Where can I find a list of import/export restrictions?

Where can I find a list of unauthorised contents?

Where can I find information about sending special contents or hazardous materials?

How can cash be sent abroad securely by post?

It is prohibited to send cash by (uninsured) post. In the event of loss or theft, Swiss Post International does not accept any liability.
(Swiss Post General Terms and Conditions “Postal Services”, sections 2.6 and 4.4.2)

To transfer money abroad, please use a PostFinance product such as PostCash, PostGiro, Western Union, etc. Information on these products can be obtained directly from the PostFinance hotline or the e-mail address specified below:

• Private customers: 0848 888 700
• Business customers: 0848 888 900
• E-mail: postfinance@postfinance.chThe link will open in a new window

According to Track & Trace our export item is currently being held at the foreign customs office. Why has the item not been delivered?

Often items are held at a local customs office in the destination country because the recipient is responsible for customs clearance, or because the content declaration does not contain sufficient information.

In such cases, the recipient is normally notified by Customs. If this does not happen, the recipient can contact his post office or the responsible customs office directly.

If this still does not produce the desired outcome, or if the recipient does not know which customs office to call, please contact us. We will then ask the foreign postal administration for more detailed information and will be able to clarify how the recipient should proceed.

How do I get hold of the assessment notice so that I can reclaim the value-added tax (VAT) on my export item?

For a declared value of goods of up to CHF 1,000.00, no assessment notice issued by the customs office is required to reclaim VAT from the financial administration. The receipt stamped by the office where the item was handed in is sufficient for this purpose.

For a declared value of goods of over CHF 1,000.00, you, as the sender are entitled to an electronic assessment notice issued by the customs office (eVV).

What is an electronic assessment decision?

An electronic assessment decision is proof of export issued by the Federal Customs Administration in the form of an electronic document for goods exported from Switzerland. The electronic assessment decision is the electronic counterpart of the current paper export customs clearance document.

Where and as of when does the electronic assessment decision come into effect?

Who is entitled to an electronic assessment decision?

The conditions associated with the entitlement to an electronic assessment decision are identical to those of the physical export customs clearance document.

All companies liable to tax in Switzerland and Liechtenstein are fundamentally entitled to an electronic assessment decision.

In addition, the electronic assessment decision is only issued for goods exported via the postal channel and worth more than CHF 1,000 or goods subject to export permission.

For which postal products is the electronic assessment decision available?

The electronic assessment decision will replace the export customs clearance document. For the following products, an electronic assessment notice is available:

• PRIORITY and ECONOMY letters
• PostPac International PRIORITY and ECONOMY
• GLS parcels

During the course of the year, the URGENT Business, TNT Express and small consignments mailing solutions from PostLogistics will also make the transition.

As a sender of an international letter or parcel consignment, where and how can I obtain the electronic assessment decision to which I am entitled?

In principle, there are three ways to acquire an electronic assessment decision?

1. As a download at  www.post.ch/evvThe link will open in a new window
2. Via e-mail (only for PostPac International exports and only if the waybill was created using one of the electronic tools from Swiss Post International and the sender’s e-mail address has been expressly entered)
3. Order via postal customs clearance customer service (by phone or e-mail: this is the only option for non-registered letters).

What is the procedure for obtaining an electronic assessment decision at www.post.ch/evv ?

As of when and for how long is an electronic assessment decision available?

Electronic assessment notices are generally provided within two working days of the export. The electronic assessment decision is then either available to download or is forwarded to the sender by e-mail.

Electronic assessment decisions are made available to the sender at  www.swisspost.ch/evvThe link will open in a new window for three months after export and can be downloaded as many times as required.

Who should I contact if I need an electronic assessment decision for good exported more than three months ago?

Can postal consignments for export be announced electronically using e-dec export?

Which documents must be provided for postal consignments announced via the e-dec export system?

Postal consignments announced via the e-dec export system must be accompanied by the following documents:

The “E-DEC EXPORT” labels (see example below) can be printed on an A4 sheet of 24 labels (70 mm x 34.04 mm).

  Sample “E-DEC EXPORT” labelThe link will open in a new window (DOCX, 25 KB)

To ensure correct handling of consignments exported using e-dec export we strongly recommend using the PostPac International or URGENT Business products.

Swiss Post would like to remind customers who nevertheless wish to continue mailing their declared consignments via e-dec export of the following instructions (see example):

• These consignments are sent via registered mail
• These consignments are inserted in the SPI Worldwide mailing pouch (form 319.10)
• An “E-DEC EXPORT” label must be affixed above the address
• All customs documents (export declaration, customs declaration, export list) are placed in a transparent pouch (form 129.12) on the consignment.

Swiss Post cannot guarantee correct handling of this type of consignment if these conditions are not met.

Registered items being mailed abroad are insured up to a maximum value of CHF 150. What should I do if my consignment contains merchandise whose value is far higher?

Swiss Post recommends that customers use PostPac International or URGENT Business to mail consignments whose contents are worth more than CHF 150 because these products offer automatic liability of CHF 1,000 or CHF 3,000 with supplementary insurance.

For merchandise worth CHF 1,000 or more which requires an export declaration for customs in order to reclaim VAT, the export and customs declarations are included automatically in the PostPac International and URGENT Business waybills. You can also complete the documents online at  www.swisspost.ch/dispatchlistThe link will open in a new window.

Swiss Post would like to remind customers who nevertheless wish to continue mailing their valuable consignments worth CHF 1,000 or more as a letter weighing up to 2 kg of the following instructions (see example):

• These consignments are sent via registered mail
• These consignments are inserted in the SPI Worldwide mailing pouch (form 319.10)
• An “EXPORT CLEARANCE” label must be affixed above the address
• All customs documents (export declaration, customs declaration, export list) are placed in a transparent pouch (form 129.12) on the consignment.

Swiss Post cannot guarantee correct handling of this type of consignment if these conditions are not met.

The “EXPORT CLEARANCE” labels (see model below) can be printed on an A4 sheet of 24 labels (70 mm x 34.04 mm).

  Sample “EXPORT CLEARANCE” labelThe link will open in a new window (DOCX, 268 KB)