Sending packages to Zack

This is direct from his mission president in his information letter before he left on his mission.

"We ask that you only send packages to your missionary for 2 or 3 special occasions per year (Christmas, birthday, etc.) Argentine customs regulations stipulates that in all cases the addressee must be present to authorize the opening, checking, and customs clearance of packages. To expedite the examination of such packages, the addressee must be the name "Mision Argentina Mendoza" not "Elder Zack Bigelow" otherwise Zack would have to go to customs personally to get the package and he would have to pay whatever customs desires him to pay to get it out. Mission personel can only retreive packages sent to the "Mision" Put the full name of the missionary without the "Elder" in front of his name in the return address (as sender). SEE below:



Zackery Bigelow

City, State, Zip

U.S.A.



Mision Argentina Mendoza

Casilla de Correo 631

Mendoza 5500

Argentina



According to Argentine law, duties on packages are assessed at 50% of declared value or value as judged bu customs officials. When you declare the value on the green Customs Declaration slip CN22, it must be based upon what you paid. If you insure a package don't write on the slip what you insured the package for, only what was paid for the item that is inside.

ADVICE ON PACKAGES

Since missionaries pay the duties on all packages, you might want to make sure that Primary organizations, well meaning friends and family don't send large packages for which the missionary can't pay the duty.

WE ADVISE THAT YOU SEND PACKAGES BY US PRIORITY MAIL! WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH PACKAGES THROUGH DHL AND FED Ex GETTING PERMANENTLY DELAYED IN BUENOS AIRES AND CUSTOMS CAN BE UP TO 300% OF THE PACKAGE VALUE. BY KEEPING YOUR PACKAGE WEIGHT UNDER 2 lbs AND DELIVERING IT IN The PRIORITY MAIL BUBBLE ENVELOPE SEEMS TO KEEP MOST SHIPMENTS OUT OF CUSTOMS.



Shipment time on packages is also unperdictable; packages can arrive in two weeks, but sometimes take up to eight weeks at Christmas time.