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Gentlemen, thanks for your information posted and sent directly to me.  There seems to be a variety of experiences on this subject.  Some have not lost anything using a shipper and others have, using the same shipper.  Some have caused problems for recipients re customs duties and others have not, even when using the same shipper.

DHL seems to get the most support regarding reliability and avoiding problems with customs.

I have these follow up questions:

1)  Apparently $100 is the trigger point for customs tax . . . . is this true?  So what about sending two or more packages where each package is less than $100.  I know the shipping cost would probably be more but, if the customs tax is exorbitant, then the total cost may be less.  I will be shipping 4 items that will cost me retail about $160.

2)  Where customs tax is due, what is the tax rate as a percent of the value assigned? Seems like I read something several months back that it could be near 100% tax rate.

3)  And, how is the value determined?  Surely they don’t just accept what we state on the forms.

4)  How is the final delivery accomplished to the person’s apartment?  These are huge apartment complexes with tiny mailboxes.  I would think any package left sitting near the mailboxes is sure to vanish quickly.  There is not always a guard on duty at some
apartments to receive such packages for safekeeping.  Does DHL and others always call the recipient via phone to arrange for final delivery?

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My wife and I send packages back to Ukraine by using the USPO registered mail. The price is okay and everything has always arrived intact and undisturbed.

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I have used both UPS and Fedex. You can track down where your package is at any moment and how it has been routed.

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USPS Air Parcel Post or Meest.   Air Parcel Post takes 2 weeks. Meest 1 week - depending on your local agent. Our agent ships once a week. If you get it there the day after, it sits until next week before it is shipped.  USPS Global Express mail costs and takes the same amount of time as Air Parcel Post.  The delay seems to be in Customs.

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The most reliable (and most expensive) is DHL. I think they compensate someone high up in Ukraine government pretty well as most DHL packages get thru customs and to the intended party fairly quickly and with the least hassle.  If it is an important item, go DHL.  If it is not so important you can ship UPS, Fed-Ex and by the US Post office. I think the Post Office has a deal with one of the other carriers, maybe UPS or Fed-Ex.

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If you ship it FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. do not expect overnight or anything near that. DHL is the most respected in Ukraine and has a better chance of getting your package to it's destination quickly.  But more than likely Kyiv customs will open and inspect it. This
does not mean they will take the contents because as I have stated earlier, they have a better relationship with DHL than others.
When I have sent things to Krivoy Rog, Ukraine via USPS sometimes they get there and sometimes they don't and we are only talking about pictures. I am not blaming the USPS but we all understand what goes on in Ukraine. If I ship the same contents to the same destination with the lowest possible shipping cost via DHL they will receive it and it has never been opened.

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The surest way of no tampering is either DHL or FEDEX.   But by using either one of them, you send a signal  "hey there is something valuable in here." In turn the Ukraine Customs Officer which both companies are required to have in their office will assign a
Customs tax due which must be paid by the person receiving it. Now DHL did have a program where you could assume all the custom's taxes. The program is NOT encouraged because you must sign an "open end" credit card charge where you will automatically be billed for whatever taxes due. You are not told in advance the amount of charges due. What we do is address the package in both English and Russian
arranged in center and side of package as I have listed English to left center Russian next to it to the right. Then we send air express with no additional insurance, Why no insurance because even if it is stolen the US post Office CANNOT determine where the theft occurred and in turn will not pay any money for non arriving packages to any FSU country. The air express is automatically insured for 100, included in the postage cost. Again it makes no difference, no insurance claim will ever be paid if it is lost. Make sure you complete the "swiss custom declaration form" at the post office.  Make
the item cost believable but in no case should the listed dollar amount be more than $100 or it will hit with a customs tax due for the receiver.  If clothing then list "used clothing” and take off the store tags, if toys then put “children’s gift.”  I personally
shipped items to Ekaterinburg through Moscow and to Kiev with no losses for 3 years.

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I would suggest you insure it for no more than $100. Otherwise, the recipient will have to pay customs duties (high).

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If it goes by dhl or fedex etc.,  it won't be tampered with....