need to include the appropriate customs documentation.
The one you'll need depends on the value of what you're sending. If the contents of your package are worth less than £270, it'll be form CN22. Anything else should be sent with a fully completed CN23.
The things you can't send to Bolivia
Bolivia, like all countries, has a list of things it doesn't want you to send across its borders, and the rules are strictly enforced by the government's customs team, so it's not worth the risk.
Many of the items on this list are to be expected, as the threat they pose is obvious.
You're not, for example, permitted to send any of the following items:
- Explosives, including pyrotechnics and matches
- Live animals and animal products
- Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof
- Narcotics and any other unregistered medicines
- Radioactive materials
Beyond this, there are a few things you might not have considered but are also prohibited:
- Vegetable products
- Printed books, newspapers and other products of the printing industry
- Precious and semi-precious stones
- Obscene and immoral articles and media
- Coins, banknotes and other currency
For a little more information, although there's not much on offer, visit the official Bolivian postal service's website.
A few handy packaging tips
With the UK and Bolivia separated by around 6,000 miles of South American land and the North Atlantic Ocean, your parcel has a fairly long journey ahead. Just as you'd make yourself comfortable on such a long flight, you should do the same for your package.
Start by finding a box a little bit bigger than the item or items you want to send, then, with the product inside, fill the gaps with something soft - bubblewrap and packing peanuts are ideal. These will prevent any impact damage.
Next, secure all openings with strong, thick parcel tape. You could even add some to the corners and edges if you think the box needs some reinforcement.
Finish up by writing the full destination address clearly on the front. It will typically take the following format:
-Recipient
-Street and house number
-Building
-Sub-building
-Locality
-BOLIVIA
Once that's all done, you're ready to send!
Also see related content...
Sending parcels to the UK
Sending parcels internationally