The formats
International letters are priced by weight and size, not by content. A standard letter up to 20 g holds two to three sheets including the envelope. Anything heavier becomes a compact or large letter. Goods and parcels follow separate rules and need a customs declaration.
Plan realistic delivery times
| Destination | Typical delivery time |
|---|---|
| Neighbouring EU countries | 2 to 4 working days |
| Rest of Europe | 3 to 7 working days |
| North America | 5 to 10 working days |
| Asia, Africa, South America | 7 to 20 working days |
Never leave deadline-bound letters — terminations, withdrawals, payment reminders — to the last day. Allow roughly double the standard delivery time.
Address format: three rules
- Write the address in the sender country's language or in English; always put the destination country in capitals, in German or English.
- Place town and postcode the way the destination country does it — "Boston, MA 02108" in the US, town and postcode on separate lines in the UK.
- No country prefix before the postcode. "D-10115 Berlin" is obsolete.
What does not belong in an international letter
- Cash, cheques, precious metals and jewellery.
- Product samples without a customs declaration outside the EU.
- Original documents you have not copied.
Proof of delivery
Registered mail abroad is possible, but tracking often stops at the destination country's border. For legally sensitive letters, send an email in advance stating that the original follows by post.
Order online instead of franking yourself
If you work from home or live abroad, an online letter service saves the trip to a post office: write the text, enter the recipient, pay. Printing, enveloping, franking and posting are handled for you.