Costa Rica Mail
For any length of period you’re abroad, your friends and family may want to send you a care package, important mail, debit or credit cards, or even cell phones if you need a replacement.
In Costa Rica, the mail system is not as reliable as it is in the US. Mail usually takes longer to deliver and sometimes doesn’t arrive at all! We recommend you wait until you arrive onsite before people back home start sending you packages. Once you’re onsite, you’ll be able to assess the best way to receive these packages. Check out this video to learn more about Costa Rica’s postal system:
Below are some resources you may use and send to your family explaining the mailing process in different countries. The USPS has a great website with an “Index of Countries” that include postal codes, postage prices, and mailing conditions.
Index of Countries and their postal codes, instructions
FedEx International Resource Center
Shipping Internationally with DHL; Customs Support
When shipping internationally, please make sure that your envelope or package has everything necessary to ship.
Please note: when shipping cell phones, hefty customs taxes may be added. In some locations, you may have to go to the airport to pick up your package and pay the import/customs tax before collecting your package.
Traveling after the program for an extended period? Don’t want to carry your luggage around with you and pay hefty luggage overage charges? If you’ve answered yes to these two questions, you may want to look into whether or not luggage shipping services fit your travel needs.
In most cases, luggage shipping service is not recommended as costs are high and packing light is ideal. However, if you do need to ship your luggage home, here’s a list of companies that offer shipping services: