Shipping from Spain to USA

When the destination address can't be matched by the carrier's last-mile system - missing postal code, no apartment number, no recipient phone - the parcel is held at the destination hub for up to 14 days, then returned to the sender at the sender's expense. A complete address is the single biggest factor in on-time delivery.

If a parcel is lost or damaged, carrier compensation is capped at the declared value - declaring 20 EUR on a 300 EUR laptop means recovering 20 EUR. Beyond that, customs at destination has the right to hold or return shipments where the declared value is implausibly low.

If a prohibited item is identified at the origin sortation centre, the parcel is rejected before shipping and any pre-paid label is forfeited. If discovered at destination customs, it's held, returned, or in some cases destroyed. Check the prohibited and restricted lists before booking.

Carriers reserve the right to refuse damage claims when packaging is judged inadequate. The minimum standard for international shipments is a double-wall corrugated box, intact tape on every seam, and 3 cm of cushioning on all six sides for any fragile contents.

Sending documents that need to land by Friday on an Economy service that quotes 7-9 days is a frequent and avoidable problem on the Spain-USA route. Match service tier to actual urgency and value, not to a default.