Paperback books in letters? Cancel Title is required

I know at one time it was OK to send small paperback books, under a specified size and thickness, in our letters and CI would forward them from the KC office.  Is that still the case?  If so what are the size specifications.  I'm sure this question has been asked and answered before but I couldn't find it here.  Thanks for any Info you can give.  

As long as they are thin, lightweight and will fit into a 5x7 envelope, we can generally send them to all our agencies, with the exception of Ecuador.  Only letters, cards and photos (not even stickers unless you stick them to the letter or card) can be sent due to the crazy custom guidelines in Ecuador :-(  

Thank you Debbie!

You're welcome!

I just started sponsoring a child in Dominican Republic. I want to send him a package or something. I sent a card via mail and an email card but I want to send a gift or something. Is this allowed please let me know any rules about things we can send.

Thanks,

Oh dear, I've been sending thin 9x12" envelopes to my kids through the KC office.  Do they need to be 5x7" ??????

This isn't a super simple question.  Through KC, you can only send small paper products.  You can write in to get the local office address and ship other things to the country, but my experience with this was that the postage often was higher than the contents, plus out of 5 boxes sent, one never arrived and another one got stuck in customs for 6 months and I had to pay an amount in "duties" that was nearly the full value of the contents.

I stick with Extra Gifts through CI now, where the family can choose what they need.  I do specify on educational gifts that this is the purpose though.

I hope Debbie or someone with CI can pick up this thread. There seems to still be a question of whether thin, lightweight, paper things need to fit into a 5x7 envelope. I have sent stuff larger than that and have never been told they weren't sent. I think what is meant is that paperback books, the subject of the original post have to be that size, but that paper objects that are single sheet, not books, could be larger. Is that true? I'd like to know for certain.

m.a.durbin - Yes, DebbieS response was referring to paperback books fitting into a 5x7 envelope. We still forward standard (8 1/2 x 11) single sheet paper items. :)

Is that A5 books and smaller? I struggle with imperial. A little sympathy for almost the entire rest of the world who are on metric. :P

I believe yes, A5 or smaller for paperback books. Thanks so much Elemay! 

Has there been any change in what can be sent to Ecuador through Kansas City? I used to be able to send books and stickers to Melany and Tamara, but the last time I was able to was last year for Tamara's birthday. Then there was a change in customs or something, and only cards and photos could be sent. Both girls have summer birthdays coming up and I'm wondering if whatever restrictions came into effect last summer have changed any. Can I send the girls books and stickers with their birthday cards this year, or can I only send the cards? Thanks in advance.

Hi tigera. Thanks for being a thoughtful sponsor and caring for Melany and Tamara! I wish I had better news, but at this time we can only forward cards, letters, photos etc. to the children in Ecuador. I don't know if you're aware but you can always send an Extra Gift - then the girls and their families can pick out what they need or want most. 

Are there any countries where books can be sent?

We can forward include lightweight paperback books to all our other agencies. 

Thanks for the info. But, 5 x 7 envelope? What if I send 9 x 12 w/a stapled packet of 18 pages typing paper (printed w/ color-in designs)?  It went through before. (Four stamps on the envelope.) It has been a couple years since I did that.  Have the rules changed?  (U.S. stamps)

Good News!  For larger, thicker items, like 18 pages stapled together or coloring books, etc., you are still welcome to send them to CI.  Rather than sending them in our weekly shipment via DHL (who has weight and size restrictions in place for non-profits), we will mail them via the USPS to the child's country.  It will take a little longer to get to the child, but they typically arrive within a month or so. 

Is that true for all countries now, including Guatemala?

Unfortunately at this time, we are only able to send ​letters and photos to Guatemala using DHL because there is still a suspension of mail service by USPS to Guatemala. 

Guatemala shipping problems?

1)Thanks, Debbie, for the info on stapled packets of color-in printed sheets.

2) Another question: You mentioned that USPS had "frozen" shipments to Guatemala (aside from letters).  /  What about a package? I was thinking of sending a box w/a Barbie woman President & Vice President set to my girl in Guatemala (the Prez comes in 4 different types, including a Latina!)  There would also be room for a very nice dress bought at a "steal" at a thrift store. // I'd love to send it, but not if it might get lost, or refused delivery.

BTW folks: Barbies have suddenly become WAY more diverse. In the last couple of years, they have added a WIDE variety of racial types, hair types etc.  /  They also have the old Original, but also Curvy, Petite, and Tall.  / The clothing colors and styles are diversifying as well. / AND they have Barbie career dolls with far more options: including doctor, astronaut, space explorer, video game designer, firefighter, violinist. / They are getting the clue that i.e. an astronaut uniform should NOT be pink. // The blonde/ white/ pink monopoly is slowly starting to break, even on doll vehicles and horses. / By G-ds, they even have one who looks like me!

They are also starting to carry diverse "Chelsea" dolls (Barbie's kid sister, 5 1/2 inches tall, normal proportions for a kid ~ that age). They come in different hair colors, skin colors, and recently they added a black doll w/ an Afro. Cute as a button.

The situation as we understand it from the US Postal Service, is that Guatemala no longer has a postal service of any kind. Therefore, if you want to mail anything to Guatemala, you have to use an overseas carrier such as DHL, FedEx, etc.  Since CI uses DHL for all weekly shipments to the SOA's we can still send letters and photos to Guatemala.  However, since all larger items such as books, coloring books, or copied sheets received at CIKC are sent to the SOA's via the USPS instead of DHL, we cannot send these larger items to Guatemala. 

I just wanted to check since it's been more than a year from the last update - do the same restrictions still apply to what can be sent through CIKC to Guatemala and Ecuador? Just cards and photos, but no books, stickers or other paper items? I always feel bad that I send my kids in Honduras and Mexico more than the ones in Guatemala and Ecuador, especially since I used to send them all books and stickers when they were younger and the restrictions weren't in place. Thank you.

That is correct. Unfortunately, nothing has changed with either Guatemala or Ecuador.