What you need to know about shipping to Chile

Send A Parcel To Chile

Chile - officially known as the Republic of Chile - sits on the west coast of South America and is one of the continent's most stable and prosperous nations. Arguably most famous for its wine and football team, Chile is also now known for the remarkable and remote Easter Island, even though it lies thousands of miles off the Chilean coast.

A free trade agreement of 2003 means the EU is now Chile's second largest source of imports. Evaluated as the best economy in South America and one of the best emerging economies worldwide, it's likely parcels will be flying into Chile on a regular basis.

Restrictions of which to be aware

As with many countries there are restrictions you should be aware of when shipping parcels to Chile. Shipments which contain indecent or obscene books, prints or articles are not allowed, which also extends to printed materials that may be considered slanderous or libellous to the nation or the people of Chile. It's a similar fate for anything deemed to be likely to incite crime.

Corrosive, flammable, explosive or perishable materials are not allowed in regular mail anyway, but this also applies in Chile. Drugs including opium are morphine are not allowed in any form unless it has been established that they are for medicinal purposes. Live or dead animals are also forbidden, along with the sending of live insects.

Only lottery tickets authorised by the state may be sent in the mail and all cash, jewellery and precious items should be submitted as declared items. Full details can be found on the Chilean postal service CorreosChile's website.

Rules and regulations

As Chile falls outside of EU regulations, anyone sending parcels there must attach the right customs declaration documents to their item to ensure it passes through smoothly. The form you need will depend on the value of the package's contents; if the total falls below £270, it should be CN22. Anything above this amount must be sent with a fully completed CN23 form.

Packaging matters

When shipping items, boxes are more robust than padded envelopes every time, so to be safe it's always best to pick a box. Choose one slightly larger than your items so there's room for protective stuffing to be packed in around them. It's always wise to protect fragile and breakable items with bubble wrap, tissue or Styrofoam, making sure items cannot move around in the box during transit. Pack your parcel carefully, making sure to secure down all openings and corners with a strong, clear tape.

Following these guidelines means that you can wave adiós to your parcel knowing it has a strong chance of reaching its intended Chilean destination without incidence.